“My baby won’t take a bottle,” are words that have come out of my own mouth, and boy was it stressful. Get 11 incredible tips to help your breastfed baby take a bottle. Plus, the best bottles for breastfed babies.
What to Do When Baby Won’t Take A Bottle!
I can still remember the stress, anxiety, and absolute overwhelm when I was a mother for the first time 7 years ago and I realized: my baby won’t take a bottle.
Before Sam’s arrival, I was both excited and nervous to breastfeed. I’m a pediatric occupational therapist and already knew a thing or two about feeding babies.
But, because I’m type A, I read everything I could from a mother’s perspective to make sure I did everything “right”. I felt like there were endless stories from everyone around me that breastfeeding just didn’t end up working out for them.
That was the last thing I wanted, so with my first child, I followed all the rules and was so relieved when it was obvious very early on that he was going to have no trouble nursing at all. What I didn’t expect was that my sweet little breastfeeding champ would refuse to take a bottle for 12 months, which was the entirety of our nursing relationship.
I’ll admit that, at some point, I stopped trying and lived with crazy work schedules and feeling completely helpless.
I’ve learned a lot since then, I had two more kids that DID take bottles and could switch between being bottle fed and nursing just fine, as long as I wasn’t around.
Combining all my mom experience between these three babies that nursed for a year, and all my pediatric occupational therapy tricks from helping other moms, I’ve got you covered with 11 tips that will serve as your guide for exactly how to get a breastfed baby to take a bottle.
Before we get to that though, you must understand why the heck your baby is refusing a bottle in the first place.
My Baby Won’t Take a Bottle… Why?
I’ll tell you first off that it’s probably not because they are having a hard time latching or because they can’t get the mechanics of the thing. Sucking from a bottle is actually easier than latching onto you. A breastfed baby that is refusing the bottle is doing so because they likely:
- Don’t like the feeling of the artificial nipple in their mouth, it’s just so foreign to them!
- Associate eating so strongly with you that they don’t understand or want the bottle substitute
- Have had a negative experience with taking the bottle (least likely)
And, of course, it could be a combination of all three. I’m big on getting to the “why” of the problem because it often gives you a lot of direction in the “how” to fix the problem, it’s the OT in me. So, let’s talk about a few warning signs for each of the reasons above, while you promise me that you won’t stress too much over figuring this out!
How to get to the bottom of the bottle refusal mystery:
Signs that your baby doesn’t like the feeling of the bottle are that they spit it out the second it touches their mouth or even gag, especially when they do this in the first few months. This can happen with older babies that have learned that you’re trying the bottle AGAIN. In this case, they will immediately communicate to you that they aren’t interested by spitting it out instantly. Babies that are bothered by the bottle texture usually refuse pacifiers too!
Signs that your baby has had a negative experience with taking a bottle are that they were taking the bottle well and then stopped suddenly. While a baby can refuse if a long period of time has lapsed since they were given a bottle, it’s unusual for it to happen overnight. I also want to make sure I clarify, what a negative experience is. Depending on the baby, it can be anything from the flow being too fast, gagging/throwing up while taking a bottle, or taking a bottle from someone that keeps taking it in and out of their mouth.
Signs that your baby just wants you, is basically when you’ve ruled out the other two reasons, and this is probably the MOST common culprit for bottle refusal. I’m quite sure it was with my first son. These babies will often seemingly accept the bottle for a little bit but just won’t latch, they only protest once it becomes obvious that you aren’t going to quit trying.
So, while you may not be able to be sure exactly why your baby won’t take a bottle, it is definitely worth putting some thought into because it will help you decide where to focus your efforts when you read the following list…
11 Tips for the Breastfed Baby Refusing a Bottle
1. Start early
I can bet that for most of you this ship has already sailed. Likely, if you’re here reading, it’s because you’re already in a pickle, but if you happen to be reading this article in advance, I must tell you that I personally think it’s tremendously helpful for parents to start offering a bottle within the second or even first week, if you want to be proactive.
However, I do want to mention that the Le Leche League recommends waiting longer before introducing.
But here’s the thing, and I learned this lesson the hard way, for some babies, the bottle is often so foreign and confusing to a baby that they won’t take to it. I’m fairly certain that is the main reason my oldest never took a bottle. I would suggest that if you do offer the bottle very early on, that you don’t try again until the next day, you do want to keep breastfeeding as the primary means for feeding. Keep a close eye on how much you’re using the bottle in these early days to not jeopardize breastfeeding!
