Getting baby to take a bottle
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Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: Getting baby to take a bottle
Posted By: FionaS
Subject: Getting baby to take a bottle
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:00pm
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Ashley is 6.5 months old and breastfed. We haven't had any success in getting her to take a bottle with either EBM or formula in it. This hasn't really been an issue. However, for reasons I'd prefer not to discuss, I really need to her take a bottle.
Does anyone have any tips on how we can help her to accept it? She takes a sippy cup but will only drink water from it...ironic! ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Replies:
Posted By: HippyMama
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:02pm
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Some babies just won't take bottles - I'd persist with the cup feeding of EBM in the first instance I guess. ------------- Mama to two earth walkers & two angels. Remember, you are not managing an inconvenience; You are raising a human being. ~ Kittie Franz Next Slingbabies! Meet - Friday 4th May !! |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:06pm
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I dont really know Fiona, as my kids took to the bottle right away, and bella goes breast to bottle no issues.
Have you tried a few different bottles?? If I were you I would just keep trying, keep on and on at it, she *should* eventually take a bottle. What does she do? Cry and push it out, or not suck? etc ------------- |
Posted By: wellygirl
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:06pm
| We just kept trying different brands of bottle and different teats, until suddenly she found one she liked (called Mam). |
Posted By: Flutterby
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:17pm
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We also tried a few different bottles till we has success with the Tommee Tippee closer to nature ones. Even then he took a few tries to get it exactly right. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:19pm
Just plays with it. If very hungry she will protest but generally she just thinks it is fun. She will happily chew on it for 15mins but doesn't drink. ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
MamaS wrote:Posted By: BeLoved
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 9:58pm
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My DD would just play with the bottle to and push the teat out with her tongue. What worked for us was offering the bottle in the morning after 10 - 11 hours sleep, so she was hungry, plus DH gave it to her while I took the dog for a walk. I would have got up 30 mins before her and expressed the milk, we just kept doing this every morning for awhile and she was soon drinking the whole bottle with no protest. I think the combination of her being hungry, me being out of the house and the milk being as close to fresh out of the boob as possible all played a part. Sometimes having the TV on or other distraction helped her to take the bottle as well. Before long she would take the bottle whenever, wherever from myself, DH or my Mum and would also take formula after awhile.
In regards to the bottles/teats we ended up using the Avent after trying the TT closer to nature and Nuk, the Nuk was successful once and then never again??? Sometimes they say if your baby takes a dummy try and go with a teat that is similar to that. Oh and DD will still not drink milk from a sippy cup as far as she is concerned only water goes in the cup! |
Posted By: bun_in_the_oven
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 10:09pm
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best advice i can offer.... hope this helps
Keep calm and dont become to stressed with it.. offer the bottle with just a small amount in it to begin with (30mls or so to avoid wastage) Let baby hold it.. and you pretend to drink it too.. make it fun and relaxed. nothing wrong with making it like a game as opposed to a "you must drink this" Also can be a good idea if someone other than you offers it.. baby will smell your milk and wonder 'what the heck' am i getting this for. Pick your times.. when they are most hungry will prob have more sucsess... NUK and tomee tippee bottles are most like a nipple, but try others too if they dont help Perservere and be patient. Good Luck 
it will happen |
Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 18 February 2010 at 10:23pm
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Our longest stretch at night is now 5 hours max so she is never really hungry now. She often won't take a feed until 10am as she has fed all night.
However, thanks ladies...some good ideas so I'll give them all a go. Thank you :) ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 19 February 2010 at 1:16am
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We had to start giving Jody EBM from a bottle at the same age. We only needed her to do it once a week. Most people find that if mum goes out then bubs will take the bottle Jody actually took it easier when I put her in the normal BFing position and held the bottle of the teat in front of my boob.
She was *really* fussy about the temperature to start with too, she liked it warmer than what we thought was right (not burning hot, but not luke warm). Also, she wouldn't take the whole amount at once, she'd drink about half or less, play for 10 mins or so then drink the rest. Good luck, and like the others have said, try not to get too stressed -------------   
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 19 February 2010 at 7:05am
I never managed to get James to take a bottle. Like you, he would drink water out of a sippy cup but not milk (we are only JUST getting him to drink milk from a sippy cup now...if its flavoured ) He wouldnt take EBM or formula from a bottle....but would take a small amount of water.
I didnt persevere but I did start giving him a bottle with water in it to play with so he got used to it. I was also told to try a dream sleep with the bottle...but I have never liked dream sleeps (too scared I'd wake them). In the end, James only needed it for one day a week and I decided he could like it or lump it....he lumped it and drank water then sucked me dry that night. |
Posted By: Brenna
Date Posted: 19 February 2010 at 8:00pm
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Fiona, how do you think it would go if you didn't feed her during the night and that way she'd def be hungry in the morning. I've been told from the family centre it takes 3 nights to get them out of feeding at night and even though it's hard as first, it's worth it in the long run. Is that an option?? Can't think if much else cause Brenna was a shocker with the bottle. We just kept perservering..... (it's bloody hard though, so hugs!) -------------  My beautiful 2 girls...nearly 4 and 13 months
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Posted By: FionaS
Date Posted: 19 February 2010 at 9:42pm
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I'll keep trying from time to time but have renewed faith in my ability to exclusively breastfed (well, she has solids but YGWIM). Thanks Bizzy and Emma. You rock. ------------- Mummy to Gabrielle and Ashley |
Posted By: Chickaboo
Date Posted: 19 February 2010 at 11:51pm
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Josh was my child who would not take the bottle - and in the end I had to hold him at arms length and feed him so he couldnt smell the milk on me - wasn't easy and didn't happen over night either. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 20 February 2010 at 12:47am
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Good thread. Jackson is exactly the same. He out right refused to take anything from a bottle (EBM included). I do offer him water in his bottle now which he does drink but goes between playing with the teat to doing little sucks etc.
Even if Dh feeds him he does the same thing. We are using Avent bottles, but I havent tired other teats. Perhaps I will give that a go (thanks for the suggestion). ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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