Bottle Feeding - Charlotte,NC

Updated on April 05, 2010
K.B. asks from Charlotte, NC
7 answers

For various reasons, I am having to pump and bottle feed my 8 week old little boy. I generally breastfeed him once within a 24 hour period and choose to do it overnight. He loves the breast and hates the bottle and if I could exclusively feed him from the breast I would but it is just not possible. Bottle feedings are horrible and stressful for everyone. He screams through the entire feeding, arches back, gurgles, and he just seems extremely uncomfortable. I do not believe it is acid relfux because we treated him for that and it never did any good. Plus, he never acts uncomfortable on the breast, just the bottle. I have tried 5 different bottles and nipples and nothing helps a bit. I suspect that it might be a problem with nipple confusion but my lactation consultant does not agree. I have also been to see is doctor and he did not have a solution. He is gaining weight just fine so I am not worried about that, I just wish it could be a more peaceful time for him and the rest of the family.

Help! Has anyone else had this problem? He actually did not develop this problem until he was about 2-3 weeks old and has gone back and forth from bottle to breast since he was 4 days old.

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So What Happened?

Thanks Everyone. We are still working on this and still having a ton of problems unfortunately. My next step is to take him to the GI doctor. Breastfeeding is horribly painful and that is why I have had to pump. My production has been great from day one, very plentiful actually. His latch is fine, he does not have yeast and I do not have an infection although I have been treated for both just in case. It is a mystery and I did not experience this with my first son. I have been to lactation twice, my doctor once, and his doctor three times trying to get help but no one knows what the problem is. Breastfeeding was pain-free with my first son but he was allergic to milk so I have gone dairy free this time to see if that is the problem (which I never believed it was) and that is not helping. It seems to be complicated and I am just trying everything.

More Answers

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G.I.

answers from Huntington on

Hi K., I breastfed my twin boys. One of them was totally comfortable on the breast, the other was not AFTER he got a taste for the bottle. He wanted it right now, he did not want to wait for the milk to come down. This is what happens with the breast, they suck a while and rest a while, that was his brothers speed. This twin, however, was and still is, the impatient one. When he sucked on it, he expected it to respond. The bottle did, the breast was just not fast enough for him. His brother wanted to sleep on it... It sounds like that may be what is happening woth your son. Good luck and God Bless!

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

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C.A.

answers from San Francisco on

Are you able to "bait and switch"? Sometimes when my daughter would get very upset, she would refuse the bottle - so I would put her on the breast briefly (maybe for a minute) and then quickly swap out the nipple for the bottle.

Also, is it always you who offers the bottle? I know several babies who would refuse the bottle if mom was offering it but would take the bottle just fine from dad or anyone else who didn't smell like breastmilk. :)

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M.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

When I had to bottle feed my son, I would hold him with his one hand on my breast, the other under my arm supporting his head, body turned towards me. I found that as long as he could "pet" me, he would take the bottle easier. If that doesn't work, try the "bait and switch" as one other mom suggested. Good Luck

T.D.

answers from Fayetteville on

My only guess is that the breast milk might flow from the bottle too fast for him. Babies enjoy the skin to skin bond of breastfeeding, and it may be much more comforting for him to exclusively breastfeed. Maybe try breast only, and see if that helps.

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W.M.

answers from Nashville on

Have your husband bottle feed him b/c he may just be fighting you b/c he smells your milk and wants to nurse. There are ways to get more milk in your breast if that is the issue. Talk to your doc or a lactation specialist.

K.C.

answers from Barnstable on

I bet you haven't tried a mimijumi bottle: http://www.mymammasmilk.com/Mimijumi.html Best I have ever seen at mimicking the boobie.

Typical bottles draw milk much easier and faster that the boobie. This frustrates some babies. And make sure you are not the one to give him a bottle.

Is there absolutely, no possible way that you can nurse him at the breast? I was a very, high risk pregnancy and I am still able to nurse my son on Remicade (when everyone said no, I found the research that said heck yeah!).

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