2. Have someone else give the bottle (not you!)
Sounds simple, but it can make a HUGE difference. I was only able to give my second child a bottle a few times and my third would only take it from others, which was fine. Your baby can smell you and even though they are so tiny, they know that with you around, they can have what they prefer: YOU. This is a great opportunity for your partner or family members to bond feeding the baby. (That’s my husband feeding James in the picture at the top!)
One caveat here though is that while you’re trying to establish your baby taking the bottle, you may want to have someone with a little experience do the job, at least at first. My third son needed the motherly intuition and experience from my own mom to get started, even though my husband had fed our second child, he didn’t know how to troubleshoot a bit to get his new son going. After my mom broke him in on a few bottles and gave him some tips for what was working, my husband and son did great.
3. Quiet please
Going to a quiet, non distracting, and relaxing location can make a huge difference. Before someone attempts to give your baby a bottle, have them go to this location for a few minutes and let them be rocked or swayed for a few minutes so they are nice and relaxed. In a calm and gentle approach, the bottle can be offered. This was a key trick that worked like a charm for my third baby. By the time he arrived, our house was pretty loud and chaotic with two older brothers, it was something I had taken for granted because this loud house was our normal and I thought a little baby wouldn’t be bothered by it.
4. Find the magic, “just hungry enough” window
It may make sense to try and give your baby a bottle when they are starving. Common sense would lead us to believe that they are so desperate to eat at this point that surely they’ll just give in and accept the bottle. This often does NOT work. Taking the bottle is a new experience for your baby, one they need to concentrate on and allow to happen. When they are starving, they just haven’t got the time. A better time to try is when you can see they are hungry, but not starving.
You won’t want to try too early though either, because if they aren’t hungry enough, they won’t be motivated to take it. It may take some experimenting, but finding the “just right” window of being hungry enough, but not too hungry could lead to bottle success.
5. Get them in position
While some babies do really well when they are held the exact same way to take a bottle as when you breastfeed them (and I’d definitely try that first), you will want to try different positions if that doesn’t work. Think outside the box here, you never know what is going to work. My second son would sometimes like to take a bottle while facing outwards away from the bottle giver.
6. Leave the house
Yup, you may need to actually leave the house or at least go to another level of your home or lock yourself in a room for some time – that doesn’t sound so bad, right? I wouldn’t do this until you have had some bottle success. I tried this with my first son and just figured he and dad will figure it out. I came back from shopping 2 hours later to find them both exhausted and defeated. My husband had never given a baby a bottle before and I just left! Keep in mind that your baby hearing, seeing, and smelling you can sabotage anyone’s attempts to give them a bottle.
7. Try different bottles
Notice this is tip number 7! I think this is usually the first thing most moms try, and for good reason, but I would try the other suggestions first, before you spend a small fortune. However, there is something to be said for a bottle that your baby prefers. I’d recommend trying 1-2 bottles at a feeding time, and only purchasing 3-4 different types to use. You can find my favorite bottles for breastfed babies in the next section.
8. Experiment with flow
Sometimes you just need to change the nipple flow. Some babies need a really slow flow to accept a bottle and others may like something faster if you have a strong let down, as a slow flow nipple will just aggravate them. Just be careful of your babies age with a fast flow nipple because while they may prefer it, they may not be able to handle it. It takes a lot of coordination to swallow milk coming in quickly, and if they don’t get it just right, they could aspirate, which is when liquid gets into their lungs – not a good thing.
9. Use a pacifier
I know that pacifiers get a very bad rap, especially in the breastfeeding community, and there are some really valid points, but when your baby is 4 months and under, a pacifier may help them get used to having something different being in their mouth. I wouldn’t use it all the time, but if your baby seems bothered by the feeling of a bottle, a pacifier can help desensitize them when used a couple of times during the day.
10. Keep trying
Seems obvious, but it’s so easy to throw in the towel, like I did with Sam. Using the tips above consistently over time can make a HUGE difference in your baby eventually taking a bottle! If it’s important for your baby to take a bottle, then try once a day!
11. Worse case scenario – use a syringe, cup, or spoon
I will be totally honest and tell you that I have never used this technique, but I know, in some instances, it is necessary. I would only try this if all else fails and you are left with no other choice. Le Leche League has some great recommendations for alternative ways to get your baby fed here.
