Introducing Bottle to Breast Fed Baby

My DD NEVER wanted to take a bottle. I couldn't go anywhere with out her. The one time I went to a xmas party with my DH we had to leave because she was screaming and not taking the bottle. After about 9 months I gave her a NUK orthodontic sippy. It was THE ONLY thing other then me she would take. It was hard.

I remember with my first son what a difficult battle this can be! Very frustrating. The only thing that worked for me was persistance and patience. I personally found the Evenflo VentAire bottles my son would actually take (the nipple was more lifelike, I guess?), so maybe you want to try those too (I know, your cubbards will be full of bottles!). I also had my mother give him the bottle (when she was around) and he seemed to take it from her more than he would from me. My advice is with the second one (which I have learned!) is to pump and give him a bottle AT LEAST once a week so they are used to it. Experience is everything! Hope this helps and good luck!

Just keep trying everyday. We went through about 20 different kinds of bottle nipples before finding one that worked for our daughter. (It took 2 months of trying everyday.) Once we did, we had to give her a bottle everyday for her to remember how to use it...once or twice a week was not enough. What ended up working for her was the Nuk latex nipple that will go on any standard size bottle. The shape definitely looked the most comfortable for her to latch onto and I think the latex felt better to her than the harder silicone nipples.

Is there a real NEED for your baby to take a bottle? My son is 11 months and has never used a bottle or a pacifier. These are not things a baby must use. Your little one is a little to young for a sippy cup, but you could start slowing introducing it now. Give him the sippy just to hold. Then when he's got that down put a little breast milk in it. In my opinion, I think it's silly to introduce a bottle, then have to wean from the bottle to introduce a cup. We make parenting way to hard on ourselves these days. Good luck!

My lactation consultant told me that the Nuk nipples were actually not a good nipple that is conducive to breastfeeding...so I think perhaps maybe it's just a very different sensation and that's why the baby is having a hard time. I think you may also need to pump and try the bottle more often that just once a day for the baby to get used to it.

Try one of the breast-shaped ones--I think Playtex has one that is good.

We started my 2 month old on bottles right away at night so she could pull off both and she is used to it; she breastfeeds all day and uses the bottle at night with my husband.

You have to do what is best for you and your baby.
A bottle that I found to be amazing is the Adiri Natural Nurser. My nephew used these bottles and loved them. They are shaped like a breast and even have the same texture and feel causing the baby to use the same latching method as they would if they were breastfeeding.
Best wishes and good luck!

Hi E.,
I know you are getting a lot of responses, so I will keep this short. My son, who is 2 1/2 months, used a bottle from the beginning because I had bleeding, cracked nipples and needed a break to heal. I found the bottle that came with the Medela pump did not work because the nipple was too fast, he would finish 2 ounces in 30 seconds! This made going back on the breast hard. I have had great luck with Breastflow bottles from The First Years. It has a wideset nipple and also has a double nipple feature that forces the baby to drink from that the same way they nurse. Their mouth is in the same position and they use their tongue the same way. I would try those. I would be happy to send you one of my unused ones if you want to try before buying. Just give me your address, if you would like. My e-mail is ____@____.com Hope this helps! T. B.

Hi,
Neither of my boys ever took a bottle. So I sucked it up and until they grew a little more I didn't leave them for more than two - three hours at a time. And when my husband and I went out for a new year's eve party my son was so hungry he ate everything I pumped and I was the one uncomfortable with boobs leaking and hurting.When they got older (Mikey is now 3 and Matty 9 mos.) I knew they can eat other stuff.ANd at about 6 months they can start juice and cereal so you can go longer without nursing.
Good luck.

I have a friend who put the nipples from the bottles in her bra for a few hours to get her scent on them. This seemed to help her transition.

I found the Playtex 'natural latch' (the silicone one) nipple with the 'drop in' system (liners) worked for us. I too had tried lots of different nipples. Also, we did the first feeding of the day (it sounds like you are too) when she was the most hungry - and that's the bottle she would suck down. She got used to the bottle very quickly at daycare & that became her routine - bottle at daycare, nurse with mommy. I couldn't tell what kind of schedule you are on by your request - but if you are not away consistently yet (not back at work full time) - perhaps she knows she doesn't have to get used to the bottle yet. From what I've read and heard - rest assured, just about all babies will take to the bottle eventually - when they are hungry enough - they eat! But it is an emotional, anxious process for us! I'm a first time mom too - my daughter is now 13 months - and we successfully breast fed for a year. Good luck!

