how to put my 5month onto bottle she wont come off my breast! HELP!

Aimee - posted on 04/01/2012

I had to stop breastfeeding due to antibiotics around the same age. I literally had to leave the room and my husband had to get the bottle ready and feed him. Or he wouldn't take it. It took a while before he would take the bottle from me. Good luck!

Rene - posted on 03/29/2012

I had the same problem with my daughter, we tried to get her to use a bottle with my breast milk in it when she was just a few days old. NO WAY she wouldn't have it. She was only six pounds when she born and we worried that making her wait it out til she was really hungry would make her lose weight. We did try it though, I would leave the house and let my mom watch her with a variety of bottles and my milk. She would cry for over an hour, and my mom tried everything to get her to take the bottle but she wouldn't do it. She would have to call me home so I could breast feed her. When I went back to work she was eating baby food but I had to come home on my lunch to nurse her. Finally at a year old we went to only at bedtime, she was old enough to to drink to from a sippy cup. After that it still took a while to get her to give it up at bedtime, so good luck. I would love to hear if you find something that works.

Sedickha - posted on 03/29/2012

The best bottle i found that helped my kids were the Dr Browns..it is a bit expensive but is the best bottle i have ever bought. Not only is it like a nipple shaped teat but also prevents your baby from drinking with winds...This might sound cruel but let your baby cry for a while do not give in to give the breast, your baby will be so tired from crying that he/she will give in and take the bottle. If that does not work, try giving gripe water in between with a bottle so that your baby can get the feel of a bottle, phase it in slowly rather than just giving the bottle. Most babies take quick to bottles and some are just spoilt in wanting the breast.Most people say that breastfeeding is the best, i honestly don't believe in that as my kids were quite healthy with formula milk, tend to find them more healthier than breast feeding babies.Like i say some just adapt quicker than others. Another idea you could try is the sippy cup instead of the bottle, in this way you wouldnt have to struggle to get the baby off the bottle as this tends to be a process as well, but then again everything seems to be a process so its best your baby decides on sippy cup or bottle. All the best with getting your baby onto a bottle.

Stacey - posted on 03/28/2012

My 6month son was the exact same way until he was about 5 months. I decided to introduce him to cereal and from that point he was more willing to take a bottle. I had tried like 6 different bottles including this $20 one called a mimijumi and nothing had worked. But once he took food from a spoon it seemed he was more willing to take food from other sources other then the breast. 1 month later he is still taking the bottle ( of course its the cheap playtex ones with the bags and not the $20 bottle lol) but I feed him bottles all day and then breastfeed him at night. Good luck!!!

Carol - posted on 03/28/2012

Babies sometimes have a strong sense of smell when it comes to breast milk. The best thing is to let someone else feed her or put something like a folded towel double folded length wise across your chest if no one else is there to help you. Also in addition to this you might try different nipples. Babies are funny with making the switch to the bottle. Try and find one that is close to the natural breasts. They don't like going from the feeling of the natural soft breast to an un-natural pointy hard thing (i.e. nipple on the bottle).



Babies are very stubborn sometimes and they will try and hold out until they get their way. Be patient and make sure your will is stronger than theirs. I know its hard when they cry, but it really is ok. :) I hope this helps,

Shelly - posted on 03/28/2012

I skipped bottles entirely. When they were maybe 6 or 7 months, while continuing to nurse, I started using sippy cups - the kind with the thick straw on the top, and a straw going down into the cup, which my kids figured out quicker than the type with the nipple like top that you have to tip up. Not having to tip them up to drink seemed to make it much easier, and these also have the advantage that kids don't outgrow them - 10 years later my kids still use them as water bottles.

Amanda - posted on 03/27/2012

my daughter was very stubborn as well and would not take a bottle at all either( my milk or form.) however i found that she would drink out of a glass or sippy cup over a bottle any day. i really feel it was a texture thing with her... i breastfed for a year and a half and after she was one she drank cow milk out of a sippy so she was only really nursing at nap time and bed time. my daughter was bound and determinde to not take a bottle from the time i brought her home from the hosp. till 1year. i tried everything then i finally just decided that i was just going to stick it out as long as she wanted because there is nothing i wouldnt do to make her happy. if i needed a break or when i had to work if she got hungry enough she would take little bits like a ounce or two to tide her over till she could nurse again. at 6 month she was getting cereal and fruit and veggies, cereal bars mum mums and what not..... good luck but just do whats best for her not for you! breastfeeding is the best thing you could keep doing for her at this point!

Monique - posted on 03/27/2012

my middle girl never took a bottle and it was hard to get her to use a sippy cup. She wouldn't suck on them. I thought maybe she didn't understand there was good stuff in there for her. One day i took the stoper out of a sippy cup and just let a little juice flow into her mouth, then put the stopper back in we didn't have any problems after that. Just skip the bottle, it's one less thing you'll have to try to wean her off of.