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Best Bottles for Breastfeeding
There are dozens of bottle options out there, which can get overwhelming fast. Any one of them *may* work, but some tend to get the job done a little better when your baby is refusing. The following list are bottles that have worked in my home and/or some of the families that I’ve worked with.
- Tommee Tipee (shown above) – These bottles designed for breastfeeding babies are my personal favorite and what I used with my second two sons, that actually took a bottle (I never tried this type with my oldest). They are affordable and have a stretchy nipple which replicates yours!
- Medela – I love these because you can go right from pumping to giving a bottle with little fuss if you have a Medela pump. We had some success with these in my home and I know many other families that have. These nipples have a much smaller base and some babies prefer that to the wider type bottles.
- Mimijumi – The Cadillac of breastfeeding bottles because they closely resemble the look and feel of a breast. I have personally never used these, but some of the families I’ve worked with have loved them.
- Dr. Brown’s Wide Neck – Dr. Brown’s bottles are popular, and for good reason. Their anti-gas system is built in and works great for a lot of colicky babies. I’ve known a lot of breastfeeding babies that accept these bottles and there’s a special line designed for breastfeeding babies.
- Comotomo Natural Feel – These weren’t even on my radar two years ago, but if they had been, I would have given them a try. This nipple and shape also mimics the breast, but they feature this really cool silicone bottom that’s incredibly functional. There’s a cool demo video on Amazon.
When the Time Comes to Stop Breastfeeding
I want to end this post with a resource for you about how to stop breastfeeding when you are ready. I’m not going to tell you when you should do that, but I will say I breastfed all my babies to 12-14 months old and it was a wonderful experience for me. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 12 months of age, but for a variety of reasons, that isn’t always possible. When you and your baby are ready, you’ll want to head over to my Stopping Breastfeeding How-To post. If you’re nowhere ready for that, make sure you pin it for later!
Now that you have a few tricks up your sleeve to get your breastfed champ taking a bottle, too, make sure you stop back and let me know what worked. And if you have any other tips, PLEASE share them, so many people read the comments and you just never know who you will be helping!
Did you pin it?
This is the kind of post you’re probably going to want to reference again, pin it, so you know just where to find it!
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Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid’s Table. She has over 14 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here.
Hello! Thank you for the tips, we have been trying them. My husband broke his wrist when our baby girl was 8 weeks and unable to help with bottles for a while. At 3/4 month she started refusing the bottle. I try to give her one every night at bed but have to trick her to get her to take it (with boob), some days I’m lucky and she’ll go for it but not too often. We try during the day too and she fusses and fights it. I’ve tried to get my husband and mother in law to feed her (with me out of the room/house) and neither of them have had any success. Any additional tips?
Hi Brittany,
It sounds like you guys have had a bit of a complicated start to bottle feeding! I hope your husband’s wrist is on the mend now. To expand on the #8 suggestion a bit (the flow of the nipple), I would pay close attention to the flow of your own nipples while your daughter is eating. Some women’s flow is fast and for some the milk comes out much slower. Since your daughter prefers you, I would try to match the flow of the bottle to yourself as closely as possible.
Babies around 4 months of age also become much more aware! You might try wrapping the base of the bottle with something that smells like you (a shirt, lovey, etc) while someone else feeds your daughter. That way she feels the comfort of mom!
I hope some of those suggestions help!
Best,
Andrea
Your Kids Table Team
Hi my name is melia and my son is 8 months old and its really hard giving him formula and when i try so the tricks of a spoon or syringe its works and then he refuses. Any other ways you can help ?
Hi Melia,
Thanks for reaching out! It can be tricky for some babies who were breast fed to switch over to formula, especially as the get older and can distinguish the difference in taste a little bit more. If your little one isn’t able to take a bottle at all, it may be helpful to try to pump first and encourage the bottle with milk he is more used to, then you can gradually mix in formula into the bottle over the course of a few weeks. It can feel like a process sometimes! It can also be helpful to have someone other than yourself feed him whenever he is taking a bottle, since he associates you with nursing.
I hope that helps!
