We asked a group of mothers on our Facebook
Page for their tips on getting their child started on a
bottle.
Some babies can be a bit fussy, clever, and stubborn which makes
this whole process very stressful for parents. If the
situation does get stressful and baby is crying and mum distressed,
just stop and try another day.
The top tips that we gathered from this discussion were:
- Offer a bottle in the morning, when baby is hungriest
- Get someone else to hold the child and feed them (make mum
leave the house for a while)
- Warm the teat
- Depending on age, perhaps just go straight to a sippy cup
- Persistance
- Offer a bottle with small volume of cooled-boiled water, or
milk, at a non-meal time. Like during a play time during the
day so that baby can explore it a little, and when things are less
stressful.
- You are not alone!
In terms of teats, we very highly recommend the "Chu Chu" which
has a cross-cut whole so that baby has to suck and work the same
way as breastfeeding to get the milk out of the bottle.
There's a little demo on the product page too
~~ Read other mother's comments below ~~
Very interested to hear peoples advice I have the same problem
trying to let my hubby give my son expressed breast milk. He is two
months old and just sits with the teat in his mouth giving us the
evil eye
I changed my too over first thing in the morning, found it was
when they wake up really hungry and never looked back, too gutsy to
notice and hungry hungry!!!
We have been desperately trying to get our nearly 4mth old
taking a bottle since 7wks....to no avail. It seems that it's not
that he doesn't want it, just can't quite get the hang of it. I
read on the internet, breast & bottle require quite different
sucking techniques... Would love some suggestions! I am in need of
a break, he is still feeding like a NB, 3-4hrly, 24hrs a
day!!!
I have a friend with a similar problem (she's 6 months pregnant
and feeding a 9 month old baby and getting very tired!)
I found with Olivia that if someone else fed her she was more
likely to take it from them than me. I also used nipple sheilds for
a while which i think helped the transition.
for a 7 month old, i would go straight to a sippy cup, especially
if they're getting frustrated with a bottle. i think it would also
help for later on, having a baby who is not reliant on a bottle..
if that makes sense?
It helps if someone else give the bottle, like grandma. Just try
everyday. Also get out of baby's sight.
we had the same problem for a while. At 6 months, we introduced
formula as breastfeeding just got too much for me, she took the
first one straight away, then refused each time after that from
both myself and my partner. we just persisted and even though it
sounds harsh, we waited until she was very hungry and after 3 days
she happily drank form the bottle.
Im in the same boat, My son who is now 2, never took a bottle, and
my now 4 month old daughter has taken it a couple of times and now
gets quite upset when trying her with it!! I love breastfeeding to
bits, but sometimes a break is nice, would love to hear what tips
people have!! :)
Tip is to not let them know mum is there. Have dad (or whomever)
get them out if bed after a nap and try the feed without mum
letting bub know she's still in the house. Good luck!!!
I had this same problem with my baby, she just wouldn't take any
artificial teats - dummy or bottle. I did a lot of research about
it and Franny's (Breastmates) tips hit the nail on the head - not
trying when baby is hungry is the key because otherwise they just
get frustrated and end up more upset. Also, I got my husband to do
the bottle feeding, that way my baby couldn't smell me or my milk,
otherwise she'd just look at me like "what's with, I know your boob
is just under that shirt!" and she wouldn't even try, just cry for
the boob. Also I found different teats made a difference, don't
know why but she preferred some to others. After some persistence
my baby now takes a bottle from pretty much anyone, which means I
can have some time off!!
We have successfully managed to get my DS (8months) to take
formula in a bottle this week!! He would take Expressed Breast
Milk, but not formula. Have been working on his drinking technique
(water) in a bottle. And then on monday, he went to my mum's as
usual, but i didn't go round for his midday sleep. He drank 200mls
of formula from the cup!! Followed by solids. The plan of action
was to just give solids if he wouldn't take the milk. Then today he
took a bottle! 250mls of formula woohoo! We were just going to
persist until he would take it. Because he is 8months it wasn't too
much of a problem if this meal just became solids with no milk, but
so glad it has worked out :) I very much doubt he will do the same
if i am in the room/house but we are going to try tomorrow... so
fingers crossed!
