Bottle Feeding Breastfed Baby

Does she know its milk? Mine did the samething for a bit, but when we squeezed the nipple so that she could taste the milk, then she started sucking. If we jsut stuck a nipple in her mouth she didnt want it. Now, everything is fine, and I'm on my second day back at work.

I know Dr. Brown's bottles uses silicone nipples, I'm not sure about the Adrini, but my son would drink out of any bottle as long as the nipples were latx they are softer and he liked them much better. Not sure if Dr. Brown has latex nipples so you may try a less expensive feeding system. My son eventually used the Platex drop in system and then the evenflow regular bottles when he was older and gas/spit up was less of a problem.

Both of my kids had trouble with the bottle at first. Keep trying- be persistent but relaxed. It can be frustrating when they keep pushing it out with their tongue, but your baby will also get frustrated/mad if she can sense tension. 11 weeks is plenty of time. She will likely do better in a few more weeks- it will become easier for her to transition from breast to bottle and back again.

If the bottle doesn't work, there are other ways to feed the baby the milk. Cup feeding is actually the most common way in places that sanitation is an issue. For spoon feeding as well as cup feeding, it's important that the milk is not being poured in the baby's mouth; that the baby actually laps it up at his/her own pace. An eyedropper is another option.

When my baby had trouble taking a bottle a lot of people on here told me to try the Playtex Drop-ins bottle. The nipple is softer than the others. Sure enough, he took it! Good luck!

Hi M.-

My daughter never once took a bottle at home until she went to daycare at 12 weeks. I was so freaked out because we had tried everything including the "breast" bottle, a shot glass and everything I could buy at Target. It got to the point that my husband didn't ever want me to leave him home alone with the baby because she would cry so hard. So we just dropped it. On the first day she was at school, she took a few ounces from the bottle (and I went by at lunch to nurse her). There is something about the confidence of a daycare employee who knows they can feed a baby that makes it effective, for some reason. If you can go by daycare at least at lunch, you'll feel a lot better, but sincerely, it will be okay. People say "they won't starve, they will eat" and that did not make me feel better. But it will be okay and she will eat once she gets to daycare. Hang in there!

if baby is enthusiastically nursing, soak it up. . .nurse her until just a few days before you need to go back to work and then reintroduce the bottle. there's no need to introduce it too soon. she may take it when you are not around once you're back at work and if not, then there are alternative ways to give her pumped milk. . . a cup, a spoon, a syringe. take these weeks to bond with her and get nursing off to a really awesome start. . .great that you have almost three months with her. when you do go back to work, try setting your alarm so you can wake her in the AM and have one last nursing session, if someone is able to bring her to you at lunch or you're able to go be with her for a nursing session, all the better (depending on your childcare situation if you work far from home, choose a place that is close to work to have her cared for). You can nurse her again just before leaving her with your childcare provider and as soon as you pick her up in the afternoon/evening. And in the meantime, you've got six weeks until you return to work. . check out a La Leche League meeting in your area to find some other ideas and support from moms who have dealt with similar things. Congrats on your new baby and on your desire to breastfeed. . you are giving her an awesome start in this life!!! www.lllofmurray.blogspot.com if you live in the salt lake area there are a list of local meetings down the right hand side.

Unfortunately, my daughter loved the bottle - more than the boob! Advice I've heard is to make sure you are no where near. As in out of the house. Baby can smell the mama! Hope that helps.

just keep trying every day. my baby was the same way if we missed a day or two. she needs a "practice" bottle daily in order to maintain the skill. it may seem like she is never going to take it, but just keep trying. if you are consistent, she will learn how to do it. my baby did really well with the nuk bottles, since the nipple felt like his pacifier (although he never was a binky baby, i did try...so it was familiar to him, at least)