Best,
Andrea
Im trying to formula feed my grandson as my daughter in law wants to start working again.ive tried for abt 3 weeks but refuses.i give it to him in a cup as I’m feeding him food but only takes a cup of sips
Hey Helen,
Thanks for reaching out to us. How is he drinking formula normally when mom is around? Are you utilizing the same cup/the same feeding place/time. I’d certainly try that and make sure the routine is the same as it can be difficult. Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
I need help my o most 11 month old has only took a bottle her first week of life while in the nicu but haven’t been able to since I had to qui my job because of it I have tired everything even cups nothing works has anyone else gone thru this
Hey Heather,
I’d walk through the steps in the article. Especially having someone else feed her, this can be a really big step in moving forward.
Best,
Desiree
What do you do for a baby that doesn’t like the feel? As soon as she feels it she starts. Spitting it out. Won’t take a paci either like you stated.
Hey Janczi,
Thanks for reaching out. Sounds like it might be the texture that you are referring too. I’d recommend with just starting to get her to touch/engage/play with the foods, this is a really good starting point for working through eating of textures. We do have a free workshop that is helpful as well to help with some strategies and what foods to be trying as you are moving through her feeding journey. You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
Hi there my little one is 8 months old and I’ll be going back to work soon and she refuses to take the bottle! I got her used to the bottle shortly after she was born because I was due to have surgery 3 months postpartum and wouldn’t be able to breastfeed or hold her for a few weeks and she did so well with the bottle till then…shortly after 4 months she started having some sleep regression and I found myself having to feed her more often in the night and found myself breastfeeding her more and pumping and bottle feeding her less. Also when we switched over to a medium flow nipple she would take in too much and get overwhelmed….I think that’s what scared her….I used the comotommo bottles. Now she’s gotten so attached to me she won’t take a bottle…I’ve tried a few different ones and nothing…I’ve even tried a sippy cup which she enjoys water from but once she realizes it’s milk she takes a few sips and refuses to take more! Any tips/suggestions….I’m desperate! Thanks!
Hey Adriana,
We understand how hard this transition can be. I’d walk through the strategies in the article (they will take some consistency). It sometimes is really helpful to have someone else try to feed them while you are not in the home, especially if it is more of her being attached. It can be hard, but even if you have a friend come over for a little to try to help.
Best,
Desiree
Try bottlelove.co.uk !
Exactly my story minus the surgery part! He wont take a bottle shortly after he was 4 months! I am so stressed and frustrated! I need help! 😭
Hi I have a 7 week old who previously had no problems taking a bottle of my milk and even would take small amounts of formula, to now over the last couple days will completely refuse. This is both my husband and I trying. Day and night. I’m so exhausted as I’m not getting any help in the night and he wakes a lot and also means I can’t leave the house alone as no one is able to feed him. Please help. We use the tommee tippee bottles which he was fine with.
Hi Chloe! So sorry to hear that feedings have been exhausting lately. We understand and are here to help! Try bottle feeding her in the same place you normally breastfeed, get her cozy and calm with a swaddle/dim lights, and use a pacifier a few times during the day so that she can get used to the different nipple feeling in her mouth. Keep having Dad try to feed her as well! When he does, have him use a blanket or something that smells like you while feeding her. For more tips, check out this post here!
Best,
Kalyn
I cant believe I am actually saying my 5 mon old does not take a bottle! I have helped others feed there babies a bottle as I am a COTA, occupational Therapy Assistant. I also have breast fed all my kids and bottle fed them and this is my fourth child. I knew to start early with the bottle so I would give the bottle once a day or once every other day from birth with my 3 older kids this worked. with my baby now i have tried having my husband give the bottle when I’m not around rocking her, in a quiet room using different bottles trying different positions she will sometimes take the bottle but only like 2 oz and cry. I am going back to work tomorrow and will be away from my baby for 6 hrs. should i just introduce solid foods and if she does not take a bottle with the babysitter it will be ok..?
Hey Margie,
We understand how hard this can be! You being out of the house may be helpful in the transition for getting her used to the bottle with the sitter. I’d see how it goes, but I’d provide sitter with same instructions for a calming quiet environment for her to try feeding.
Best,
Desiree
Hi,
My baby Isabella is 2 months old. I did express milk at first but she was even fussy then and now she refuses to take the bottle. She’s a really hungry baby and will want to be on me every 30 minutes throughout the day, which I’m finding hard to keep up with, I can’t even nip to the shops. I also don’t like breastfeeding in public, so now I’m limited to going out.
