Any ideas on how to get my 2-1/2 month breast feeding baby to take a bottle?

Question

I am going back to work and leaving her with my mother-in-law. I left her there once for a day with a bottle of breast milk and the baby refused to take it. When I picked her up 7 hours later, she was starving and obviously very upset. I've tried a few different bottles and nipples and am going to get a few more to try. I've tried giving her a bottle, as has my husband and other people, but she refuses it. My mother-in-law is balking at wanting to watch her while I work because she "cries too much" because she is starving. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions that have worked for them? I'm DESPERATE!! Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I know the feeling! My little one didn't like the bottle much either. I know how hard it is to feel torn between working and trying to do what's best for my little one. Is there any way that you could take your lunch break and nurse? I'm a teacher, so I had only thirty minutes, but it was enough time to dash to daycare and squeeze in a feeding. My little one took precious little other milk from a bottle throughout the day, but we made up for it at night.

Trying different bottles and other tools may help. You might want to try to avoid giving him a bottle, and have other people try. I left home for an hour or so at a time before I started working again so that my husband could figure out which nipple our baby liked best. And the first two days back at work were hard, but the caregiver figured out her own ways to deal with it. I think your mother-in-law will probably be an excellent caregiver...she may have just had her confidence rattled. Invoke the "We don't know what we'd do without you..." mantra and ask what she used to do to take care of your husband. If she didn't breastfeed, she might feel a little threatened and unsure. Give her a few days, and she and the baby will probably get used to each other. (And you certainly don't need the stress of trying to find another daycare provider!)

It can be done, and things will get better. Keep your chin up!

Answer 2

Try introducing the nipple at a different time other than at feedings....like when you're just cuddling with her, take just the bottle nipple and play around with her lips so that she gets used to the feel and smell of it. Then when you get ready to feed her, have the bottle positioned alongside your breast and when she gets ready to latch on, just coax the bottle nipple into her mouth instead. That's what my doc told me to do because he said sometimes babies get stressed by different smells and textures which is why he believed some babies have a harder time transitioning from breast to bottle. It took a few tries but it worked for me. Unfortunately my youngest is 5 so I can't quite remember which nipple she finally liked! Also, I agree with the other person. I would look into having someone else watch your baby. Your mother in law should be aware as to why your baby was crying in the first place...obviously because she hadn't eaten! And if she's going to be hesitant about having to take care of a crying baby then maybe she doesn't have the patience for it anymore, as I sure when she took care of your husband she had to listen to him cry!!

Answer 3

You said you tried different nipples and different bottles and it hasn't worked. Low flow? Natural nipple shaped? Okay then what you have to do is let her breast feed and then get her to unlatch and try to pull a switch a roo on her. Make sure the nipple on the bottle is nice and warm. Position the bottle so that it lays on your chest like your breast does and not in your hand. Hold her just like you would while breastfeeding. Hold the nipple of the bottle like you would your own nipple when you get her to latch on--by your two fingers and not by the bottle itself. You might try holding the bottle underyour arm right under your armpit area and having your husband really holding it with his hand behind your arm, if you can't hold it with your arm. You will probably have to do this several times. Good luck.

Answer 4

I went through the same thing with my son. It took us trying a number of different bottles/nipples for him to finally start, reluctantly, taking the bottle. We finally had success with the Playtex Premium Nursers with the drop-in liners. They are supposedly (according to the packaging) easier for breastfed babies to transition between. My son didn't like the hard clear silicone nipples, but instead preferred the softer brown latex. The nipple has a wider base and more natural shape... which I think helped. It still did take a little patience and practice... but he seemed to do better with these. It also helped if I wasn't in the room... if he saw me... the gig was up. :o)

Best wishes.

Answer 5

Try alternative feeding methods.
A spoon, a small soft cup (like comes with a bottle of Pepto Bismol), a medicine dropper or an oral medicine syringe. These will take patience on grandma's part, but they might work better than the bottle.

Have grandma try different temperatures for the milk. Room temp, warmed up to body temp, and cold.

Have grandma try different postions. Make is as much like nursing as possible. If that doesn't work, have her sit baby in her lap with her back to grandma's tummy, facing out. Have her try propping up her feet and laying baby in her lap, head at grandma's knees, looking up at her. Have her try putting baby in a carseat or bouncy seat while offering the bottle. Have her wear baby in a sling or front carrier and offer the bottle while up walking around.

Answer 6

it really is sweet you've tried such an excellent type of nipples as that may help. might want to he attempt to take solids quickly? perchance those sitting him might want to offer him toddler food - rice cereal blended with milk? Cereal would nicely be blended with breast milk or formula. Then he has some food contained in the tummy? also, might want to he doze off with rocking, binkie, inspite of ability the sitter might want to get him to sleep, then take out binkie and slip in milk once asleep? I also had some bottle issues of my kiddies. in spite of the undeniable fact that I presented bottles 3-4 weeks to help them settle for it, they did not like it a lot. there have been days the position they doesn't get a lot milk till I were given homestead. If he feeds good in the previous you go away, and also you feed him once you get homestead, he received't wade through if he misses a feeding or no matter if it really is overdue. might want to it truly is more effective useful to no longer try the bottle as he receives so disillusioned and basically occupy him different techniques, or let him sleep? assure the sitter it really is okay. Then feed once you get homestead? very few options. desire one among them may help!

Answer 7

Sounds like you're doing what ever you can... I was going to suggest that you try different bottles and nipples, but you're doing that. The only other thing I can suggest is to introduce it first at each feeding...

Answer 8

check this site out, it helped me when I had the same problem. sometimes waiting a week or so helps also. We first tried at 2 1/2 months with no luck, a week later she took it no problem.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T025000.asp

If the baby won't take the bottle and you are desparate and have to go to work, cup feeding is another option so baby isn't starving

HERE IS A LINK FOR THAT
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T026000.asp

Answer 9

Next weekend, when you can be home with her, don't breastfeed and just keep trying to give her the bottle. When she gets hungry enough, she'll take the bottle. Yes, she'll cry and scream, but if you keep giving in, she'll figure if she just screams enough, she'll get what she wants.

And I'd find another babysitter if I were you. Your mother-in-law complains because she "cries too much"?! Um, that's what babies do! What if she were colicky? If she can't handle a baby crying, she doesn't need to be taking care of one.

Answer 10

try using those bottles that are shaped like your nipple and maybe she will drink then