My 6 Month Old Will NOT Take a Bottle ~ and I Go Back to Work on Monday!!!!!!

Have you tried a latex nipple instead of a silicon nipple? I only found that playtex had the latex and even then they were harder to find but my son never did well with the silicon so I tried the latex and he liked them much better. We switched to latex and never went back. I think they are softer and more pliable and my son liked it much better. Good luck.

Hi S.,
I had the same problem and tried everything. I discovered one day as I was taking care of my 2 year old niece, Sierra, that when I prepared a bottle for her, my Sophia (7 mo. at the time), all of a sudden, wanted Sierra's bottle. So I prepared a bottle that looked just like Sierra's and offered it to her and that was it. She never looked back. I really thought she was never going to take to the bottle. I hope this helps. Maybe you can have Isaiah act as though he is having a bottle in front of Gabriel and see what happens. Good luck.
A.

What I had to do with my second was to be the one to feed her the bottle when I got home from work and she was starving. It was difficult for a few days, but we got through it. Unfortunately,after about a month of taking the bottle, she began refusing the breast and she weaned herself. Good luck.

At 6 months you can also try solid foods other than rice cereal. Have you thought of offerring that? When your mom gives him the bottles are you in the room or the house even? Leave the house if you haven't already tried that. What about a sippy cup? I know from experience if a baby is hungry enough he'll eat... not that that is a fun idea, but if you have to go back to work then you have to try all avenues.

My nephew just turned 6 months and rejected the bottle from the beginning. We tried everything and eventually switched to the sippy cup. He takes it just fine. You will just want to make sure that you get one for the appropriate age group, otherwise the flow may be too fast and he will choke. Good Luck!

Once he realizes you aren't around, I'll bet he'll get the idea that the bottle isn't so bad after all. As others have said, it might be stressful for the first day but he'll get the idea. As long as he is accepting the cereal mixed with your milk, you don't need to worry about him starving. I'll keep you, the baby and your mom all in my prayers tommorrow. Do let us know how it goes.

S.,

BEEN there! I didn't read any other responses so excuse any duplicates.

My 2nd youngest son NEVER took a bottle either. Not from MY mom, the nanny, grandpa, grandma - and not even when I tested him by leaving him for 8 hours with my mom. We gave him a cup at 6mos when it was evident he would not transition to a bottle before I returned to work. The other option is to nurse your little one on your lunch break - if you are close enough to do so. I, too, had a new boss. But fortunately an understanding boss that I would be gone a little longer for lunch due to my little one's stubborn streak. I nursed him on my lunch hour until he was 1 year old. It was a blessing and helped me transition back to work better. He was offered my breastmilk in a cup for his other liquid feedings, and this became less as his sold food intake increased.

Blessings to you. Work with your new boss on this transition. It's essential that you feel comfortable.

Mom of 4: girl, boy, boy, and new baby boy (born 10/2)

I would just keep offering a bottle. However, I was told by my lactation consultant that if they are not introduced to a bottle early on they may never accept one. Just keep trying and now that you are trying solids you have some options. Maybe try a straw in a cup with breastmilk? He may not go for a cup if he only had it once before.

My son was also born in Janurary 06, and my daughter in April 08. Have you started Gabriel on rice cereal yet? That might be an alternative to trying to get your son to bottle feed while you are at work. Your mom could feed him rice cereal and continue to try to get him to bottle feed. It took Ella a few days to get the hang of rice cereal. If he has been exclusively breast fed it will be a struggle. Keep offering him the bottle. Have you tried a sippy cup. Some kids will take a sippy cup with breast milk because it is something completely different than a bottle. Sounds like your son only wants to you to feed him. Is it possible for you to stay home for a few more months? I recently stepped down from my position to work only a few hours a week around my husbands schedule to take care of the kids. The kids love it. The career can wait another year, the kids can't. Good luck!

You don't say who exactly is trying to give him the bottle, but if it is you (or if you are in the room, or he can hear you in another room), you're not going to have much luck. He knows you have the 'good stuff' and isn't going to settle for less as long as you're around. Pick the bottle/nipple you like best and have your mom stick with it. Once you are at work he will take the bottle from your mom, and stop throwing a temper tantrum about it. It may take a day or so, but he'll figure out pretty quick that a bottle is his only choice when you are gone. Until he does, he won't starve, I promise! :o)
On a bright note, at six months he can start other solid foods besides rice cereal, so your mom can have some fun trying a new food each week!

