my breastfed two month old won't take a bottle

Beatrice - posted on 12/02/2012

my first daughter NEVER took a bottle! We had to feed her with a cup... She just refused any bottle. I happened to live close to work and would work a split schedule and come home to nurse her. I think she figured it out and thought she would just stick it out for the whole package. She has always been particular and known exactly what she wants so I just blame it on that. I guess the good side to that is that we never had to wean her from a bottle.



now I have 4mo twins and they do take the bottle, for which I'm SO thankful...

Andrea - posted on 11/19/2012

it seems this reply may be late for you - but I had this issue with two of my three babies - and we found that if they were being held, they wanted to nurse - but if you put them in a bouncy seat (or like), and gave them the bottle from that position, they took it.



good luck

Starr - posted on 11/08/2012

Are you giving breast milk in the bottle or formula? My oldest when she was little would only take formula in a bottle if someone else fed it to her without me around. She wouldn't take breast milk at all. If you can get him to take formula in the bottle and you would rather him have breast milk I would gradually introduce the breast milk with the formula over time until it's all breast milk. All my kids used the Avent bottles.

Amy - posted on 11/08/2012

No I don't because both my kids took the playtex ventaire wide nipple bottles. Can someone try feeding him with a spoon or syringe? It will be more time consuming but at least you'll get some food in him. Otherwise just be prepared for him to reverse cycle, which means he'll eat very little during the day but make it up when you are home at night.



I do have to say that even though an ounce is not a lot it is something. You can also try Kelly mom-it's a site dedicated to breastfeeding moms, there may be some additional tips on there.

Hope - posted on 11/08/2012

Hi Amy, yes granma and dad have tried. His sitter had him yesterday alone for 6 hours. She said he tried for a minute maybe had an ounce, but that was it!!! He was fussy,gassy, crying......she said he starved, he was so hungry, but he wouldn't take the bottle :(.

Do you have any suggestions on a bottle I can try?

Amy - posted on 11/08/2012

Try having someone else give it when you aren't around. If it's you trying to give it he's more likely to refuse because he has access to you. Warm the breastmilk up so it's as close to the same temp as if he were getting it from tap. Make sure he's hungry but not starving. One of the things we did with my kids was give them a bottle in the middle of the night, we introduced it early that way we knew they would take it when I returned to work. My husband always gave it to them and sometimes they would still want to nurse after but they took the bottle.