My 8 mo old refuses to take formula, juice or water from a bottle or sippie cup. She takes a very small amount from a regular cup (less than an ounce) or a small amount from the end of a straw. We have been mixing 2 oz of formula with some cereal mixed with her baby food, which she takes very well. She is breast fed at night. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her to take a bottle of formula? We have tried several different types of bottles and different types of nipples and she still refuses.
We have tried mixing the breast milk, tried giving the sippie cup, etc and she flat out refuses. There isn't enough breast milk to give nurse her during the day anymore. We have been mixing 2 oz of formula with cereal and baby food which she does take well, but she won't take formula unless it's spoon fed to her and then only a very small amount. We have tried pumping breast milk into a bottle and she refuses the bottle. This issue is the bottle, but she won't take liquids from a sippie cup either. This is a tough one.
My 9 month old refused the bottle, until I refused the breast and only offered the bottle. Once that happened - we had no issue with the bottle and breastfeeding. Good luck.
Maybe you have already tried this....Have someone other than you try to give her the formula. You shouldn't even be in the room (maybe not even in the house) when this is happening. She could be holding out for that good breastmilk, which she KNOWS you have! ;-)
There are different types of sippies as well, maybe try some of those? She is old enough that she doe not absolutely need a bottle, many kiddos this age are beginning to drink from some kind of cup anyway.
Or skip the formula altogether and just pump some breast milk for her?
good for you for nursing her.
Sorry I couldn't help more
Good luck!
K. Z.
Are you mixing breastmilk in with the formula? I agree she probably does not like the taste. I would suggest to pump during the times she is not nursing so that you will have breastmilk to mix with formula. Start with 6-8 oz of breastmilk and mix 2 oz of formula and slowly increase the formula until she gets used to the taste. If you can always mix half and half that would be best, but most likely she will get used to it. Another idea is to skip the bottle and try a sippy cup with the formula and breastmilk. I found that once my son weaned off of the breast, I then had to wean him off the bottle. In retrospect I would have tried sippy cups a lot sooner.
Just a thought.
Kudos on breastfeeding! Your daughter may very soon start accepting and drinking from a sippie cup (just skip the baby bottle!).
I would echo the suggestion already made about having the baby bottle given by an adult other than you. Being out of the room (outside even) helps.
Also remember that your daughter will eat, and drink, when she gets hungry and thirsty. I have had the story related to me about a breastfeeding child who refused any bottle during the day hours while Mom was away at work, but breastfed when Mom got home, with no loss in weight or of health. :)
My best wishes to you two and the rest of your family!
If she hasn't taken a bottle at all up to this point, she probably won't. Are you breastfeeding during the day--or does she take a bottle of breast milk during the day? It will take her a while to get the hang of a sippy cup--just keep offering and she'll get it, but don't count on a full meal out of it yet! If she is taking a bottle of breastmilk and she just doesn't like the change to formula, you could ease her into it, by mixing breastmilk and formula gradually. Hang in there, she'll get the sippy cup in a couple of months!!
If she is nursing at night, why not let her nurse during the day? She is probably so confused! Also you should know that the iron in the formula will prevent the iron in the breast milk from even being absorbed, so you are preventing the perfect iron from benefiting your baby. Please reconsider and nurse that baby like she needs to be nursed....God provided the perfect nutrition for your baby...just make sure that you are eating a well balanced diet, taking your daily vitamins and drinking TONS of water so that you can give her the perfect nutrition.
Blessings to you and yours,
K.
She probably doesn't like the taste of the formula. Try feeding her breast milk in a bottle with a nipple made for breastfed babies like Playtex Nursers. Then gradually add formula to the breast milk. You could also try adding the cereal to the bottle of formula, but you may have to cut the nipple hole so it's a little larger to accommodate the thicker mixture.
My third daughter also refused to take a bottle of formula no matter what we tried. I just ended up breast feeding her until she turned one year old and then she went straight to a sippy cup without a problem.
On a side note I would avoid giving juice until she's at least a year old and then dilute it with water. Juice has little nutritional value and is mostly sugar that she doesn't need. The sugar and acid in juice can also cause diarrhea especially for little ones that don't digest it as well as older kids.
Here are some tips for picky eaters and more info at the link below:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2009/12/26/...
Parent Tips:
* Offer new foods on multiple occasions. Many children need to try a new food up to a dozen times before they like it.
* Set a good example and try new foods yourself.
* Encourage healthy food portions. Never insist that children “clean their plates.” Rewarding a clean plate may lead to a distorted idea of food, such as ignoring feeling full or eating for a reward.
* Make healthy snacks available. Make fruits or veggies convenient to your child.
