anyone have any suggestions for helping a breastfed 3 month old take a bottle? she refuses to take it and its time to go back to work!

Sair - posted on 02/12/2009

I had the same problem with both of my kids - the only way they would take a bottle was when there was nothing else! My son would goes hours without milk just waiting for 'the boob' however if he really wanted it sooner he would take it from a cup - from about 4 months (there is a tommee tippee cup that has optional tops, teet, straw etc. I found this was a good option. Some of them just hate the site of a bottle!! Good luck

Debbie - posted on 02/12/2009

The first couple of times we tried a bottle with our baby (using breastmilk) she didn't seem to like it. When she was about 13wks we started giving her a 'dreamfeed' also called a 'top up feed' with breastmilk in a bottle. If you're not sure what it is - it's feeding them late at night while they are still sleeping to help them sleep through the night longer. This seemed to get her used to the bottle and she now takes a bottle when awake no probs and even tries to feed herself (4mths now). This was convenient for us as my mother-in-law was able to babysit for us without hassles while we went to a wedding :)

Emma - posted on 02/12/2009

some people can not afford to stay at home and look after their child as much as they want to i did till my child was two but now im back at collage and i cant afford to do any of the things i want to do with him now

Nicola - posted on 02/12/2009

have you thought about trying the bottles that are like the breast? they are the tommee tippee bottles that you can buy in Boots,Mothercare,Superdrug and most of your supermarkets. my son is totally breastfed and he is able to go between the breast and bottle without rejecting either. or try laying down with your daughter with a bottle of your milk and fool her into thinking she's still on the breast but infact taking the bottle. hope this is of some help to you

nicola

Emma - posted on 02/12/2009

try using a breast pump because she will be use to the smell and taste of your milk when she id use to having a bottle with your milk in it gradually add formula to it

Amanda - posted on 02/12/2009

Quoting Rena Jean:

My son is 4 months old and he still wont take a bottle, some babies after only being breastfeed refuse to ever take a bottle. I found that adding (very little) rice cereal to your warm breast milk and spoon feeding it them works really well. She might spit it out 10 times to start with but she'll get the hang of it eventually. and adding cereal will help keep her fuller a little longer. my son doesnt (unless i hold it in his mouth) but by giving her a binki afterwords that will help with her desire to suck.

And disregard that last comment they dont understand that some of us have to work to raise our children. Not all of us our LUCKY enough to be stay at home moms. (even though we would all love to be!)

Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 02/12/2009

That is a good suggestion for older babies but giving young infants cereals to early is not good for them. Babies (especially breastfead babies) should not start taking cereal until they are at least 61/2 months of age.

Amanda - posted on 02/12/2009

Quoting Rena Jean:

My son is 4 months old and he still wont take a bottle, some babies after only being breastfeed refuse to ever take a bottle. I found that adding (very little) rice cereal to your warm breast milk and spoon feeding it them works really well. She might spit it out 10 times to start with but she'll get the hang of it eventually. and adding cereal will help keep her fuller a little longer. my son doesnt (unless i hold it in his mouth) but by giving her a binki afterwords that will help with her desire to suck.

And disregard that last comment they dont understand that some of us have to work to raise our children. Not all of us our LUCKY enough to be stay at home moms. (even though we would all love to be!)

Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 02/12/2009

Quoting Megan:

Hmmm. Consider taking time off of work to raise your baby.

that is the worst thing I have ever heard. She obviously needs to go back and there are ways for her to nourish her baby and work at the same time. Just because she is going back to work does not mean that she is not a mom and not raising her child. She is providing for her and babies are expensive. Please only post comments that are helpful and encouraging to moms especially new moms I am sure that is not what she needed hear.

Amanda - posted on 02/12/2009

I do... First make sure the milk smells right if is smells strange its bad and needs to be tossed out. To make sure your milk doesn't go bad boil it as soon as you can after pumping then freeze it. To get your baby aquainted with the bottle lett her play with it when she's not hungry to get used. Giving a baby bottle is a brand new behavior for them so she will need to take a little time to adjust to it. Also try different nipples and brands. If she likes a pacifier try a bottle nipple that has a similar shape and texture. I hope this helps. If you have any more questions please ask.

Clare - posted on 02/12/2009

Quoting Kelli:

anyone have any suggestions for helping a breastfed 3 month old take a bottle? she refuses to take it and its time to go back to work!