I’ve tried 2 different bottles- with different speed teats, they don’t seem to work. Isabella tends to just mess with the bottles in her mouth and then cry and start to eat her hands. I’ve tried to not be around her too to see if this helps. She did used to take 1/2 ounces before crying and now she won’t have any of the formula milk or expressed milk. Do you have any advice?
Thanks
Jade
My baby took the bottle twice within the first month but by the second, refused to take the bottle with the pumped breast milk. I read this article last night and had success with the warming of the nipple. I dipped the head of the nipple in a mug of warm water and fed it to her. She sucked a little at first and cried again. I did it a second time and made it a bit warmer and she drank 3 oz. I did have to turn her body away from me so she wouldn’t be too close to my boobs. 🙂 Also I used the bottle with the nipple shaped like the Tommy Tipee.
Awesome! So glad you shared what worked for you!
Best,
Desiree
Hello se had a baby bottle strike at 6 months. And my fault was i didn5 try again until now that he is 8 months😩. He always used a baby bottle since birth and even i waa out for work. But now that im not working anymore he refused and cry so disperatly. I dont know if is the milk or bottle bcos he use the pacifier. I dont know what to do😭 im so frustrated and feel so guilty for stopping😩
Hey Jane,
Thanks for reaching out to us! I would try to have someone else feed him, if possible. This can be helpful in getting that transition back to the bottle. Also, making sure you are feeding him in a calm/quiet place when he is in a hungry but not too hungry window!
Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
Hi! I’m reading your post and it’s funny my baby girl name is Isabella too just turned 3 months a week ago! And I’m having the same trouble, I breast feed her every 2 hours and at.night every 3-4 hours. she refuses to take bottle now that I work 1 day a week and my husband has so much trouble with feeding her at night. She doesn’t like it at all I can tell that she doesn’t like the feel of the bottle in her mouth. Sometimes when she’s just barely waking up I put it in quickly and then after 10 seconds of her drinking perfectly …. she lets go and refuses to drink more once she realizes it’s not the real thing!! I’m like u were just drinking a second ago lol. During the day I’m going to try every 45 min to feed her bottle just when she could be hungry but not starving, and I say every 45 min bcuz I know she won’t want to take it as much so it’ll slowly be feeding her. I feel bad my husband struggles so I need to do this. You should try it. Pump at night or whenever you have the most. That’s what I’m going to do. And as far as her wanting to eat every 30 minutes is not good, I’m guessing shes not getting enough milk from breast. It should be at least about 2 hours, make sure you try both breasts. I would suggest buying some lactation treats to help you produce more, they work wonders !! And after you try those two things I’m sure feeding her won’t be too hard anymore, good luck! Last
Option is to use formula but don’t give up!
13 month old, exclusively breastfed for her entire life so far. Always been an extremely fussy eater to the point where in the past week she’s only started to actually eat food. I have tried bottles many times at different ages with her (she’s my third baby and my other two NEVER had bottles) I’m at my wits end I don’t know what to do. The stress and anxiety of her not taking bottles is literally sending me crazy. I don’t know how to ween a breastfed baby as I’ve never had to ween them. I’ve expressed and tried multiple different types of bottles but refuses, she will however drink water from all bottles but the second theirs milk in one she screams. Srsly help….please I don’t know what to do..
Hi Jess Ella,
Weaning can be really difficult and emotional! We usually suggest dropping one of the middle of the day feedings first (thats typically easiest on baby) and then offering an open cup or strawed cup of milk with meals. 13 months is a great age for her to start cup drinking! We have a post about How to Teach Drinking from a Straw that might be helpful! Reach out if you have any questions!
Best,
Andrea
I helped care for a breastfed baby in a daycare who refused the bottle when her mom went back to work. Another tip is for the caregiver feeding the bottle to place an unwashed article of clothing from the breastfeeding mother between the baby and the caregiver, such as a camisole etc. Make sure the clothing has been worn directly touching the mother’s skin. The idea is that the baby can smell her/his mother’s scent on the clothing and become interested in feeding from the bottle. This seemed to help calm the baby in the daycare.
Hi!
I have a 9 months old baby.At the age of 3 months and a half he had reflux’s issues.So early I began feeding him solids.He won’t breastfeed or take a bottle.he used just to eat fresh home made yogurt freshly made from cows milk with fruits.I am trying hard to insert milk to his diet,but he wouldn’t accept it,only mixed with biscuits.Please help!
