nursing question, mom's only please?

Question

My four month old daughter refuses to take a bottle, she'd taken it a few times when she was younger but as of late will have nothing to do with one. Now that college has started up again I'd like to be able to go to class without having to worry if she's getting hungery. The longest I'm away for is only 3 hours, but that still seems a long time for a baby to go without eating. How do I get her to take a bottle?
I've tried both expressed milk and formula, and she refuses solids.

Thank-you all for your wonderful answers!

Answer 1

I went back to uni when my daughter was four months, too. She totally refused to take a bottle when I was in class... it was really hard for me, but she was alright. Three hours won't do her any harm if you aren't able to get her to take anything in the end. Plus, it's slightly better for your supply not to supplement (although it shouldn't really matter either way unless your supply is delicate).

That said, here's a couple of things to try:
-try different nipples. I'm sure this has occurred to you, but I didn't want to leave it out...
-make sure that you are trying having someone ELSE give her the bottle, when you aren't anywhere nearby. If she knows she can get it from the tap, she definitely won't take the bottle!
-try alternative feeding methods: cup feeding, syringe feeding... my husband had a little success letting her suck milk out of a clean washcloth, even.

Here's some links that may be helpful:

Answer 2

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. My third bugger was like this too. I only gave him breastmilk (because my second one started to prefer the formula and then I couldn't produce enough milk for him - I went through a lot of guilt and didn't want to deal with that again) in his bottles. But he would not, absolutely REFUSED the bottle from me. I couldn't even be in the same room if he was getting a bottle. Which made it ackward coming and going if he was eating lol. Have you tried having someone else feed her when you're out of the room? I hope that helps.

In any event though, at four months old - if you feed her right before you leave her and as soon as you get to her then she should be fine waiting 3 hrs to eat.

Answer 3

I had the exact same problem, 3 hours really isn't that long to go without eating. Just feed her right before you go, my son, now, always takes a bottle, you may just need to get out of the house and let some one else do it. She know that you have the boobs that feed her. Also, try some baby food on the nipple, that's how I got my son to start taking the bottle after I had tried everything else. Worked like a charm. Don't be worried about leaving for 3 hours, she'll be fine. My younger brother wouldnt' take a bottle and he'd wait patiently, sometmes 5 or 6 hours, for my mom to get home to feed him. She;ll be fine!!!

Answer 4

First off, there are a lot of bad answers here....Do Not wait until she is really hungry, try an hour or so after feeding her, have somebody else offer her the bottle while you take a walk, she wont want it with you around... have them hold her like you do when feeding, or facing away from them, then take the nipple and touch her lips with it like you would with the breast. try for about ten minutes, if she doesn't take it take a break and try again later. Do Not force her to take it, or make her go without eating! If this approach doesn't work after a week or so, have them wrap her in a piece of your clothing while trying.... and try breast milk first, only one new thing at a time, once she is used to the bottle start adding formula an ounce at a time until it is all formula...and remember, it may not happen over night, but it will happen... Good Luck!!!!

Answer 5

Sometimes the problem isn't with the liquid in the bottle but the teat ur using. I got my daughter drinking from a bottle at about 6 months. She didn't wanna know about it first off but I experimented with different teats n she really took to the orthodontically correct ones that r supposed to help reduce n prevent colic too. They r "Pur" brand here: Australia. That n while she is getting used to the bottle try still holding her in the same position as she would be in if u were breastfeeding. She may be missing the security of Mum more so than Mum's boobs. If ur determined to try her on solids this early on stick to rice cereal made up with either breast milk or formula. Good luck n try to remember they move thru these stages so damn quick!

Answer 6

Well, both my girls liked the Gerber rubber 3 hole nipple, and nothing else. My oldest went for 2 months before she finally took it. She was literally going 9 hours a day without eating. So try a bunch more nipples to see if she'll take them, but if she doesn't, remember it's not that big of a deal for her to go 3 hours (and she may refuse to eat while you're away anyway so you may not have a choice!). Many babies won't take a bottle at all. Try not to stress out about it too much, she won't starve I promise!

Answer 7

Your baby's care giver could try to cup feed her. Place expressed breastmilk in the cup and carefully tip it into babes mouth. Also, there is a Breast-like bottle made by First Years (I think.) Anyways, I got it as a free gift for buying stuff at Motherhood and my 22 month old daughter (who still nurses and REFUSED anything other than bm until 18 months) loved it. I asked her if it was like getting mama milk and she said yes. Don't know how reliable she is, but it seemed cool.

Answer 8

I breastfed too. The only nipple my little guy would take was the platex kind w/ the flat nipple (not rounded) They were pretty hard to find around here but I ended up finding them at the grocery store. Have you tried to have someone else feed the bottle to her? She will take it better from someone else. If she knows your there and smells your milk thats what she wants. 3 hours isnt too long now because she should be starting solids. Try to schedule those in at the time your away to hold her over until you get back.

Answer 9

When I was unable to nurse my child, she too refused a bottle so I would feed here from a cup a small one- it takes some time but she never used a bottle. Good luck.

Answer 10

The flat type nipple called NUK was the only one my daughter would take and not gag on. She also nursed when I was there, but took formula whan I wasn't, because I had so much trouble pumping.
The NUK(by gerber) nipple might be hard to find, especially the smaller size you will need to start with.
Good luck!