Warming the teat can help. I figured that one out years ago when
babysitting as a young teen :0)
When I left some EBM with my Mum when my DS2 was weanie it was in
a glass bottle and he wouldn't take it. My Mum transferred the milk
to a plastic Medella bottle and she was able to squeeze it to help
get milk thru the teat which helped him to take some milk. He
didn't have much but enough to keep him happy till I got back
home.
ooh - good tip about trying first thing in the morning - my 5
month old took one fine until I needed her to, then flat out
refused - had a little bit of success with a different teat (as
recommended by you Franny This was the Chu Chu teat), and trying
cooled boiled water at a non-stressful time, but nowhere near
enough to consider it a feed. she will drink from a sippy cup (but
again only about 20ml and it takes ages). she also has also refused
two kinds of dummy - and would quite happily drink 3-4hrly all day
and night if I let her...
i can offer some help! with my first it took a friend taking him
away for a few hours to get him going and once that happened that
was it, with my second there were reflux/ lack of breastmilk issues
so unfortunitly he had got that hungry that he took it! I found
they also fed better when I was either completely out of the house
or at the other end of the house as they can apparently smell your
breastmilk almost a mile away.
i think getting someone else to feed the baby, the bottle when
introducing it, will help, you may even have to be in another room,
or even away altogether for the feed, also putting the teat in on
an upwards angle like your nipple would enter helps get them
sucking to realize this is yummy milk.
try to stay relaxed and calm if they fidget, maybe even need to
place on ground if they wont take it, then pick them up and offer
again, as this usually gets their attention on the right task, than
having them wonder in thought about why this things being stuck in
their mouth. could also be the teat, your using. a straight
sticking out basic teat actually works best, as opposed to the
closer to nature teats that "mimic" mums breast.
I always made sure I was out of the room and my partner would dab
the teat on my babies tongue so she could get a taste of my milk.
Took a few goes to work properly and still works better now if she
is not too tired.
I had a fight on my hands when I had to end up putting my 8 week
old on the bottle, there was no way she would take it & would
scream & I would end up putting her back on the breast knowing
it wasnt filling her, I just persisted & in the end I won but I
didnt realise she was actually smelling my milk & thats why I
had a fight so try & get someone like daddy to do the
bottlefeeding
My mum recommended that I give a tiny bit of boiled water (or
expressed milk) right from newborn age just to get him used to a
bottle from the start. I know this contradicts professional advice
but it worked for us. We never had issues with trying to get him
onto a bottle.
my son has been formula fed since 2 weeks old and he also played
with the teet too. Get someone else to feed them as at 7 months
they know what they perfer, also if you are wanting to completly
ween onto a bottle might be hard at first but maybe going cold
turkey and getting someone to be feed baby for an entire day and
hope they will take it. also if baby is exclusivly breast fed make
sure the formula or what you put into the bottle is warm as they
might perfer it at that temp and might not like it cold. Also some
babies get constipated from formula so stick to one type first when
trying it otherwise if you try too many types you cant figure out
which one cause it... hope that helps
Oh I can so relate, my daughter (#6) was still feeding 2 hourly
all day and night at 7 months, all the plunket nurse could suggest
was to starve her to get her onto a bottle which I didn't want to
do. In the end, with total exhaustion I found something that
worked.
I just put my one year old onto one formula feed and she wouldn't
take it when she was held but strangely she was interested when she
was standing up ...
A friend had a four month old who wouldn't take a bottle of
expressed milk. Because she was going back to work they had to take
action and decided to wait it out with him and not offer the
breast. Only took a few hours I believe and he was taking it no
worries.
I tried every make of bottle you can buy! Its just a case of keep
trying. Its hard work but can be done.
I worked hard for 3 months BFing/FFing/pumping to get my son off
the bottle onto fully breastfeeding (born early/small). He still
currently feeds 8 - 9 times over 24 hours. Now he is 7 months old,
I was wanting to give him the occassional bottle of EBM but no way
is he wanting to take that bottle. He just holds the teat in his
mouth and hits me and. the bottle away (also does this when my
hubby tried too). I thought that as he has had a bottle for almost
half his life, it would be easy switching from one to the
other...... yeah right.
I'm wanting to pick up the odd casual night work to help the
family budget while I'm on maternity leave so I'll be watching for
some tips.
I cant really help as my youngest WOULD NOT take a bottle...but I
just wanted to say that even though it is a HUGE deal at the
time... a few months on, its nothing. I needed to put him in care a
day a week at 10months and he just would not drink from a
bottle.....but he would drink water (not milk) from a sippy cup. I
just gave up and let him have water on those days and breastfed him
the rest. Now he is completely weaned he drinks water mostly but
has just started liking milk....but still not interested in a
bottle.
So hang in there...in a few months time you will have forgotten
all about it as you move on to other "battles".....tantrums!
