Newborn Rejecting the bottle...need Advice About That and Haberman Feeder

I have no special bottle advice but did breastfeed all 3 of my kids. The first one I could never get to take a bottle. Then I had twins and needed them to be able to take a bottle. I very quickly realized that we needed to be giving them a minimum of 2 bottles per day for them to not reject them. We would feed them a big bottle before bed and then I would pump after they were asleep. We'd also do a bottle sometime throughout the day. Having said that, it's a fine balance because if you give them too many bottles they start to reject your boob.

My older son never took a bottle at that age. Totally refused it no matter what kind of nipples we tried. My younger one was better at it. I think that it varies from baby to baby. I have used the Haberman feeder but only with my special needs population that I work with. For instance, I use it with babies with cleft lip/palate to help with the suction since the nipple is so elongated. Don't know if I would try it with a typically developing baby. Just my opinion. Good luck.

Hi, S.:

Call your local breastfeeding consultant at La Leche League
at:

www.llli.org

Hope this helps. D.

If you are trying to give the bottle your baby will(and should) refuse it. He can smell the fresh stuff, and doesn't want anything that is second rate. Would you want store bought cookies if Grandma's fresh baked ones were there?

What you have to do it - Hand baby to dad, grandmom, or babysitter - anyone but you - and LEAVE the house. When your baby is hungry he WILL eat. Babies DO NOT starve themselves. BUT they do sometimes reverse cycle. Some babies will not take a bottle, or only take enough to tye them over till mom gets home. There is nothing wrong with that, and they will make up for it when you are home. Nursing alot when you are home.

You can also use a sippy cup. No, he is not too young. Get one with a seperate spill proof valve. Remove the valve, tip the cup, baby sips the milk.

Another thing you can try is using pumped breastmilk instead of formula. He is not used to formula, and it really isn't the greatest tasting stuff to begin with. Plus it may bother his little tummy to give him formula.

Why give him formula? I breastfed my daughter, but started her on bottles at about 5 weeks, knowing I would have to go back to work. After a feeding session with her I would pump to tell my body I needed more milk. I would save up the additional milk and then my husband would feed her from a bottle every so often. I did not give her formula at all until she was over 4 months old, even then it was mixed with breast milk. He'll take to the bottle eventually. Have you considered Avent bottles? My daughter had no problem with those and still uses Avent binkies.

Dear S.,
Your baby already knows what he wants and has gotten the best. I nursed 3 babies. When I got a breast infection with the second baby, it was 10 hours before my husband finally got her to take a bottle of formula.
You might have to try all different kinds of bottles and pumping your milk would be the best that you can do.
Stay breastfeeding as long as you can...I do not think that it will harm your pregnancy...you'll just have to eat enough food and take enough supplements for all three of you!
Good luck,
E.