Hey Nensi,
I’d try to start introducing a different cup to see how he might do with that. We do like to recommend straw cups and sometimes is really fun for the kids as well. You can read more about how to introduce the STRAW CUP in the article and see if you can make progress with the novelty of this.
Best,
Desiree
My 1 month old is having a hard time with the bottle. I have a month left until I need to go back to work. The only success we had was when my husband tried last week After she cried & is really upset. His theory she’ll eat from the bottle if she’s hungry enough is the opposite of all the tips & advise I’ve read from experts. It’s so hard for me to hear her crying out & not be able to soothe her. But it’s the only time she’s accepted the bottle. Next day she cried again & gags or accepts nipple for 2 sucks then spits out milk & nipple. We tried a diff bottle & diff nipples/flow. I’m wondering if that one time she did accept actually got her to associate bad feelings w. The bottle? I do think I have a strong letdown most times. I’ve tried to get her used to the nipple & just have that in her mouth after I breast feed. To get her used to the texture when she’s calm. I don’t know if it’s helping. Please help! We don’t know what we should do.
Hello,
So sorry you are having trouble with your little one. I’d try to replicate how your husband was able to get her to accept the bottle the first time. You may need to leave the house so that she is not wanting you/your breastmilk and crying for that. I’d also take her to a calm and quiet place that she generally eats in!
Best,
Desiree
Hi! My baby is 5 months. I introduce her bottle wen she was 4 weeks with both bf n formula but Suddenly last month she started refusing it completely wen she is awake. As i tried everything but nothing helped. Plz plz guide me.
Hey Henna,
So sorry you are dealing with this, we know how frustrating it can be. I’d really walk through and focus on all the tips in the article. It can take more than one try to really get some results. I’d also try to have someone else feed her during the day (even a friend to come over) while you are out of the room. I’d also try to think about what may have changed in the environment or anything with her lately to cause this change!
Best,
Desiree
Try wrapping a sterile gauze around the bottle’s nipple and feeding your child. Worked for my 10 week old daughter.
I got the idea while trying to clean her tongue with a sterile gauze. She would suck on it peacefully for a long time. Even if she got a little frustrated, she would pacify herself on the gauze and suck vigorously (probably waiting for a letdown).
She just hates the feel of a plastic nipple in her mouth, and doesn’t suck properly. She doesn’t take a pacifier either. This trick might work for you if your child has the same problem.
I tried this with the Medela Calma nipple, but I hope it will work for her with other basic nipples as well.
Hope this helps someone!
Thank u for this! I feel so validated and less like a failure reading everyone’s comments. I have a five month old and have been back at work for past 3 weeks. She took a bottle maybe twice when she was around 6-7 weeks old. Otherwise only breastfed. Now she’s refusing the bottle. I’m out of the house for ten hours daily and sometimes she goes even longer than that without eating depending on when she last fed before I leave since I leave early morning while she sleeps). I’ve tried comotomo and nanobebe and different flow rates and ordered some other bottles to try. She’s miserable and so are we. I’m concerned because I feel like my supply is dwindling and I won’t have enough but still can’t supplement if she won’t take bottle. and this also means she nurses throughout the evening and night which doesn’t give me any time to get anything done. Should I try holding out and not nursing her when I get home even tho she’s desperate to nurse then? I don’t want to torture her.
Hey Dora,
So sorry you are dealing with this. I would make sure that while you’re not home whoever is feeding her is trying some of these other suggestions in the post as well, positioning, quiet, etc. If she’s not drinking anything at all, I’d reach out to your pediatrician as well, as you don’t want her to have an ill effects from it. they may be able to help provide you a referral for someone to come provide suggestions 🙂
Best,
Desiree
I have a 9 and a half month old I’m trying to get him off the boob because I want to get back in shape and it puts a lot of stress on me being a single mom to be the only one that can feed him.
So I have the tommee tippee bottle and I have the Gentlease Enfamil A+ formula because I think he has
A bit of a cow’s milk allergy nothing serious just gets really gassy and cranky cramps in his belly.
Now the problem though is that usually it’s only me around to get them on that bottle so I don’t know how I’m supposed to make it happen because I go to work soon and I need to get him off my breast.
