Bottle Refusal in 11 Week Old

[roses25]

I'm going back to work next Tuesday, so we started introducing bottles to my 11 week old this week. He's only been breastfeed and has never had anything other than the breast & finger to suck on. I'm using the born free glass bottles with the slowest nipple flow option. My sister's introducing him to the bottles for me, and he hasn't taken any at all (even though my sister thought he was drinking it, he started with 2 ounces and ended with 2 ounces so he didn't drink any at all). She said that the nipple goes all over in his mouth (he's moving it around with his tongue). Any suggestions?

On a normal work day, I will nurse my son about 7:15 AM, nurse him at lunch around 11:30, and then nurse him when I get home around 4:45 PM. Do you think my son would refuse bottles and wait until I nursed him at those times to eat? Would that be way too long for a 12 week old infant? We co-sleep, and he usually nurses every 2 hours during the night.

Carolyn

[liberal_chick]

I have no advice, but I'll be watching to see what others say. We didn't introduce a bottle until 9-10 weeks and ds is now almost 5 months old and still won't take one.

[moondiapers]

my husband had to finger feed our son with an SNS because he refused the bottle. It worked out just fine. He taped the tube to his finger

[MommyMad]

Maybe try purchasing a different bottle to see if he'll take that one instead. Also, be sure not to be around the house when your sister is feeding the LO - they're smart and they sense your presence.

I haven't had mine yet, but I dread when the time will come where I'll have to return to work.

Good luck to you.

[twins+1]

Ugh I'm here with you. We tried a bottle at 8 wks for my son (now 11 wks as well) and he HATED it with a passion. We've tried it off/on for the last few weeks and he has only taken one bottle (4 oz or so). We've tried the breastflow bottles and Playtex drop-ins. He took the playtex drop-in for the time he nursed. He does wiggle his tongue around the nipple and plays with it. He will smile for a while and 'play' with the bottle nipple and then when that gets old he starts to cry for me. Even squirting breastmilk in his mouth with the bottle nipple doesn't interest him.
Maybe try a cup? I suppose I could try that with our son too? Here is a Jack Newman link http://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Fin...%20Feeding.asp

[twins+1]

Here is a good link on info about feeding baby when mom is out of the home
http://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Whe...the%20Home.asp

[isign]

I had to go back to work when DS was 2 months old. I started with someone else giving him a bottle outside our home when I was not around, then me giving him one outside the home - we'd go out shopping or something around eatting time. Then DH would give him one when we were home, and then finally he'd take it from me. It took a while, but once he figured out where his meal was coming from, he accepted it.

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by isign

I had to go back to work when DS was 2 months old. I started with someone else giving him a bottle outside our home when I was not around, then me giving him one outside the home - we'd go out shopping or something around eatting time. Then DH would give him one when we were home, and then finally he'd take it from me. It took a while, but once he figured out where his meal was coming from, he accepted it.

Not being snarky, I swear, but why would he need to take one from YOU, if you are doing it because you are going back to work? Jsut wondering.

[isign]

I very rarely have/had help with my children, even from family. We were OOT visiting my ILs when we first started. DH works long hours, so it was pretty much just me working with him, except on the rare occasions I had someone else.

[JudiAU]

We had good luck with Second Nature nipples. Slower flow than almost everything else.

My DS took them fine for a week or so and then rejected them. He only accepted them after I went back to work. I made a point to never feed him a bottle. No point in confusing him.

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by isign

I very rarely have/had help with my children, even from family. We were OOT visiting my ILs when we first started. DH works long hours, so it was pretty much just me working with him, except on the rare occasions I had someone else.

I see - thanks for answering my question so you mean, yougot hi used to it for when you were GOING to leave. TAHnks

[isign]

Yeah, that sums it up I worked 3 days a week part time, and he got one or 2 bottles each day.

[MamaPhD]

DD had a bottle every day of her life until the bottle strike at around 12 weeks. Just one day figured she didn't like it any more. Luckily, our bottle strike only lasted 4 days. During those days, DH and parents who tried to give her a bottle twice a day. The breastfed the other feedings to make sure DD got enough to eat, etc. It seemed to be enough. Also less tiring than fighting with baby every feeding I imagine. And then on 4th day, she took the bottle again. I suspect that it wasn't really that she didn't like the bottle, but she just wanted to see if she can get away with it....

Things that worked for us:
(1) You have to leave the house - don't go to another room, don't go downstairs, at least sit in your car in the garage. Baby can smell you!
(2) Make the feeding environment different from breastfeeding and distract the baby. My DH wore her on baby bjorn face out, walked up/down hall way, and gave her a bottle. (I would sit in glider in her room to breastfeed). Or when my parents were staying with us, my mom would feed her in their room and my dad was playing with her making noises/faces. Supposedly this makes baby think that she is doing some other kind of activity different from "feeding" she is used to.
(3) Sometimes it's your smell in the breastmilk that reminds of baby you're not there. My niece would only take bottle if it had formula. If bottle had breastmilke, she would cry and cry, looking for mama...
(4) Get baby more hungry than you would normally let him. We tried to feed DD on time, she would cry and refuse. THen my DH would take a 20 min break - my DD giggled when he took the bottle away (I think she was trying to train him!!!). Try again, break again, etc. She eventually took some milk (1-2 oz), which I think is key to get her to take more later.
Good luck!!!

[Peony]

For those that haven't had baby yet or or getting ideas for a young baby, introduce the bottle once breastfeeding is well established. That varies from person to person, if everything went smoothly, no problems then you can do it much sooner then others.


My one baby that I was successful at getting him to take a bottle often is the one that I started at 2 weeks because we had no bfing issues. I make sure he gets a bottle at least once a week but usually every couple days. I had started at 3 weeks or so with DD1 after breastfeeding was going well but I didn't keep it up regularly and she soon refused to take one at all. With DD2 I didn't try until 8 weeks and it was too late for her, I missed her window and we never got her to take one which sucked because she had health issues and really needed human milk fortifier but I couldn't get my milk in her any other way other then my breast.


For others currently struggling, try different bottles, we went through every one on the market. DS will only take Soothie bottles for whatever reason. Try different temperatures of the milk, sometimes they might actually take it a little cooler then you think, other times it must be actually body temperature. Different positions, baby might like a bottle wrapped in a cloth that smells like you, other times maybe in a bouncy seat facing away from person giving bottle. Sounds cold but it works for some babies. Some babies might take it if they are more hungry but generally if they are starving then they are not interested in doing any new things. I usually suggest taking the edge off by nursing for a couple minutes and then giving them to someone to try with the bottle. Many babies will not take a bottle from mom, but do try to get some experienced in bottle feeding to help.

If you can never get them to take a bottle, some might once you really are gone at work and they have no other choice. Or there always is syringe feeding as well. Good luck.