I can only offer a comment that will help 'next time'. We started
our daughter on expressed BM before she was 2 weeks old and got
someone else (Grandmother) to do it. You need to keep at it though
- we try and give her a bottle a week - even if I am around for
each feed - she needs the practice! This has give me some freedom
to return to other parts of my life that I enjoy - book club, gym
etc - and allows her Dad some special 'alone' time; or allows her
Dad and I some special adult time which is nice too.
This approach probably isn't for everyone, but when I was
returning to work part time and my sister was looking after my
daughter and I needed her to take a bottle - the only way I got her
to take it was to refuse her the breast. She missed 2-3 feeds due
to stubborness (I think she was 8 months old roughly so was still
having solids) and she ... See Moreeventually took the bottle and
then happily switched between bottle and boob once she realised it
was the same end result! My milk! Getting someone other than you
(mum) to give the bottle is definitely recommended as my milk used
to pour out when she cried and leak everywhere which she could
smell! All a bit mean really! Good luck!
My son, Silas, is 14months and never did drink out of bottle/cup
unless it is water. He never touched formula and wouldn't drink
milk till now! The only thing he has is water. I still breastfeed
him and I cut it down to just once a day. It frustrates me as well.
I am pregnant with second baby and I am thinking about bottle feed
at least once a day cos the prob I have with Silas.
I'm afraid I can't help with suggestions - my 1 year old took
bottles of expressed milk initially but then when we got into the
swing of things I kinda forgot to keep up with odd bottle and when
I needed her to take one she point blank refused. ... See MoreShe's
never taken a bottle so we moved to a sippy cup and it took
literally months of persevering for her take 20 - 30 mls of water
from it. So we're resorted to packing her food with lots of milk
and water now.
I have to be honest and say that it did make me panic a bit that
she wouldnt take milk from a bottle or cup. It made me feel like
I'd never be able to take a break but actually, once we were on
solids it wasnt such a huge deal. However I wont be making the same
mistake should we have another one - I'll be introducing a bottle
and keeping it up so that I have the choice!
Ive done both types of feeding & breastfeeding can be
exhausting & if someone offers to help & give a bottle
while you have a break ie miss a feed or two then by all means do
it! Happy Mum = Happy Baby!
When we introduced formula to our baby we also gave him some
cooled boiled water along side incase he got constipated, maybe try
giving cooled boiled water in a bottle if they drink it they might
also drink the EBM or formula form it too but its a start in
getting them used to the teet
Sometimes I would hold my girl really close so she could still
smell me and think it was me and warming the teat helped a little
but she didn't really go on the bottle till about 5 -6 months she
was still having a feed off the breast then I just swapped a feed
off the breast for the bottle and feed her on demand on the boob at
night until she started sleeping though the night which wasn't till
she was 7 1/2 months old hope that makes sence lol
I always tried my son first thing in the morning on the bottle
when i was swapping him to bottle and he seemed take it easily,
think it was the fact he was hungy :), the dash of marmite is a
fancy idea, my daughter has had marmite/vegemite on toast forever,
its her fav!!! so there must be something they love about it
:P
I had huge challenges getting my then 5 month old to take a
bottle. I'd gone back to work fulltime and was expressing. She
refused a bottle, so I would traipse to her day care 3* a day to
keep her fed. Thank goodness for a very understanding boss!!!
However, one thing we discovered by accident - my little treasure
would only take EBM if it was fresh - not refridgerated or frozen /
thawed. Once we got her taking a bottle of fresh milk, she became
more accepting of reheated milk - then formula.
If I have anymore I will be giving the oddbottle of EBM so little
one is used to the bottle for when I have to go back to work.
Justbecause peoplewant yo use bottles doesn't mean they are giving
formula. My youngest had bibs saying only mummys milk for me! I
wanted people to know she was having bm in her bottles lol.
I would definitely recommend trying first thing in the morning
when bubs is really hungry (like several people have already
suggested). I have to admit though, that I haven't been in your
situation, because I pretty much had the opposite problem. I tried
repeatedly to get my son back on the breast (after he had to be on
a bottle due to misadventure... See More from an operation) and he
just never would. No one was able to give me any help, so I wish
you so much more success than I ever had. 8 months later I'm still
expressing and it has occurred to me that I should try first thing
in the morning when he's really hungry and I might have a chance. I
haven't tried it yet, just because we're not 100% sure he can
protect his airway, also because part of me thinks it's just too
late and there's no way he'd go back to it now (and he has lots of
teeth and a tendency to bite when anything is inserted in his
mouth! Call me coward).