Have you tried using the Tommy Tippee back to nature range. They are wide necked so much more like mummy!! x x

Sheri - posted on 02/12/2009

With my daughter (now 6 yrs old), I had to find the right nipple. The ones that were supposed to be most like the breast did not work, and she ended up liking a cheapo platex one, the one for the "drop in" bottles/liners. Also she seemed to prefer formula in a bottle rather than breastmilk. Good luck.

Helen - posted on 02/12/2009

I would have to agree with the NUK teats, after 4 months of breastfeeding my baby girl I tried to get her to take a bottle as well and this was the only teat she would try. Also, I had to take her to family centre to get her to take it as she would not take a bottle off me, they made me not feed her till 9am in the morning after no night feeds so she was starving and anything would do!! Then had to keep giving her a bottle for 2 days before letting her breast feed again and I have never had a problem since :) goodluck

Norhafizah - posted on 02/11/2009

hi,my suggestion:try to use Dr.baby nipple,based on my experience, my bb did'nt want to take a bottle till the baby sitter give that type of nipple.

Shanel - posted on 02/11/2009

Have you seen the new Adiri Nurser (bottle). It is very similar to a breast. I had the same problem, but my daughter was 9 months. We tried several other types before finding this one. It is the only one she kids of liked. Slowly over about 2 weeks she warmed up to it. They have a website I think.

Leslie - posted on 02/10/2009

First, try every nipple style you can find. Then, wait until she really is hungry, then have someone else offer her the bottle. I didn't work, so I wasn't under stress ( that will affect the taste of the milk), so that may be why my kids were willing to take bottles. I nursed each of my 3 kids for a year, and didn't have any problems. They all took me or the bottle - whichever was available.

Rebecca - posted on 02/10/2009

o yes, mine daughter also preferred the avent soft nipple sippy cup to they typical baby nipple, and that's what she accepted first!

Rebecca - posted on 02/10/2009

i also had to go back to work after three months and could not get mine to take a bottle. fortunately i worked from home so i had the nanny give her her bottle and breast fed at lunch time and after work (as well as before work). you don't say if she will take it if you pump breast milk and give her that in the bottle. it did help to get her started on the bottle, then i moved onto mixing formula with breast milk. at four months, she started solid foods and was more ready to accept that than the bottle. at six months i had to take her on a work trip with me, because we were still battling to get her to take the bottle and therefore was still breastfeed, mixed in with solid foods when i couldn't attend to her (just pureed apples).

you do need to get someone else to give her the bottle rather than yourself, as she can smell breast milk on you and therefore will not want to accept an alternative. try to hand her over to another carer when she is well fed so they can get used to the other person and then stay away for a few hours so that when s/he gets hungry the carer can try give the bottle. if it totally fails, be close by so you can come home and breast feed, not leaving baby screaming. but keep up this routine until she gets the hang of it.

you will also need to try a range of nipple types, as different babies respond better to different nipples.

above all, try not to get too stressed about it as baby will pick up on this and be even more difficult.

the weaning needs to happen gradually - you can't just completely switch.

after battling with my 3 month old, i read that i should actually have introduced it a month before i needed to go back to work, as it does take them time to adjust (not that this advice helps you now, anymore than it helped me at the time ;)).

congratulations on maintaining breast feeding as long as possible, and do keep it up in the hours when you can breastfeed. i only finally stopped breastfeeding mine at 9 months and this pretty much happened naturally, with her losing interest in the breast in favour of solids and the bottle.

Nanell - posted on 02/10/2009

I babysit  a 5 month old who was 2 1/2 months when I started watching him and have 2 young kids myself.  The baby would not take a bottle.  I almost had to force feed it to him and after a week he finally would take a bottle.  And I have him 10 hours a day.  Try if you haven't the soothie bottle or the Dr. Borwns bottles.   Have someone else do it and don't be in the same room or if you can leave the house and go for a walk.  The baby can smell you and will want mommy.  A tip that helped when I had to give a bottle to my kids was leave a shirt that you have worn but not washed with the sitter it will smell like you and baby may take it easier.

Pumped breast milk would be ideal but whatever works for you.  The boy I sit is still fed the breast when at home so continue to do that if possible.  Also Avent makes bottles that you can later buy sippy nipples for so they can grow with your child and the early sippy's have a softer flexible nipple that may help as well. 

Good luck.

Naomi - posted on 02/10/2009

I was lucky enough to stay at home with my son til he was six months thats when he began to eat. He refused to take a bottle even after the six months, but try a sippy cup, he started with it at 4-5months old. I would only give him water or juice in it but it's worth a try.

Wishing you best of luck!