My almost 4 mo old does not dig the bottle, either. Here's what I have tried, which may sound amusing, but has helped. While breastfeeding, I also hold a bottle and slide the bottle nipple into his mouth at the same time, so that he gets both at once. I figure this builds a positive association, or at least gives him some familiarity, or the idea that milk can come from two differently feeling nipples. So far he has taken small amounts of bottled milk from other people when I'm not around. With me, he mostly just plays with the bottle, or will suck a little but then not swallow. I'm starting daycare this next week, so we'll see how it goes w/the daycare provider. Good luck. I'm told I waited too long to introduce the bottle and that's why I'm getting resistance...I'm sure you're hearing the same thing.

try a day when you do not nurse and have dad give all the bottles. your son should take one, he won't starve himself. i would stick with one kind and try over and over. i agree it would be helpful if you were not in the room (you could be pumping in another room etc). also, trying solids and a sippy cup are good ideas. the first day or so might be tough for your mom but i bet 1/2 way through the second dad she will have some luck. good luck, i know it is stressful.
you could also ask your ped.

If you live close to home, you can breastfeed right before you leave, run home for lunch, and then right after you get home. Women are protected by law to be allowed to breastfeed their babies in public (here's a link--http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/breast50.htm), so if your boss says no, then please explain that it is the law that s/he allow you to do so, at least to provide a quiet, private place if you desire it. So, if your mom is able to, she can also bring him for your breaks, and that would be enough frequency that he can probably snack in between with the cereal mixture.

Hi S.,

I had the same problem. We ended up going with what is now being called a litterless juice box. It's a small plastic bottle with a sippy spout on top, but with a straw that attaches to it. To get your son to sip from it on his own all you have to do is give a little squeeze on the bottle while your son has the spout in his mouth. The squeezing will get a bit of the milk to flow out, giving your son the idea that there is good stuff in there. Make sure you get a feel for how hard you need to squeeze to get just a tiny bit of milk to flow, or you might give your son more than he is ready to deal with.

The product that we used was by Rubbermaid. You can find out more about the current version at the following link:
http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtm...
Good luck!!

S.,
I am sorry you are stressed out! I have been taking care of a 9 month old and for the first month I watched him he would refuse to drink his bottle or just sip. He is exclusively breast fed as well, so this was an issue. However, we did just add the breast milk to his cereal and I would just keep offering the bottle through out the day. He would then breast feed like crazy when back with his mom. He now will drink a few ounces from me per day. Very exciting stuff. (o;
So don't stress. Remember they will figure out they need to drink and will make up for it. Just keep offering it, even if he just seems to "chew" on the nipple.

I had a friend whoes boy wouldn't take a bottle at that age. Not from her, not from her husband.... but if she left him with the grandparents he would! Turned out he knew that if dad was around, mom was if he cried long enough. He didn't associate gradparents with the breast, and would take a bottle.

You might need to take him to a trusted friend's home, say "bye-bye" grit your teeth, and leave.

THEN see what he does with a bottle.

MY BABY was like that and took a while until she became familiar with the bottle. i had to tip the babysitter because the baby cried n cried too much. i was stressed but then after a while, i realized that i should not be stressed. after a month, she s perfectly fine and i am still breastfeeding her at 15 months old and going... smile

Try one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SBIMTM It's called the breast flow bottle and it's the only one my 6 month old will use as he's exclusively breastfed as well. My older son went to a sippy cup with a straw at about 5 months because we didn't know about these bottles.

You can find them at Target in Roseville. Not sure about the Target here in Auburn, though.

By the way, my sons are Feb '06 and May '08 so pretty close in age to yours..

Jen

Hi S.,

I wouldn't worry. My son refused to take a bottle at first too. He was 8 months old when I went back to work. When they get hungry enough, they will take it.

Hello,
I didn't get a chance to read all your responses but wanted to give a suggestion (which I hope isn't a repeat, but probably is). Try a sippy cup of breast milk. 6 months isn't too early to start the sippy cup.
I also wanted to say I'm sorry that person told you to stay home, completely inappropriate and clearly doesn't understand the emotions that a mom goes through when she goes back to work! Sometimes staying home isn't an option.

Definitely disappear for bottle feedings. If you're not an option, he'll catch on. If that doesn't work, try the sippy cup idea. I found the easiest for my son (who was exclusively breast fed and didn't get bottles often) were the take and toss ones. I think he had trouble figuring out what to do with the sippy and with the take and toss it seems like they don't have to suck as hard to get liquid out. You can get some that have handles included. Do try other solids, too. I liked to throw some applesauce or bananas or some other fruit puree into the cereal--or just by themselves.

