Does anyone have any ideas on how to get my 2 1/2 month old to take a bottle? I have to go back to work part time in 2 weeks and she won't take a bottle. I have been nursing her and we have been trying for a couple weeks now to get her to take a bottle with breast milk in it, but the most she has taken is around an ounce. Then she just gets mad. I would like to get this resolved before the babysitter starts watching her 2 days a week. Thanks for any help!!
My advice is short & sweet, maybe buy an assortment of bottles and see if she takes to one. They can be picky and she might not like the bottle/nipple you have. Keep trying, you're bound to find one!
My daughter also had a hard time taking a bottle (with a traditional nipple) after breastfeeding exclusively. I was going back to work soon, and like you I didn't know what to do! Then a friend told me that she had success with NUK nipples (made by Gerber). That advice was a Godsend! We tried one and my daughter did GREAT with it!! These nipples are flattened and possibly are more like the breast. I highly recommend that you try one and see if it works. You can buy NUK nipples anywhere -- the grocery store, Walmart, etc... Like other nipples, they sell different stages (start with stage 1 for slow flow). My daughter wasn't as particular about the type of bottle. We just used the simple Medela bottles that came with our pump. I think Medela also makes flattened nipples like the NUK nipples.
FYI: My daughter never would take the green pacifier that they gave us at the hospital. But she WOULD take the flattened kind of pacifier. In fact, you can also buy NUK pacifiers.
Good luck!
A.
What type of bottles are you using? I had to supplement breastfeeding with formula for both of my two children, and I found that the type of bottle made a difference, especially with my son. I used Advent, and both of my children did well with them. You may also want to check the flow of the nipples that you are using. Your daughter may be having to suck too hard, which would explain why she is getting mad.
I agree with the suggestion about the bottles. I would start with the ones (if you havent already) that are supposed to avoid nipple confusion and be like a breast. I know Gerber has one and we used Playtex Ventair natural shaped ones. They come with different flows of nipples and my daughter HATED anything bigger than the phase one and would throw a fit, so we just opened the nipple flow a little more with a pin if it didnt come out enough for her and then she was fine with it. Good luck!
We had the same issue with our son and like someone else mentioned we finally tuned to the sippy cup without the valve. After weeks of going through every bottle on the market and being worried half to death that my kiddo would starve someone suggested the sippy cup. It still took a bit of time but he finally took to it. Sidenote: he never liked the pacififer either...maybe it's the texture. Good luck!!
I had this same issue and it sounds like it is fairly common for a breastfed baby. After tyring a bottle for several weeks I turned to a sippy cup at 3 months old. I took out the little valve that makes it non-spill so that when I turn it upside down milk spills out of the little holes. It has taken a little practice but it's the only thing he will take. Also, he prefers my pumped breastmilk to be cold right out of the fridge when he drinks it from the sippy cup. I think it is just different enough to be okay. He still doesn't love eating from the sippy cup but he will do it when I am at work.
Good luck! I know how frustrating it can be. You just have to keep trying different things. Eventually something has to work out!
Is it you that is giving her the bottle? Yes, they already know and have definite issues with the Mommy giving the bottles if you have been nursing exclusively. They know it doesn't seem right and they don't like it. Try letting someone else give her one. It still may take a while. Just keep trying. It's hard I know- my children did this too. Make sure the bottle you are using is a slow flow nipple for newborns. If it's coming too fast that could make her mad, as well as choke/gag her. Also you may have to try different bottle brands. My daughter had a tiny mouth and I had to go through the stores looking for the smallest nipple- small around the base and short too. Most bottles had nipples that extended so far in her mouth that it was choking her. Also, to get her started with your taste and smell you can drop a little breast milk on the nipple. This also helped my little ones. Hope this helps. Good luck!
My daughter was very picky about not only the bottle/nipple from which her milk was coming, but also the temperature of the milk. She wanted hers to be what felt hot to the touch, but if it was too cool or much warmer she would throw the biggest fit. It was very difficult, but eventually we all figured out her specifics. My son was very easy going and would even take it cold, but I could not be the one to give him a bottle unless I held him away from me. I started to put him on my lap with his head on my legs and that worked great. Remember too that when she is hungry, she will take the bottle. She will not starve herself.
Good luck to you. Hope this helps.
You can try changing the nipples without changing bottles, silicon seems to work better than latex and nipples more like the breast, like the adiri, may help. Also let someone else give it when you aren't there, that may help also.
It is really frustrating to wait to well establish breastfeeding and then can't get the baby to take anything else. Be persistant though and perhaps you can take a marathon day of feeding with a different nipple until she takes one.
If you like the soothie, you can try getting her to take the pacifier by putting your finger in it. I have a bottle called the pacifeeder that is a soothie attached to a bottle that they will sometimes take and it gives you free hands as well.
Good luck to you,
K., @ The Nestingplace.
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