baby is having lots of trouble bottle feeding?

Question

my cousin and i are going through hell to try and get her 6 month old boy to drink formula from a bottle. since she got her period back all her milk is going. he will not take a bottle, we have tried everything, like 100 different bottle tops, sippy cups, straws, spoon and he wont take anything, he is starving himself. the only way he will drink any if i hold him and walk around with him and force a bottle down his throat. even then he only has about 40ml before falling asleep in my arms his mum cant even do that, he just cries and cries in her arms, she is 24 and it would be fine for me to just keep feeding him till he will take it from his mum but im still at school so pretty much he goes from when he wakes up till 1.30 (my lunchtime) without a bottle and even when he gets it he hardly drinks any. we dont know what to do please please please help !!!

Answer 1

Firstly, Please understand that if your sister has been breast feeding then the baby will always be satisfied with breast milk. Periods coming in early do reduce the flow of milk but the child will not go hungry as she is still breastfeeding. Keep a time to bottlefeed the baby everyday and offer bottle at that time regularly. I faced almost similar trouble. I had started bottle feeding my son when he was 1 and a half months old but still he gave me troubles after his vaccinations. Keep offering him milk. You both should show to him that you are not happy with his actions and only if he drinks milk will he be loved. Then also try talking to him. Tell him that he needs to drink from bottle. Tell him that if he does not drink milk he will not get breastmilk also. One of you should show him love inbetween. I know this whole thing is harsh but trying is all that you can do. One day my son did the same and missed one feed and slept because he did not want bottlemilk and that is all that I was offering. This whole trying and crying thing use to go on for atleast 2 hours everyday till he learnt to take it. After 2 hours I use to give him my breast milk but continued to offer bottle everyday at the same time.
I also changed the formula.
Changed the bottle to Avent bottle. They are anti colic.
You will see that the boy will take one of the formulas more than the other. Then you will know his preference.
I use to sit with two bottles with differnt formulas.
I use to sometimes keep him in my arms when he use to cry and sometimes leave him on the bed.
I also use to open my bra to feed him from my breast and the moment he would reach for it, put the bottle in his mouth and still keep him in my arms embraced with my breast and skin and that also worked at times.
Also try to feed the boy in his sleep. That still works for my son as he is teething and would not take bottle at times. Feed him before he is about to getup. And feed him every 3 to 4 hours at night if he is in the habbit of sleeping at a stretch.
Alongwith this you should start the boy on solids now. That way even if he is not taking the bottle right now, he is still getting something to support his hunger.
I hope all this helps. My son troubled me a lot. Thank God he is taking solids nicely.
Please remember that sucking on breast is the childs biggest possession and love. Taking that away from him will not be easy at all. The child will always show all his feelings to his mother that is why he cries in her arms but she should show that she loves him and show him that she will love him more if he takes bottlemilk. Hope this helps.
Best of luck.
Take care. It seems you are doing good. Keep at it.

Answer 2

Please follow the tips it really help you :
When a baby won't take a bottle


Q: My baby sucks her thumb constantly. Is this okay?
A: Thumb-sucking is a natural self-calming technique. Your baby sucks her thumb to soothe herself when she's anxious, tired, or upset. However, if your baby has her thumb in her mouth much of the time, it can lead to problems. "Constant thumb-sucking can cause skin abrasions, nail problems, and dental issues," says Dr. Oded Herbsman, medical director of pediatrics at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. And if it continues, he says, frequent thumb-sucking could slow your baby's speech development. "Your baby can't vocalize with her thumb in her mouth," says Herbsman, adding that the best strategy is to substitute a different type of comfort object. Offer a blanket or a teddy bear when your baby goes for the thumb so she learns additional ways to comfort herself. Basically, check with your doctor to see if the thumb-sucking is causing any physical problems and then pick your battles carefully.


It's not uncommon for a baby to refuse a bottle after being breastfed exclusively for the first months. Here are some tips to help your baby make the transition:
Don't be the one to try it first. The shift may prove easier if someone else, such as your partner, introduces the bottle. Your baby can smell your milk from at least 20 feet away, so it may be best to remove the temptation, even by having you leave the house.

Entice your baby with the bottle nipple. Try warming the nipple a bit with warm water and even putting a little breast milk on it. Allow your baby to play with or chew on the nipple to get used to it. It may also help to choose a nipple that's similar to your baby's pacifier, if he has one.

Offer lots of love. Provide as much affection and physical attention when you give the bottle as you would when breastfeeding.

Try different times or positions. Bottle feeding may go more easily if you feed slightly later than you normally would, when your baby is really hungry. Holding your baby more upright than when he's nursing may also help break the expectation of breast milk.

Offer a cup. If your baby continues to reject a bottle, try a cup instead. This is a messy and not always productive task with a 4-month-old, so it's best for just occasional feedings. Hold your baby upright and tilt the cup slowly and carefully. Some moms continue breastfeeding (without expressing or supplementing with formula) until their babies can manage a cup well, around 6 to 8 months
As your baby gets bigger and stronger, don't be one-sided about her care. That is, be sure to provide variety in how you position her, which is important for proper development. To help her strength and flexibility improve evenly, for instance, vary the way you put her down to sleep, sometimes with her head at one end of the crib and sometimes the other way around. If you have an activity toy or a mirror attached to the side of the crib, move it to the opposite side periodically. When you're feeding her, alternate the side you hold her on. Switching sides helps her develop a full range of motion and better muscle control, which are necessary for the hand-eye coordination she's gradually developing.
A bigger, stronger baby is also likely to be a more wiggly one at diaper changing time. You'll want to be sure to keep one hand on her at all times during changes. Gather everything you need before setting her down for a change, and work quickly. Some parents like to place a musical mobile above a changing station so their baby will have something to look at. Keeping a basket filled with toys you rotate or make available only during diapering may also help her lie still long enough for you

Answer 3

This is going to sound weird but I think you all are to the point you will try anything. Since he likes mommy's nipple, he don't know that the milk supply is drying up. So try him on mommy nipple and then once he knows hes not getting anything then try to give the bottle or put the bottle nipple with mommy's nipple . Its worth trying . Are we sure mom's drying up and it not the baby going through a growing spurt trying to bring in more milk. That's a common mistake, talk to the doctor that's what there for.

Answer 4

That is a very long time for a baby not to have a bottle and the mum should just do as you are doing, he may resisit it but she needs to be patient with him and if she gets stressed he can feel it. Get her to give him a bath first and calm him down but she needs to be calm also while doing this and don't stress when he tries to spit it out, just persevere with him and he will eventually take it. If this doesn't work i suggest taking him to the doctor or an infant health center and talk to them about it.

Answer 5

Ask a pediatrician but the formula could be the reason. The baby may need a soy base formula if others bother his stomach. Her milk supply should not stop because she got her period so she may want to talk to a lactation consultant.

Answer 6

What kind is he one go to the Dr. and get the milk changed I went through the same thing.

Answer 7

Take that baby to the doctor. You need professional help quick. This babies health is in danger. He can't go that long without nourishment. This is very dangerous. Please advice your cousin to get the baby to a pediatrician. Now i will worry about this baby i don't even know. That is so awful.

Answer 8

he needs to see a Dr right away

Answer 9

have you tryed different formula
good luck