Cynthia - posted on 02/10/2009

I would have someone else feed her while holding a shirt that I had worn because it had my scent on it and after a couple of days it worked.

Sila - posted on 02/10/2009

I would say; when its time to feed have someone else feed the baby.just don't give in the baby will drink from a bottle . be gentle and patient.

Connie - posted on 02/10/2009

My baby is 4 months and she refuses the bottle, no matter what nipple.  We just started using a sippy cup and she struggles but is getting used to it.  Good luck

Connie - posted on 02/10/2009

My baby is 4 months and she refuses the bottle, no matter what nipple.  We just started using a sippy cup and she struggles but is getting used to it.  Good luck

Cassie - posted on 02/10/2009

My daughter struggled with taking a bottle at 3 months too. I also had to go back to work (although i was lucky and she was just down the hall in my preschool/daycare) My husband had tried on several occasions to give her a bottle but she refused. And there was no point in me trying...she wasn't going to pass up the breast for a bottle. So basically we went to school on the first day with a few bottles of breastmilk and somehow her caregivers got her to drink it! She nursed until 8 1/2 months and would never take a bottle from me or when I was in the room! When we switched to formula and my milk had dried up, I was able to give her a bottle but had to turn her so she wasn't facing me....

Good luck!

Shannon - posted on 02/10/2009

If your baby is of healthy weight leave her at home with dad or another trusted person and be gone for hours. When the baby gets hungry enough she will eat. This is hard but if you need her to switch its worth a try. Don't force the bottle on her, don't make it an emotional battle. Just keep trying. Most babies have a hard time taking a bottle from mom for the first few times.

Makenzie - posted on 02/10/2009

I babysat for my nephew when his mother went back to work and we had the same problem. He would NOT take a bottle for anything. She even went online and ordered numerous bottles that were made special, and nothing seemed to work. She ended up giving him a sippy cup at 3 months, and he would drink from it. Her pediatrician said that was fine, and it worked. Hope this helps.

Suzy - posted on 02/10/2009

You need to hand the baby off to someone else to feed her.  She probably "smells" you and doesn't want  the bottle but the real thing!  Have a friend feed the baby but run the nipple under warm water first so  that it is warm like the real nipple. This helped me.

Suzy - posted on 02/10/2009

You need to hand the baby off to someone else to feed her.  She probably "smells" you and doesn't want  the bottle but the real thing!  Have a friend feed the baby but run the nipple under warm water first so  that it is warm like the real nipple. This helped me.

Melanie - posted on 02/10/2009

I just went through this ... My baby was fine taking a bottle for weeks and then, about two weeks before starting daycare, she refused the bottle. We tried different nipples, different people, different positions, different locations and she refused. So, in desperation, we went "cold turkey" and ONLY offered her the bottle. After two really tough days - both of which she went 8-10 hours without eating - we won and now, we've had three days of straight success. I still haven't nursed her directly as I don't feel comfortable giving her the choice yet.

Julia - posted on 02/10/2009

My baby had this same problem at the same age. Remember that they are smarter than we give them credit for. I had to literally disappear from sight for 20 minutes before she was offered a bottle by my husband. The timing had to be perfect too...hungry but not agitated. I couldn't re-enter the room until she was completely done. Her sixth sense told her when mommy was around. She is now almost 5 months, and I still stay out of sight for about 10 minutes prior. I've kept up nursing in the evenings, so she still takes bottles on the weekends during my normal work hours. Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 02/10/2009

Both of my children had this problem.  I found the be all and end all of it was go to work. The person who cares for your child will have it rough for the first few days but she will eventually take the bottle. She won't starve to death in the time you are at work (my pediatrician was the person to tell me this).  I was able to pump at work and keep breastfeeding when I was at home for a year with each of my children. 

Kelli - posted on 02/10/2009

thank you so much for all the suggestions!! i'll try them all ;-)

Katie - posted on 02/10/2009

I too had that problem with my son and it's gonna be rough, but you can do it. You are taking what they know as their comfort and security. Don't cut them off cold turkey. You could try to only give them the breast or the bottle at a certain time like when they go to sleep or when they wake up. You could also try to pump breastmilk and put that in the bottle instead of formula. They also make nipples specifically for transitioning babies.  Good luck!

