He WON'T take a bottle... help!

[nydiagonz]

Hello to all! I am in dire need of some advice here...

I looove nursing our little guy and he loves it too. So much that since we introduced a bottle of my pumped milk at 3 weeks, he has yet to take it without a serious battle at 10 weeks. I have had to teach a dance class WHILE breastfeeding him I managed, but it would have been nice if he had taken a bottle from one of the many helpers that I had.

We have tried:

ALL sorts of nipples, anything I can find, I buy in hopes that he will like one.

Tricking him by giving him the boob and then slipping the bottle in there (this works occasionally)

Milk at all different temperatures

Me leaving the room and his papa giving the bottle.

At this point I am just at a loss for ideas and frustrated because I am not planning on being away from him that much, but I am supposed to go to my mom's bridal shower next week and we are supposed to take her "out on the town". My mom is going through some really tough stuff right now (fiancé has cancer) and I really want to be there for her, but I just can't stomach the thought of my little guy screaming all night with his papa.

HELP!

[momatheart]

I just have a minute to type, but could you try;
a cup and straw, spoon or cup feeding or finger feeding? One crazy-ish thing I heard was wrapping an item of your clothing around the bottle to sort of trick him with your scent.

Good luck!

[NYCVeg]

A few more things to try:

1) warm the nipple itself (immerse it in hot water or so for a few minutes) and rub bm on it
2) don't just leave the room--leave the house entirely; I've read that some babies are like little bloodhounds, and will not take a bottle if they sense you're in the vicinity
3) try at the same time every day, so that being offered the bottle becomes part of a routine

[~*max*~]

Those are some great suggestions. The only other thing I would add to, as NYCVeg said, is to make it part of your routine. Choose one time, bottle, person to give it, preparation, etc. and do the same thing daily. And if she doesn't take it, just comfort her in whatever way she likes, but do not offer the breast right away since she will learn that avoiding the bottle means BF will soon be offerred. And why have a bottle when the real thing is coming? Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

[Sydnee]

The only thing that worked for us, was using the playtex bottle and nipple, submerging the nipple in hot water for about 5 minutes, while the BM is warming up, and making sure the BM is VERY warm. Good luck, mama!!

[fiacre]

My little guy is really no bueno on the bottle, too. And he's got to get the jist of it quick since I go back to work in 3 weeks : The few times we have been successful giving him the bottle is offering it before he gets totally starving, it doesn't always work since sometimes he just wants to play, but if we strike it right, it works. He never takes one in the late afternoon/evening, a fussier time so we've just stopped trying at that time of day for now. Next time I am going to have DH wrap DS or the bottle in an article of my clothing as someone above suggested.

[nydiagonz]

Thank you for all of your great suggestions! I am proud to say that he is now taking the bottle I am so relieved that he and dad can do that now. I finally found the playtex nursing system which is way more like my nipple and we tried most of your suggestions. Every night this week Papa just took him in the evenings and they spent their special time together, playing, talking and then.... bottle. We just had to let him cry it out (which was terrible ) for a few nights, but now he is doing great. He will even fall asleep with his papa. Thanks again!