I am the same! Child #2 won't take a bottle of EBM! I had terrible
problems with first at 5mths when I needed to go back to work so
said with the second would use a bottle to keep her use to it! We
did that took bottle fine but about four weeks ago she just started
refusing! I hate it & and am in denial and have given up! I
don't "need" her on a ... See Morebottle at momemnt and hence why I
haven't pushed it! I know I making it harder for myself! I have so
many events coming up that i would lille to "let my hair down" but
I just think that's selfish and why put bub thru the pain of
screaming for my selfish needs! I took longer off this time so I
could breast feed longer si I'm hoping that I can just put her on a
sippie cup of formula in preparation for me returning to work
around 6-7mths! I know my 1st wouldnt take milk in zippy cup! With
her We use to get bubby sucking on a dummy (which Introduced dummy
for this very reason) and then quickly take out and replace with
bottle! I left and went to my brothers two nights a week so I
couldn't see what was going on plus my husband and I wouldn't
fight! I just use to cry and cry atvher distress and just snatch
her and put her on breast (didn't help situation)! We tried millons
if bottles and teats and she was addicted to rimmed tippe! We also
had to do a breakdown of EBM and formula 90/10 80/20 etc etc!
Ianaged to do breast/bottle with formula from 5mths on till 10mths
when I fell preg again! 20mths later and she just stopped having
her last bottle so we now just have to go through it all again by
the looks of things with #2! I do think temp of milk plays a huge
part! I think the times I've had trouble with #2 is with thawed and
heated EBM! Room temp or just expressed she has taken fine! When I
feel like it I'm gunna try again with that! Fingers crossed!
Otherwise I'm giving up till six months and hope formula and sippie
cup work! Or she just miraculousy takes bottle with no dramas!
(blissful thinking I know)
I introduced a bottle of EBM at around 3-4 weeks (once BF was
going okay). We gave him EBM at least every 2-3days just to keep
him familiar. Worked a treat, there were no adverse effects with
breastfeeding. Not much help to anyone with a thirsty 7month-old
tho... :)
My son was never keen on a bottle, but did drink ok from a straw
cup round 8months. with my 7week old dd Ive got some chu chu teats
to try - but i need to wait a bit as expressing stuffs up my milk
supply & I tend to over produce which makes her fuss. I did
have 50ml of EBM in the freezer which ds was meant to thaw &
prepare for a top up last ... See Morenite. But he zapped it &
it go over hot so by the time it was cool enough she was asleep.
Grrrrr men!!! Why wont they follow instructions haha
I don't think there is anything wrong with bubs taking a bottle.
Of EBM ideally, but IMO formula is ok if its what the parents want
to do. A mothers well being is as important as the babies!!
Something mums struggle to remember sometimes.
Visit the Plunket Family Centre - they are pros at introducing
bottles and many other things :)
i never just soley breast fed either of my 2 as i was always
worried they wouldnt take the bottle after being used to one thing
for so long so expressed from birth and did both, it seemed to work
perfectly, or maybe i just got lucky??
I have a tip for introducing a bottle, if the child uses a dummy
then let them suck it for a bit then sneak it out of the child's
mouth & put the bottle in the mouth. It may take several goes
at doing it but it does work. I used this trick with all 3 of my
kids!!! You may have some very upset times, but just stick with
it
DS went on a nursing strike at 8months - so put a touch of marmite
on my nipple. Worked a treat!! Maybe try same thing with a
bottle??
I was lucky (though lucky is in the eye of the beholder as
breastfeeding didnt work) as my son has always taken the bottle - I
think it was more out of necessity as he was practically starving
:-( But he has never been a 'big' feeder so sometimes I have had to
'fight' to get the bottle into him. I find it helps to stay as
relaxed as possible, sing a song (good for distraction) and rock
them back and forth, while putting the bottle into their mouth. But
if they fight too much just give up and try again tomorrow - as it
will just make it harder in the long run. My son has always taken
any teat on offer, but I know the baby whisperer says an old
fashion teat is best as it sticks straight iinto the back of babies
mouth so they can't play with it. Another thing is, like
breastfeeding, position can make a difference. If the usual cradle
hold isnt working, maybe try lying them on a pillow propped up on
your knees - or lying on the bed propped up on a pillow. Anything
that works!!... See More
A sipper cup is a really good idea - you could try one that doesnt
have a valve on it, so they dont have to suck so hard - oh and just
give it to bubs to hold to see if they do it themselves. Even when
they are in their high chair having solids.
