What do you do when an 8-month-old baby refuses the bottle?

Question

My daughter is 8 months old and has almost completely weaned herself from the bottle. I breastfed her for 1 month exclusively, then breastfed and supplemented with bottle until she was 4 months. Since then she's been on bottle only, then added solids at 6 months. She eats a variety of foods and eats a lot but wants nothing to do with a bottle. I sometimes try to get her to take it while she's asleep. Sometimes it works, sometimes she refuses. She is a little baby - has been on the 20th percentile for weight since she was born. So I'm worried that she isn't getting enough nutrition and fluids. I mix formula with her food so she does get some formula that way. And we've tried every brand and shape of sippy cup I can find - she just chews on them. Any advice?

Answer 1

What does your pediatrician say?

I think that as long as you keep offering, your daughter will do OK, fluids-wise. I mean, you can lead a horse (or a baby) to water, but you can't make her drink.

I'm kind of surprised that she hasn't taken to a sippy cup. My daughters both refused bottles at about that age (although they continued to nurse occasionally until they were one), but they LOVED sippy cups.

I guess, if you don't mind a mess, you could try giving her a regular plastic cup and see how she does. My daughters always thought that was quite a treat, and they managed OK after getting the hang of it.

There are also cups intended for toddlers with straws. Have you tried those?

She might just be filling up on solids. You should consult with your pediatrician to see if you should cut back on the amount of solids you offer her, so she'll take more formula, or whether you should give up the formula battle and just concentrate on offering her the most nutritious choices possible in solid meals.

I wonder, too, if she doesn't have something going on that makes sucking uncomfortable? This could be the equivalent of a nursing strike. Some teeth take ages to come in, and that always put my kids off bottles. Some kids don't show any signs of ear infections except a lack of interest in sucking. Try giving her some Tylenol or Motrin, and see if that makes any difference.

Answer 2

If you haven't already, try the Nuby sippy cups... they also make a bottle shaped one, but the nipple is different than a regular bottle. They usually have them a Walmart, sometimes at BabiesRus.

If that doesn't work, then try a tiny little cup. Like a drinking cup, but smaller so that the opening is not so wide and less fluid gets out. One of my friends has a little girl that refused the bottle and all sippy cups. But, she would drink from a regular cup. So she found a tiny plastic one and would take that around with her and got her to drink formula and milk out of it!

Good luck!~ :)

Answer 3

By eight months she should be able to use the sippy cup. She will eat when she gets hungry enough and since she is on solid foods, she should be getting enough nutrition. I would not go back to a bottle. Remember, a baby will begin to test boundaries and I think it would be a mistake to go backwards.
If she is still having problems with the sippy cup, allow her to sip water from a regular cup under your supervision. It will help develop the movements needed for the sippy cup.

Answer 4

Just take her off the bottle, but keep on trying the sippy cup, straw, or see if she will drink out of a regular cup with you holding it. Feed her baby food and some table foods that are mashed up and she can't chock on. It is normal for some baby's to take themselves off the bottle. If you are worried about her nutrition you can buy some Pediasure it is a drinking supplement for children that parents think are not getting enough nutrition. good luck

Answer 5

Do you think that she doesn't like the formula or that it may bother her stomach. My daughter weaned herself from the bottle at nine months old and we just put her on the sippy cup. When she gets thirsty enough she will drink it. We tried those cups with the built in straws and that is what she prefered. Just stick with it I know it can get a little frustrating. My daughter is still in the 25%and she is now three years old and the doctor says that she is doing fine.

Answer 6

I'm not sure havign her bottle broke at 8 months is a bad thing if she is eating ok and doesnt like sippy cups maybe try and give her some jello or freeze some juice into popsicles pretty much anything to get some fluids in her specially in these summer months

Answer 7

Try a sippy cup instead of a bottle. Babies that age should be able to drink from one. You shouldn't be allowing him to use you as a soother anyways. It is time to break that habit. If he isn't feeding than take away the breast. Babies have to learn other ways to get comfort and you are not helping by letting him sooth himself like that. If he was alone with his father what would you do? Try an actual soother, sing songs, let him cry, every baby i different you just have to find what works for him...Like he is a new born again.

Answer 8

Wow, you must be stressin! I would go see the doctor and see if they have any ideas. That is a hard one. I would say a sippy cup with a soft plastic top, but you've probably already tried that. maybe you can hold a cup and try to see if she will drink out of that while you hold her. Good Luck! :-)

Answer 9

my daughter was like this, have you tried the nuby brand sippys they are like a bottle but are a sippy. my daughter wouldnt take a bottle or a sippy but for some reason she will take this and it works , otherwise just try one of those cups with straws.....good luck.

Answer 10

Start giving her a regular cup. You can use it to *feed* her formula (don't just let her drink it), or let her drink on her own--but she'll spill a lot, so give her only water for a while.