Hey Sara,
We get how hard this can be! I’d use the tips in the article and BE CONSISTENT! If you are able to have someone come over while you leave also to try to get him going with taking the bottle that could be an option for you, but I know it’s hard! Finding that just right positioning for him, quiet place and just right window of being hungry!
Best,
Desiree
Hi…kindly help me…my baby shes 12months and I have weaned her off, now the problem is shes rejecting the formula and I dont know what I can do to make her take the formula. Please help me.
Hey Faith,
We recommend mixing of the milk to slowly transition to what you are working towards, as it can take them a little bit to adjust to different tastes. Start with 50/50, then after accepting work towards 75/25, and working your way up to all formula/milk (whatever you are looking to transition to).
Hope that helps,
Desiree
Hello. I have a 2 month old baby girl who is refusing the bottle completely. We were able to get her to drink out of it until about 1 month, then took two weeks off due to travel & now she is completely refusing.!
I’ve tried the recommendations above in your article and having my husband try to feed her. She just wails and cries, and I don’t want her to starve by not breastfeeding her all together. What should we do? Not give her a breast right after she has been refusing the bottle? Try giving it to her during a night feed? Keep trying 3x a day?
I am supposed to go back to work in a month and nervous this is going to prevent me from doing that. Help!
Hey Liz,
We understand how stressful this can be! When you are having your husband feed her make sure that you are not present as if you are near they can smell your milk and want that instead. I’d also try to find the “just right” time to feed her when she’s hungry but not overly starving so that she is calm. This may be during a night time feeding. Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
Hi Desiree, call me a skeptic but how can the baby actually smell the milk/mom? I don’t think I have particularly good smell in that case…
Hey Deborah,
Yes, babies have a naturally strong sense of smell and can smell the scent of mom and their breast milk. It is what gets them to turn their head during feedings as they smell and turn. Hope that helps!
Best,
Desiree
Its call instinct. Just like our boobs start hurting and milk coming out while the baby its hungry( even if we are miles away
Sounds like you don’t a good sense of smell. I can smell my own milk if I tip my head down.
Hi our second child has decided to not take the bottle literally two weeks before my wife is about to go back to work on night shift. He is mainly breast feed but was taking some expressed milk in a bottle here and there. For what ever reason we stopped and now he won’t take it at all. We have tried 3 different types of bottles, different positions, different places, different times and different people. We are at a loss. My wife is getting anxiety about going back to work and leaving him and I’m worried I won’t be able to give him what he wants / needs. Have you got any other ideas that we may try? We even tried a bit of custard on the teet!
Hey Adam,
I get how hard this can be. I’d really try to focus on having him in the same positioning as he would if he was breastfeeding, making sure your wife is not near and have someone else feeding him (if she’s near they can still smell her and would want her). Making sure to find that just hungry window can play a huge factor as well!
Best,
Desiree
My daughter is quite a bit older, she has just turned 9 months old. She has been both breast & bottle-fed since she was around 12 weeks old and started full-time daycare. She would take bottles of expressed breast milk no problem while she was at daycare all day and also had no problem at home for my husband or occasional sitter. Since this virus pandemic, we’ve all been home and … I have been exclusively breastfeeding, all day. Now, maybe it’s my own fault for creating this problem since being lazy and not pumping or using bottles for this past month+ that we’ve been home but we’ve just started trying to get her to take a bottle again and she is absolutely refusing. We’re (hopefully) eventually going back to work and daycare after this virus situation is over and she will need to go back to taking a bottle. I still have a lot of expressed frozen milk to use so I’d like to get ready to start slowly start weaning if we can get her comfortable to take a bottle again during the day. I definitely have enough milk saved to last beyond her first birthday. Anyway, we’ve already tried several tips including distancing myself on a different level of the house. My husband has tried being the only one getting her up in the morning so she wouldn’t see/hear/smell me. She just flat-out refuses the bottle to the point of screaming. We’re using the same bottles she used to take and warming them up exactly the same. Since she is older now, we’ve also tried introducing a new soft spout sippy cup while seated in her high chair. I thought that was going to be our save because she seemed really interested and actually started drinking it but she ended up only taking about 1 oz from it and then pushed it away. After giving it back, she kept throwing it off the tray and kept turning her head away refusing to try again. Should I try cold milk in the sippy? Do we just keep trying these things and keep trying to re-introduce her bottle? Any other ideas to try for an older baby?
