Hello Moms!!
I have an almost 4 month old little boy who is breast fed. Around 2 months, we started introducing him to bottles (with breastmilk) so mommy could get a break every now and then. He took them like a champ! We were using Dr Brown wide neck bottles. Over the last few weeks, he appears to be on a bottle strike. My mom was here last week, he took the first one just fine and then refused the 2nd one (5 hours later, he WAS hungry). He hasn't taken a bottle from my husband in over a month.
Any tips on how to get my little guy to not be so connected to the boob? Lately, when I nurse him, I have been holding his "lovey" between his body and mine to get our scents in hopes that when other people feed him, they too can use the lovey as something that might be familiar.
Help! Mommy needs a break!!
B.
Thank you everyone for your advice. We stuck with Dr Brown Wide Bottles. He seems to do fine with those. I experimented a little. Its ME not the bottle. For a few days, I fed him bottles (pumped breast milk) no nursing. he took the bottle just fine from me. I went back to nursing and held a "lovey" between him and me as I nursed. Now my mom and husband are sure to use the lovey when they feed him and he is doing ok. I even went out Friday night to my book club that I hadn't been to since right before he was born. It was only a few hours, but it was HEAVEN!
My son did the same thing around 2-3 months. I was using Avent bottles. What worked for us was trying a few different nipples til we found one he liked. Good luck. I know how frusterating it is!
You are a very blessed lady! I have four boys and two daughters and have breastfed them all! It is hard to wean boys early, because they are loyal to the core to mom! They will hug your neck to tell strangers at the door that they are protecting you! In fact, it is easier to nurse a boy longer when you are in a quiet place away from public eye, even daddy's eye, for that matter. Strange as it may seem, there is something holy about the bond that just make it work better when away from the distraction of the world, so don't let the cares of the world and what you or others think is best keep you frazzled, because that will definitely add to the need for a break!!! So, my suggestion is to first, count your Blessings that he is very strong in his preferences, and that you only have a few months left until he can start to take a cup!! If he refuses a cup, he is either not hungry enough at the moment or The Next SIMBA!! LOL Pump your milk and store it, alieviate as much guilt as you can, then make careful plans to have someone step in when he is asleep so you can make a quick break. Don't plan on satisfying your hunger to be away all at once. Keep the breaks short at first, like two hours. If he freaks out that long, you will not be putting him through major stress, believe me!! He will soon get used to the fact that mommy is a busy lady and steps out once is a while. He will slowly accept that you will be right back, and his needs will be met. Break his will not his incredible spirit!! You can do it, AND be the gentle mother that he loves!!! He is not going to go too long without food, and when you are with him, relax.Give him water more often to let him get hungrier than he has been. It is normal and just a balancing act,what you are going through. Write me anytime! L.
I had the same problem with my daughter. All you can do is keep trying. When someone else is giving the bottle make sure you are not around, I think it helps if you are not even in the house. We were on vacation with my daughter when she was about the same age and she refused to take the bottle for about 4 weeks. When we came home, I had to go back to work and she had to go to daycare, so she had no choice in the matter, either take the bottle or starve. She eventually took the bottle I think it may have taken a day or two. They also told me she was very picky about the temperature of the bottle it had to be just right. I know it is very hard, but just keep trying and he will take it.
I had the same problem with my now 9 month baby girl. The solution I found was trying different nipples. We ended up with the fast flow platex nipples (even though they state they are for older babies). She only liked the latex nipples-not the silicon. I think my little girl was very frustrated that the milk wasn't coming out fast enough from the other nipples/bottle as from my breast. That seemed to do the trick. Now, I am still breastfeeding mainly, but when she needs a bottle she has no problem taking one.
Hope this helps.
L.
I'm sorry I can't offer you many suggestions - my 7 month old is also on a bottle strike - but I can offer you some reassurance. First, on the good side, you are a SAHM and don't have to worry about what on earth will happen to your boy while you're at work. Second, according to the kellymom website (www.kellymom.com - pro-breastfeeding site) this is not unusual, and your son will not starve in yoru absense. He will either decide to take a bottle, or he'll wait it out. Either way, babies of 3 months can go for 6-8 hours at night without a bottle, therefore they are capable of doing the same during the day, should they choose. Either way, he will be ok.
If he continues to refuse, you can try having whoever takes care of him feed him some very thin rice cereal mixed with expressed breastmilk. (Ie just enough cereal mixed in with the milk to stay on the spoon). The novelty of eating from a spoon may be enough to get him to eat some calories and tide him over until you get back. I would avoid doing this until he's at least 4 months old though.
I am having the same issue...I wish I had some advice. Let me know if you get anything to work. good luck.
Hi B.- I am a mom of 4 and 3 of mine never took bottles. My youngest is also 4 months and won't take a bottle. In the past mt Dr. told me that a baby wil not starve themselves and you just have to wait it out. I am a SAHM so I figured I would wait til they were around 7 monthes and could figure out a sippy cup and I just put the milk in there.
A couple of my girls would just cry for Grandma until they got tired gave up and fell asleep. It is no fun but only lasts a short time.
Good Luck
B.
I dont really have any advice for ya on getting him to take a bottle. I have a almost 5 month little girl and she had a bottle in the NICU for the first 4 days of her life and since she came home has only been breastfed and will not take a bottle not matter how hungry she is. But am not worried about it as I dont want her on a bottle anyways. But having the lovey between you and him or even have you sleep with it (might sound gross) but over your breast so that some of your breast milk and smell gets on the lovely. Use to do that with my twin boys when they were in the NICU. IT actually calmed them when I put it in their beds. So it might actually work so that your little man can still smell you and have the comfort from the lovey while someone else is feeding him.
Good luck!
Someone else had the same issue a few months ago. Here is what I told her:
My son was the same way. He took a bottle, then wouldn't, and then he would. I wouldn't give him the bottle, only dad or grandma. Also I wouldn't experiment too much with bottles. I think being consistent is more important. Also try differnt feeding positions. My husband tried cradle but my son would fight him (maybe he was expecting to nurse in that position). My husband then tried laying him on the couch and feeding him while he was laying down and he did great. I would just say be patient, be consistent, and pick a time when baby isn't starving. His frustrution tolerance will be very short! By about 1 week we were fine with bottle!! Good Luck.
