I'm asking for advice for a friend of mine who doesn't use this site but is having difficulty getting her 2 month old boy to take a bottle. I have a 5 month old who is also breastfed but takes a bottle pretty well when necessary, so I don't have great advice. Basic story is that he has been exclusively breastfed since birth and did take a bottle for about a week but now absolutely has refused the last couple weeks. She needs to go back to work in August and is getting a bit worried. She's tried many different nipples/bottles, different states of hunger and contentment, different positions. Her husband, who will be home with baby, does most of the attempts but he won't take a bottle from either. Any suggestions? I'd like to help her out if I can. Thanks in advance!
I have heard some moms "trick" their babies by starting on the breast than switching to the bottle when the baby is engrossed in eating. I couldn't nurse myself so I have no idea how to do it, but maybe it's worth figuring out.
Have your friend get a nipple that is as close to a natural shape as possible and then before she nurses try giving him the bottle first. usually they are really hungry and will take it. You can also alternate from breast to bottle then back to breast if she switches and does 10 minutes on each. I nursed both of my babies and they took a bottle fine, because I kept introducing it on a daily basis. Start off with once a day, then 2 times a day.. the baby will get the idea that he has to try it!
E. B.
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There is a bottle on the market called Adiri: The Natural Nurser that is a great alternative for nursing mothers because it is SUPER similar to a breast. It's plastic, but is 100% bisphenol-A and phthalate free so it's safe. You can read more about it on my parenting blog here:
http://uggamugga.blogspot.com/2008/03/adiri-natural-nurse...
mine was the same way. I bought every bottle imaginable and every sippy cup! Eventually what worked the best for me was the preemie nipple check ebay cause they can be hard to find. They were the softest and smallest and it still took alot to get my youngest to take them. I tried Adari and they are expensive my son hated them, I tried breastflow which are pricey too but he would kind of take them but only for about an ounce. I eventually just had to leave my son home with only dad and the preemie bottle and it took a few frustrating days but eventually baby took to the bottle. Daddy also used a little seringe thingy to get alittle bit of milk to the baby the first few days so as he was getting used to bottle he would not starve. Its hard work and very frustrating but worth it in the end. Good luck to your friend and I hope everything goes well for her and baby.
I went through this with my first and second. What worked for each...
For the first we took a bottle in at night while she was sleeping. Her natural sucking reflex took over and she got use to the feeling, would wake up a little once she started getting milk, but kept eating. After about two nights, we got her to take it during the day.
For the second nothing worked. We ended up getting a soft tipped sippy cup that she would drink out of but she never did take a bottle. There are some really great sippy cups out there now that smaller kids can use - my youngest did great with it and we never had to wean her from a bottle.
Good luck to your friend.