Also, if you're at all like me, don't let his crying make you feel guilty. He's only crying to let you know he doesn't like the change. There's no permanent damage, you're teaching him to be adaptable--which is a huge benefit. Plus he's only dealing with the bottle being new, he doesn't have to also get used to a new setting or a new person. He's spending the day with someone who loves him dearly and has a vested interest in his well-being. It really sounds like a great situation, with only one (relatively minor) obstacle. He will get sustenance. He will figure it out, just like any other new skill.

Have a great day tomorrow!

Hi S., i just went to work a few weeks ago and was struggling with the same problem. My breastfed daughter, now 3 months old didn't start taking the bottle until the day before I went to work. I was so worried that she'd starve herself until I got home from work. One trick that worked for my husband, as well as anyone else trying to bottle feed the baby (even me) was to turn on the vaccum cleaner. The second that it turned on, even if she had been crying for 20 minutes, she'd suddenly stop and then take the bottle. Initially, we had to leave the vaccum on until she was done eating, but it's to the point now where she'll take a bottle with little or no fuss.
If she does still fuss a bit, we squirt a bit of milk in her mouth so that she can get a taste. I think once she tasted what it was, she was more apt to try and eat. And if the person trying to feed the baby wraps him up in a tshirt that you've worn it's even better, he'll definitely smell you. Some days, she fights it- I think only to voice her opposition- but after a minute or two of saying "shhhhhh" she'll take it.
Good luck- it's hard to watch the baby struggle, but once you can use a bottle, it makes having to leave for work SO much easier. It's a relief to know that baby will eat when you're gone.

That is one smart baby! If my mommy were going to go back to work when I was 6 months old, I wouldn't take a bottle either. The best thing for you to do is put off work until your baby is in full time school. He needs his mommy more than anyone else.

If that absolutely will not work, talk to your employer and have your mother bring the baby to your office a few times a day so that you can feed him.

Babies only need us full time for a relatively short time in their lives. Please do everything possible to stay home with him and care for him so that he will be able to bond with others as he grows to adulthood. Do not force your baby to ween. You will regret it someday. The time you give him now will be your greatest investment in his future and your future relationship with him.

Hi S. - We went through this too - unbelievably stubborn! What finally worked for us was for me to pull the bait and switch on her - breastfed her for a few minutes until she naturally stopped, burped her and then offered the bottle - I really really don't think that will work for all babies, but it's just one more thing to try. We also tried different chairs and different positions - for a while my husband had to be in my 'breastfeeding chair, face her out and bounce her.

Congratulations on your new career!

When my daughter was 2 months old, I was rushed to the emergency room. I was at the hospital for a prolonged stay and my daughter wanted nothing to do with a bottle. My husband said she went 12 hours without eating before she was hungry enough to accept formula. She's six now, and still a picky eater, but I know she won't starve to death. Eventually, she'll eat!

It takes a couple days of adjustment, not just a meal or two. Be sure you are not breastfeeding in between bottle feedings or he will never make the switch. Consistantly bottle feed. Also try rubbing a little of what's in the bottle, with the bottle nipple, on his lips and he will naturally lick it. When he is hungry enough he will eat. As my pediatrician said, a day or two of being a little hungry will not harm him. You will have to put up with some extra crankiness during the adjustment because he will not like change and he will be a bit hungry temporarily.Good luck!

Also, consider having someone else give him the bottle before he is ready for it. For us he would through a fit if is was already ready and hungry and then you offered something that frustrated him. If what is in the bottle is breast milk, maybe that is frustrating him. Try formula. Or is it is formula you are putting in the bottle try breast milk. Try half and half. Try water in a sippy cup. If he goes for it, next time try breast milk or formula. Good luck. He wont starve himself for ever.

hey there! I want to say congratulations for breast feeding your baby. You really are giving him the best he can have and he knows it, that's part of why he doesn't want to take any less. Breast is best not just because of the nutrients, but the intimacy of the connection with your baby. It's just not as warm with the bottle so he's resisting for the good stuff. That being said, I understand that if you have to work, you have to work. I've read many moms mention a sippy cup, try it, but if he doesn't want it also try a regular cup. All babies can drink from a cup, even newborns. Of course he can't hold it, he's not stable enough, but your mom can hold the cup and pour it into his mouth slowly. This is also the best way to avoid nipple confusion also known as nipple preference, but it sounds like he already has nipple preference, and he prefers your nipple. Try the cup drinking and he'll go right back to the breast when you are home. Good luck and let us know if any of these suggestions work.