Did you have troubles getting your infant to bottlefeed, and if so, what did you do to over come the problem?

Question

I am asking for any troubles that YOU have had trying to get your little one(s) to bottlefeed and what YOU did to solve it.

Answer 1

My daughter would never take a bottle. She took 2 bottles at 6 weeks old, and then never took another one afterward...I tried desperately...pumping every day, but would end up just pouring the milk down the drain, because she would refuse anything but the breast (I tried all different bottles, different nipples, temperatures, people giving the bottle, times of day) it did NOT matter...she wouldnt take it...finally she began taking the sippy cup at five months...I begun by giving her sips of water from my glass - then I took the stopper out of the sippy cup and let it flow in her mouth (like the regular cup) she got the message and then I put the stopper back in and she sucked on it (because she knew she could get water out of it)...she has taken water in it ever since...she is still on the breast though - although she will take breastmilk from it, I find it more convenient just to nurse her and not worry about the whole pumping/sippy cup hassle. She is 7 and 1/2 months old.

Answer 2

Do you mean taking the bottle from the breast?

If so, many babies do refuse the bottle. The breast always means closeness,and the texture is something they are used to. Try having someone other than you feed the baby the bottle - this can help because if baby knows you are around then they know they can have something better!

Also remember to wait until baby is at least 6 weeks old (when your milk supply is firmly established, and baby is nursing well) before introducing a bottle. Breastfeeding is a learning process, and interrupting that with a bottle earlier in life could lead to what some call "nipple confusion". This is when baby basically decides he likes the bottle better (because the flow of milk from the bottle is much faster) and refuses the breast.

Answer 3

I went through that when my son was 4 months. I was told to try different bottles and nipples to see which one he likes. Since I am a SAHM and that sounded like a hassle to me I decided to strictly breastfeed so I don't know if that works (those who suggested it to me say it does).

Answer 4

Just keep putting the bottle into the mouth and let them taste it and they'll want more. They don't know how to suck yet so its difficult for them, they'll get the hang of it though. Mine took to it right away.