I gave up on bottles when my baby was 8 months old, and i
discovered that she could drink from a sippy cup all by herself! We
did have a sippy cup without a valve... and to this day she wont
drink from one with a valve... she's 15 months! I really don't know
of any new tricks tho
My son is 11 months and breastfed, he would not take a bottle at
all and would only drink out of a sippy cup since about 4 months. I
recently started reducing his breast feeds and tried a bottle at
night last week thinking that he wouldn't want it....but he skulled
the whole bottle down, and has every night since!!! I think it was
just the right time for him.
it took us 2 months of offering it everyday. In the end I think
she figured out what to do after watching her cousins (and me)
showing her ie tongue out and down, bottle on top and suck. Felt
pretty silly doing it for her - but it worked!
Thanks ladies. I have a 10 week old girl who is breastfed and have
been thinking about introducing a bottle of EBM. As a first time
mum, had no idea I might have to train my little one.
We've been trying to get our 7 wk old to take a bottle of EBM so
his dad can take the occasional night feed (I didn't realise having
a newborn AND a toddler would be quite so exhausting!) but after
taking a bottle once and a dummy once he now purses up his mouth
and absolutely refuses either. He held out for 45 minutes at one of
his 3am feeds - daddy gave in first and came got me lol will try a
different bottle and see if that helps... Thanks!!
We had trouble getting our son to take a bottle before I went back
to work and went to Waikato Family Centre Trust . They have a huge
range of teats to try and loads of experience and you can spend the
day there with other mums who are facing a variety of challenges
that babies present. If you live near Hamilton I highly recommend
it. If not, maybe Plunket could tell you if you have something
similar in your area.
Thats a really good idea Robyn, there are lots of family centres
around and they are really helpful - and free! Some also have
lactation consultants - who could prob actually give some really
good advice about the bottle too. Plunket were my first instance of
having someone say "hey, a bit of formula is ok" I really
appreciated that.
I introduced EBM when Benji was about 8 weeks - to help with a bit
of freedom to get hair done etc - Hubby loved feeding the bottle -
then after a stressful trip to Denmark he weaned at 7months - think
my milk was not great - but we had dropped the EBM feeding so we
then had a huge battle trying formula! But we kept on trying - then
he LOVED his ... See Morebottles (still does -at 2years argh!!! But
milk at night) - and we had to go that way - my Mum is a midwife
and lactation consultant - she agreed with how we managed Benji -
and breast and bottle works well - I regret he weaned so young -
but he got over 6 months of BF - because I missed the feeding - so
special; but I have 2 dear friends who only bottle fed - due to
health reasons - and they are gorgeous healthy and great kids! Good
luck Mums!
you need to keep the option of bottle going with BF on a regular
basis - eg we stopped the regular EBM so then we had trouble trying
to introduce a bottle later - great tips everyone!
I'm going to go back to pumping and try all these great tips. I
would like to work a casual night shift once a fortnight to ease
the family budget while on maternity leave. Also I could then start
to do things with my daughter (almost 9) while hubby looks after
the baby.
A little update from me - tried Lucy on a bottle again this
morning, actually tried first thing in the morning when she was at
her hungriest, sat in a different chair to where I normally
breastfeed her (tip from Plunketline), held her in a different
position (facing me propped on knee rather than cradle hold) and
heated the milk a bit more than we'... See Moreve tried before, and
.... she took nearly 200ml!!! Actually sucked on the bottle &
did it properly rather than biting & playing. Couldn't believe
it and am very, very pleased with my girl :-) Will keep trying and
maybe we're on to it now!
A tip I was given when transitioning from breast to bottle was to
ensure you held bubs more upright for a bottle feed than when
breastfeeding. Something to do with the different feeding technique
needed for breast and bottle. When bottle feeding, if bubs isnt
upright enough milk can end up going into the sinus... See More
passage and bubs ends up with ear infections due to blocked
passages. I dont know if that's made a difference, but we've only
had 1 ear infection and that was after a horrible head cold that
lasted 2 weeks. Not sure on the validity of this - funnily enough,
it's hard to find good information on bottle feeding... Can anyone
confirm this?
Yes, heard about the ear thing too - another reason why they say
don't baby down flat when having a bottle - our boy had ear
problems until we had grommets put in - so try and avoid anything
that may bring on ear issues - UP ALL NIGHT type of experiences -
not much fun!
Some babies liek mine wont take breast milk unless from source -
proud to say that weaned at 2 1/2 this week and has never had
breast milk other than from me - saved lots on bottles over this
time too, but would have been nice to have a break......
It's the eustacian tubes that drain fluid from the middle ear into
the throat that can let milk into the middle ear sometimes, which
can lead to ear infections. Being a bit more upright seems to help
prevent this...
I started my little chicken on a cup with a straw after reading
the suggestion on the kellymom site - my 5mo was due to start
daycare and wouldn't take any kind of bottle. She took it from the
straw like a champ and got us through til she weaned :)