Bottle Feeding a Breast Fed Baby

Georgeia - posted on 05/09/2010

I've had the same issue with my girls. Both of my daughters absolutely refuse/ refused the bottle. My problem is that every 3 mths I have to have surgery, general anesthetic, so I can't brestfeed for 24 hrs. My first daughter, now 3 1/2 never took a bottle. She just refused and refused. I breastfed her until she was 2. My second daughter, now 7 mths is the exact same. With both girls I've tried sooo many different types of bottles and nothing seems to work. I guess some kids just don't want to give in. Any other advice would be great. Sorry I'm no help... Just keep trying different bottles and sippy cups!

Lerin - posted on 05/08/2010

Maybe this will help

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alter...

The one that I have is one that my mom got from the hospital she was working at at the time- http://www.foleycup.com/ this is it.
It's about the size of a liquid medicine cup so maybe you could find one of those in a silicone version? Or there is mention of using a syringe (which my baby also drink water well out of, so I guess syringe feeding would work too).

MacKensie - posted on 05/08/2010

Lerin,

do you recall the name of the cup you used?

Jamie - posted on 05/08/2010

My daughter had a really rough time starting to take the bottle. I had to have my partner give it to her and the first couple times I had to actually leave the house. She can smell me from 20 feet away! Even now, at 3 months, if she is taking a bottle when I come home, she will automatically stop eating and look for me. She doesn't take much milk at the sitter's house, but makes up for it in the evening and at night. I think it is called reverse cycle. Don't worry too much, he'll probably eventually take it when you are not there and he is hungry. Good luck!

Lerin - posted on 05/08/2010

Sounds you're good to go with your stock (YAY for you!) Did you try Avent? My mom is a lactation consultant and swears by those. That being said, I went back to work at 6 wks, but only a couple of hours a week- the largest block I was away was 2.5 hrs, so my LO took a bottle at first but then all of sudden just refused.
So he's used to you, and that's what he prefers.
Cupfeeding. That's what we had to do with my LO. They make special little flexible cups for babies who can't latch- the one we had held 1/2 oz and was rectangle shaped, but with a rounded end spout kinda thing. It's tedious feeding- you fill the cup, & it empties pretty quick, so you have to keep refilling it, depending on how much he eats.
I hope you find a solution that works!!! (what about a straw?? my babies loved drinking out of straws, but not that young...)
Good luck!

MacKensie - posted on 05/07/2010

Oh yes I have been pumping since a few days after he was born and it is in a deep freezer!!!

Stephanie - posted on 05/07/2010

he's too young for a sippy cup. his tongue reflex thingy will mess it up every time.
umm... my gals liked the playtex bottles with liners and the silicone nipples. maybe those will work for you?
I do hope you're working on pumping, so he continues to be a breastfed baby even while you have to work. :) i'm pretty sure playtex makes freezer bag things for those bottles too. to make things simpler.