bottle feeding

[kitteh]

So Ela is almost 12 weeks now and I'm probably going to be heading back to work next week I'm really torn up about it and cried a bunch last night while curled around her in bed, but that's another issue.

So we're trying to establish a bottle-feeding routine and I'm afraid we've put of starting it for too long. I got a manual pump from WIC yesterday and bought a few different types of bottles at the drugstore just to get started. I've pumped twice and have only gotten about 6oz so far. That concerns me a bit, but even more worrisome is the fact that Ela might be rejecting the bottle.

We tried giving her a bit of EBM last night, but we used a cheapo Gerber bottle with a really narrow base and she absolutely hated it. She was already pretty fussy by the time I got the bottle ready and warmed up a bit, so that could have predetermined our failure. We plan to try again today with the playtex dropins bottle with the wider-based latex nipple. I've also heard that she might refuse to take the bottle from me, so if this doesn't work today we'll try again tonight when DH gets home from work. I might even head off to the gym and leave them here to duke it out, lol.

Anyone else having the same problem, or any advice on how to get her to take the bottle?

[AfricanQueen99]

Off the top of my head (and remembering that my newb won't take a bottle from me):

1. try when she isn't HUNGRY...rather you want her to just be a little hungry
2. you don't need to warm breastmilk (you can, but it isn't mandatory) - pull it out of the fridge 15 minutes before you need it and the little bottle will move to room temp pretty fast (my daughter took EBM bottles from my mother every week and she got to the point of just taking them straight out of the fridge - babies know that the container is different so the milk temp can be different, too)
3. have your husband try, but you shouldn't be within earshot (leave the house, if possible)

If she refuses the bottle altogether you can also give EBM on a spoon, in a sippy, out of a cup, etc.

[Gray's Mommy]

I am a crappy pumper--never get tons at one session. I would suggest making sure you are hydrated and pump after Ela has nursed. You should get another let down. Also, why did WIC give you a manual pump? You should have gotten the Amela Purely Yours electric if you are going back to work. I am a WIC peer counselor & that is what we were told to issue for moms going back to work or school. You may want to check on that again.
I normally have to pump after every feeding to get "a stash" going.

Hugs to you!!