I tried for 6 months with my son!! In the end what worked were the playtex drop in bottles. Put some milk in and then push up from the bottom until all the air is out - the milk will be right up to the nipple. This has worked for me and a few of my friends, maybe because they can just suck the milk straight out like a breast? All I know for sure is that I will forever thank my friend that showed me this trick :)

Good Luck

My son absolutely refused the bottle and would fuss until I nursed him. Once, we left him with his grandparents for 5 hours at 3 mos. old. He never took the bottle and fed voraciously when I got home. I just nursed him all the time, for 15 months. It was very difficult to be stuck to him all the time, but I couldn't figure out anything to do. He just wanted Mommy. He didn't take pacifiers either. I am sorry that I have no solutions to offer you. I don't want to be a downer, I am writing just to let you know that this is not uncommon. Hopefully, someone will have a suggestion for you. Good luck.

A.

Do you need him to take a bottle? try giving him it on a spoon and put a little cereal in it to thinken just slightly. or give him a cup! he will not starve, good luck
ps mine breast fed for 12 months and never would take a bottle!

I read all of the books and started exposing my first son at 6 weeks old to bottles as recommended - always having my husband feed him when he came home from work at 7pm. He refused for a few weeks (exact situation you have with milk dribbling out, and then my breastfeeding), but we were consistent and eventually he caught on.
With our second son, my maternity leave went by so fast that I finally realized a couple weeks before it ended that we had better get him used to the bottle. He was a much better nurser than my first so he was even harder to bottle feed. And since my husband only had an hour after work, he used it to play with the oldest son. So instead of doing what the books said, I fed the baby a bottle around lunch time myself. I tried to be consistent in the time, and chose a time that daycare would be doing it. At first he too let the milk dribble out, and ending up on the breast. Although he wasn't totally into it by the time daycare started, and he didn't eat much there at first, he did come around (if he wanted to eat during the day, he learned to take a bottle). The daycare provider helped tremendously.
I'm not convinced that bottles make a difference, but we used Dr. Brown's. Its more about the consistency, I think.
In addition, if you're returning to work, my advice would be to keep pumping, and start freezing the extra. If you have a little supply prior to returning you won't be super stressed out during the days to get to the bathroom to pump. I wasn't very successful with my first, but learned some lessons for my 2nd. Once I returned, I bought a double pump and pumped twice as long as a regular feeding (this way I only had to pump once a day). I also pumped on weekends and fed the baby bottles to not only keep the baby used to the bottle, but also so that my breasts from getting engorged. Again, consistency is key.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me.

About me: I work 4 days a week outside the home. I have a 3-year old son and 1-1/2 year old son and am due with baby #3 in late September.

Hi Elyse, I had the same problem with my daughter, who is now 7 months. We literally tried every type of bottle and nipple and she refused them altogether. Meanwhile, I was at work for up to 10 hours away from her (still pumping)and she refused to eat until I came home and breastfed her. After a couple of weeks of getting home to a very upset baby, my husband and mom-in-law tried mixing the breast milk with a small amount of rice cereal, and spoon feeding. She took it, and ended up actually sipping the milky-rice stuff out of the bowl once the spoon feeding became tedious. After a few more months we added the usual foods to her diet, and I breastfeed her whenever I'm around. Hope that helps- good luck!
Jessi

Hi,
I don't know if this is too late, but I agree with Anna P. My daughter would not take the bottle, and I knew that she would be using a cup in the near future. I ended up giving her the Avent sippy cups. The spouts are soft, but not shaped at all like the breast, so there was no confusion. The valve inside had her actually suck on it, so she wouldn't drown herself. People thought I was a little crazy giving her a cup at 4 months, but it worked for her.
Good luck, and by the way, she won't starve, she just may fuss a little more for those who watch her. She'll get it, I think it is harder on us than them, to be honest. I have 4, so you can't imagine all the guilt I felt for every little thing, well, needless to say, they are all happy, healthy, and fun loving.
Teri