Stephanie - posted on 03/27/2012

Oh, I do like the cup idea,also I believe all of my babes even enjoyed the straw by 6 mos.maybe bottle feed @ bedtime.SOP, many possibilities.what works best for you?

Kristin - posted on 03/27/2012

my son wouldn't take a bottle either. By 13 months, he had weaned himself. We did start working on switching him to a cup for juice or other drinks when he was about 4 months or so. If you are successful, you may find you actually miss the time nursing her. If you have the option to continue nursing her, maybe you should think about not weaning her yet.

Stephanie - posted on 03/27/2012

Sometimes the little darlings are finicky, and will only use a certain nipple. Also, try holding the baby as if nursing(nipple and bottle warm),and nipple switch. This should be at a time when child is very hungry,and sidetracked. Oh, and most important, BREATHE!! It's easy to forget, and hold your breadth.

Good luck,andGod bless

Kim - posted on 03/26/2012

I have seen this before. I have ran a daycare for 25 years. I have had this issue come up a few times with children. One child went right onto a cup instead. Another one, her mom would put her on the breast for a minute or two..then switch to thebottle mid suck...it worked for her..she got used to the bottle. If none of those work, then on to drastic measures. As someone else said, don't give her an option. Have someone else feed her a bottle..without you around...and she will eventually get hungry. However that may not be worth the stress for you. You'll have to weigh that one out for yourself. However, the cup or the switching from breast to bottle will probably work if you do it daily for a few weeks.

I hope this helps.

Alexandra - posted on 03/26/2012

I think if you dont offer the breast anymore then she will drink from whatever else you offer: either a bottle or a soft nipple sippy cup. Also, try somebody else to feed her and only when she is hungry, so that you don't force anything on her. I am quite sure she will become used to it pretty quickly.

Lisa - posted on 03/26/2012

My son was the same and it was breast milk too, it is better if someone else feeds them with the bottle not you , that said my son never took a bottle and i breastfed till 17 mths, so never bothered a bottle with my daughter, they both went straight to sippy cups . Good luck

Amber - posted on 03/26/2012

I agree, my daughter wouldn't take a bottle from me either. My mother told me to leave the room or go outside and she would give her the bottle of breast milk. It worked like a charm! After a few times of letting someone else give her a bottle of my milk, she finally let me give it to her! Good luck :o)

Jessica - posted on 03/26/2012

I got my daughter to drink the breast milk from a sippy cup. From the day we arrived home from the hospital she wouldn't take a bottle. So try skipping the bottle and try a sippy cup.

Donna - posted on 03/26/2012

My daughter is now 30 years old but for health reasons I had to stop breastfeeding her and put her on a bottle. Get someone else to feed her. Your daughter can smell the breast milk and doesn't want the bottle. You should leave the room. It takes time and patience. Don't give up.

Heather - posted on 03/26/2012

Try a sippy cup of formula. Nuk makes some really cool sippy cups with soft tops for toddlers to put their mouths onto that feel similar to the breast!

Jessica - posted on 03/26/2012

Taste your expressed milk and make sure it tastes good. My 2nd would never take a bottle - she vomited and gagged on ANYTHING in her mouth except breast. That being said, I also tried the expressed milk I was giving her her and it tasted like soap! That is a sign that the milk has gone bad between breast and bottle. This can happen from improper handling/freezing OR is an actual problem with the milk itself. My milk contained too much lipase which caused the milk to start breakingdown/digesting itself as soon as it was pumped.

Tabitha - posted on 03/26/2012

Don't give her the option to feed on your breast. When she's hungry, only offer her the bottle. She obviously knows the difference so she's gonna fuss a bit cuz it's not what she's use to. But if she's hungry, she'll eat.

Jodi - posted on 03/26/2012

So can I just clarify Sara? You are wanting to be able to bottle feed her so she can go to your dad's house to give you a break occasionally, but you still want to feed her breastmilk? Sorry, just trying to clarify for the posters :)

Sara - posted on 03/26/2012

Hello thank you all for replying i only wanted to breastfeed for 6months..... i have so many different bottles i have even tryed to get mya to suck a dummy but i think i could have done it a little ealier as she is teething now and just bites everything i put into her mouth she thinks the bottles are toys.... i express my milk so she is not that confused but she just thinks they are toys myas so stubbon and i hate to see her cry should i go out the house and let someone else feed her? as i am either always in the same room or in another i just feel like i will never get her off breast! i live on my own so i would have to go to my fathers house how many times a week would all you mummys recomend? x

Sherri - posted on 03/25/2012

Katherine you already stated she only wanted to breastfeed till 6mo's.

Charde - posted on 03/25/2012

I had the same problem with my son... Make sure shes hungry when your feeding her from the bottle... Rub the nipple against her lips and let the milk get on her lips a little so she realizes the same milk is in the botte.. And letting someone else try definitely could help. Good luck and dont become discouraged!!!

Katie - posted on 03/25/2012

Are you the one only feeding her. If so that maybe your problem. Try having someone else feed her.

Katherine - posted on 03/25/2012

Is there a reason you want to stop breast feeding?