I was really shocked that you had just posted this! We are in the exact same boat as you. My baby is five months old and I have been home with him for the last month due to the virus pandemic. Last week I was out and about and my husband went to feed our baby a bottle and he refused it. I wasn’t even home and he had no problem taking bottles prior to the virus keeping us at home. We just tried today again and this was our third attempt trying to feed him from a bottle. It was freshly expressed milk and he will not take it. In fact we tried three different bottles. He just cried himself to sleep. I wasn’t home for two tries and I was home for this try. Any advice is excepted, I will try anything! The last time we did get him to drink some of the bottle by plain white noise from a cell phone.That did not work this time.
Hey Michaela,
So sorry you are dealing with this in these uncertain times. I’d try to be consistent. It sounds like you are trying some great things, making sure you are not near, having them utilize the same place/sound/time as they used to do. I’d pick a time during the day that you are able to be consistent with what you are trying and keep it the same each day. It will take some time to get your child back on their routines as I’m sure they are loving the mommy time. You’re doing great!
Best,
Desiree
Hey Becky,
So sorry you are dealing with this. It does sound like you are doing all the right things, making sure you are distancing yourself when having your husband feed her. I’d keep trying and be consistent with what is happening. If he is able to pick at least 1 time a day to “feed her” continue with that. And you can try it cold just for a change and see how she responds to that as well. Keep working, you’re doing great!
Best,
Desiree
My baby is 3.5 month old. My feed is almost nothing. From the start she’s on bottle. I also give mine. But now she refused bottle and only want my feed but my feed is almost nothing. She remain starve for about 7 hours but don’t take bottle always weep. I know she’s Hungary but no use. I have tried different formula but she refused all. Kindly tell me what to do
Hey Fatima,
So sorry you are dealing with this, we know how hard it can be when your child is not getting enough food. I’d make sure that you reach out to your doctors so that they can help make sure that your baby is not getting dehydrated from not drinking enough. I’d also try to have someone else feed him, while you are not near this can be very helpful. You can read more tips HERE
Best,
Desiree
Hello. This may read strangely but I am typing with one hand and holding my baby boy. This is my third child and both my wife and I work alternating night shifts at a hospital. My boy is 4 months and my wife has breastfed this entire time.
My wife went back to work last night for the first time since giving birth so it was my turn to have the kids all night. My boy refuses to take the bottle at all and has not eaten all night. It is now 8 am and after taking the other two kids to school he still refuses the bottle.
We had no problem switching the other two kids to the bottle so we naively thought Oliver would be the same. I thought he would eventually get hungry enough to accept the bottle but that is not the case.
Should I resort to trying to feed with a syringe? I am a loss here and very worried. If my wife breastfeeds when she gets home that just resets the entire problem.
Hey Mark,
Thanks for reaching out! You are doing a great job at making sure mom is not home while trying to bottle feed, as this can make all the difference. You can definitely try a syringe if you need to, to get some liquid in him. You can also try a different bottle (we do recommend trying at least 2 different bottles) since they are all different. Makes sure you are feeding him in the same position as he normally breastfeeds in. Make sure you are continuing to bottle feed at least 1 X a day even if your wife ends up breast feeding again. I’d read over the other tips in the article and see what you may be able to change up!
Best,
Desiree
I will try a new bottle and try propping him on his side like when he is breastfed. I got about 40 cc of milk into him last night with a syringe. The only way I can get the bottle into his mouth is when he is wailing from hunger and frustration and even them most of it just rolls out ( I make sure that he doesn’t aspirate).
The wife is helping me by not breastfeeding. Hopefully by tonight he will be so hungry that he will be willing to just take the bottle.
Okay, keep us posted! You can also try utilizing a binky throughout the day so he can get used to having something similar to bottle in his mouth and for comfort!
Best,
Desiree
hello Desiree,
I hope you can help.
We have a 14w old baby girl and she is refusing the bottle.
However, this happened over night.
Before it was no problem to give her the bottle for night feed and once in a while during the day too.
But in past two days she is having none of it.
We tried to switch back to slow teat, to no avail.
What could she not like???
Hey Daniela,
I know how hard it can be to pinpoint. I’d try the tips in the article and especially having someone else be trying to feed her, as she could be making a preference. I’d also make sure she is in the “just hungry” phase.
Best,
Desiree