Nicole - posted on 02/10/2009

I tried switching my daughter for a long time. finally at 4 months old we did it. We tried several bottles and found that she would drink very warm breastmilk, but not formula. We bought a bottle called an adiri bottle, opens on the bottom and the top is just like a breast. It helped a lot. The only formula she would eventually take was similac with breast milk in it. The first weekend she cried and fought me alot not wanting it, it was really hard on both of us, but eventually i think she just got hungry enough and took it. I don't know if you were planning to do both, but I had to completely quit breastfeeding. It was the only way she would take a bottle. Good luck and hang in there!

Tiffany - posted on 02/10/2009

Quoting Ashley:

My suggestion would be the NUK system. I breastfed my daughter for 5 months before switching to the bottle.  The NUK nipple is designed to fit in the baby's mouth like yours would. It does take some getting used to, but don't give up.  Also it may depend on if your giving her breast milk or formula.  If you wish to go to formula I would suggest mixing breastmilk with formula to let your baby get used to the formula.  Hope this helps.  Good Luck

NUK that's it!  That was the brand I was trying to think of that worked for my son!  I said nub earlier lol

User - posted on 02/10/2009

My suggestion would be the NUK system. I breastfed my daughter for 5 months before switching to the bottle.  The NUK nipple is designed to fit in the baby's mouth like yours would. It does take some getting used to, but don't give up.  Also it may depend on if your giving her breast milk or formula.  If you wish to go to formula I would suggest mixing breastmilk with formula to let your baby get used to the formula.  Hope this helps.  Good Luck

Kate CP - posted on 02/10/2009

You can try taking advantage of a growth spurt and get a nipple that has a stronger flow than what you are currently capable of producing and offering her that with pumped milk in it. My daughter would get frustrated with my slower flow when she went through a growth spurt and would periodically detach and start crying. If your's does the same thing you could try popping the bottle with the stronger flow in her mouth when she detaches.
I'm sorry if I'm not much help in the weaning department. My daughter pretty much weaned herself at 7 months. Good luck!

Megan - posted on 02/10/2009

yea, I'm so sorry! I have a laptop and often my hands will brush the mouse pad and if the arrow is in just the right spot that will happen... not the first time it's happened... :)

Kelli - posted on 02/10/2009

Quoting Kate:

Are you offering her pumped breast milk or formula?

we've tried both...others have tried to offer her one (dad, grandmother) we have also tried sitting her in a seat, different nipples.....she cant seem to latch on

Megan - posted on 02/10/2009

yea, I'm so sorry! I have a laptop and often my hands will brush the mouse pad and if the arrow is in just the right spot that will happen... not the first time it's happened... :)

Rena Jean - posted on 02/10/2009

My son is 4 months old and he still wont take a bottle, some babies after only being breastfeed refuse to ever take a bottle. I found that adding (very little) rice cereal to your warm breast milk and spoon feeding it them works really well. She might spit it out 10 times to start with but she'll get the hang of it eventually. and adding cereal will help keep her fuller a little longer. my son doesnt (unless i hold it in his mouth) but by giving her a binki afterwords that will help with her desire to suck.

And disregard that last comment they dont understand that some of us have to work to raise our children. Not all of us our LUCKY enough to be stay at home moms. (even though we would all love to be!)

Good luck!

Tiffany - posted on 02/10/2009

Have you tried putting some milk on the out side of the nipple?  A friend of mine would flip the nipple over and heat it with the nipple faceing the inside of the bottle shake it, then flip the nipple rite side out so now the nippele is warm and has milk on it.  For some reason it made it more appetizing for her daughter.

Megan - posted on 02/10/2009

Hmmm. Consider taking time off of work to raise your baby... I realize there are a number of factors that play into this decision and I only know one factor (there's a baby) but sometimes the most difficult decisions can truly be the most rewarding. I was a young college student when we started our family; she was a surprise and I planned on finishing school and working like my mother did. Then one day shortly after she was born I admitted to my mother that all I wanted to do was stay home and raise my daughter. Much to my surpise and pleasure she confided in me that if she could go back and do one thing over it would be to stay home- regardless of cost- and raise her children.

Like I said, I don't know your circumstances but it's always worth the consideration being your child(ren)'s caretaker.

(that's all of my post, I'm sorry that the other one got posted before I had the chance to finish)

Kelli - posted on 02/10/2009

ohh i was thinking that was pretty harsh! i work 30 hrs over the weekend & i stay home during the week

Megan - posted on 02/10/2009

ooops... hit send to quickly.. had more to that response! Sorry!!! :) I'll finish and post again!

Kate CP - posted on 02/10/2009

Are you offering her pumped breast milk or formula?

Megan - posted on 02/10/2009

Hmmm. Consider taking time off of work to raise your baby.