What happened when you went back to work and your baby refused the bottle?

[neeter]

DS is 5 months, and has refused the bottle since about 3 months. I'm going back to work soon, and we've tried every bottle/nipple/sippy cup, etc. The only thing that works sofar is to try to give him the bottle (about 4oz) when he's asleep!

I'm concerned about what will probably happen when I go back to work. Will DS just start nursing more at night? Will he eventually take the bottle because he's so hungry? I'm thinking of starting solids soon so that he can have a little bit of something in his stomach in case he still won't take the bottle (I know solids at this point isn't really for nourishment, but it might ease my worry a tiny bit!).

I'd love to hear from other moms who dealt with this, and basically what happened in your situation!! Thank you for sharing!!

Anita

[Chelsey333]

My ds hated the bottle. But I think it was a combintion of having acid reflux and not liking the formula. Basicly, it was a tough year with bottle feeding. When I was at work (part time) he would cry thru half the bottle - sometimes drinking 2 ounces and sometimes drinking 4-6, but miserable most of the time. At 4 mos. I stopped nursing to see if he did have acid reflux, plus I was ready to stop. We put him on zantac, and he still hated the bottle. This went on until 11 mos, until I finally switched him to milk. He never was drinking the recommended amount of formula that the doctors suggested. They just said to keep trying. He was still growing and very healthy, so nobody worried about it - but me and my dh. It was so frustrating though, bec I couldn't even bottle feed him in public bec he would get so fussy and upset. I know your situation might not be the same, but I sympathize with what you are going thru. Good luck and hopefully your baby will give in and love the bottle.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Logan did not like the bottle at first. We had good luck with this one http://www.breastbottle.com

Once she got used to that, she was fine with other bottles.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[neeter]

Thanks for the support!

We've tried the breastbottle, too....didn't work for us!

[Jen in Chicago]

We had this at 2.5 mos and I returned at 3 mos. I went to Grandma and Grandpa's and started "Bottle Camp" with my breastpump and bottles. For a week we aggressively fed bottles to Jude instead of offering the boob (only at night). He eventually caught on. Prior to this he was getting 1 bottle a day in a Avent bottle. During bottle camp I tried a number of kinds of bottles (4 tries per bottle) and he ended up liking the Cheap-O Gerber ones. I have an odd collection of bottles now b/c I was going to Walmart once a day getting a new kind.

He caught on beautifully! It just takes agressive attempts in my eyes. I was in PANIC mode.

During this time I had anyone who visited attempt to feed him b/c I wanted he to get used to anyone being able to feed him. For a short bit he would take a bottle, but only from me, so that defeated the purpose.

Good luck!

[nitaghei]

After struggling to get him to nurse, my DS went on a bottle strike when he started daycare. At most, he'd drink about 2 oz in the day. I would go and nurse him in the middle of the day, since he's in daycare next door. Any possibility of that?

My DS reverse cycled big time during that period - and nursed several times at night. We co-slept then, so it actually wasn't as bad as it sounds. And that might happen with you.

Also - your DS might be ready to start solids soon, and you could do a meal of solid food at daycare - maybe something high calorie like avocado? But don't start solids until it's clear that he's developmentally ready - sitting up with support; interested in your food; lost the tongue thrust reflex etc.

HTH

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[neeter]

Thanks for your suggestions. No possibility of nursing during the day, unfortunately. I work about 45 mins away.

I like the bottle bootcamp idea - maybe we should do that.

And I guess we'll try solids - grains - now, so that by the time I'm back at work, he can be trying the avocado - great idea.

Nita - how long did DS keep it up - did he eventually take the bottle?

Thanks!
Anita

[janeybwild]

Anita, I had the same concerns as you when I went back to work, and second the bottle boot camp idea. We also found that feeding Megan in a different position helped her stop looking for the boob (we used her bouncy chair or reclined high chair). It seemed that once she caught on to this as the only option, we were fine (she was 3 months then and I went back 3 days/wk). She had no trouble going back and forth between bottle and boob from then on (Dr. Brown's worked for us, but I think it was the nipple she liked not so much the less gas issue with this bottle). I would suggest finding the bottle that he hates the least and sticking with that. Doesn't sound like there is a perfect one for him, but consistency would probably help. He will eat when he is hungry. Good luck!

[nitaghei]

Yes, DS did take bottles again. It took about 5-6 weeks. Dumping bottle after bottle of EBM just about broke my heart during that time.

My DS has made life interesting for me. First he had nipple confusion, and wouldn't nurse. After BF'g bootcamp - basically a weekend long nurse-in - he started nursing. Then, when he started daycare a few weeks later, he went on a bottle strike. Because we'd had so much trouble with BF'g, a bottle bootcamp wasn't an option for us.

Another possibility for you is to go straight to a sippy or straw cup. Your DS will be about 6 months old when you go back to work, right? He would probably be ready to try that - or even a regular cup. My DS was drinking from a regular cup at 4-5 months, and was proficient with a sippy by 6-7 months. That way, you don't have to deal with bottles at all. Just a thought. There's at least one child in DS's daycare who never used bottles at all - just went from nursing to a sippy, so I know it can be done.

Nita

mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[neeter]

Janey - We've tried feeding DS in the bouncy seat, so he's otherwise entertained but it doesn't seem to work. We've also tried under the gymini - nope! I will try the bottle boot camp. DS is finally FINALLY sleeping through the night, and I guess bottle boot camp would mess that up, but feeding him is more important!

Nita - Thanks - we've been doing sippy cup practifes, and sofar DS just gnaws on the spout. If I just use a regular cup (or the sippy w/o the valve) the milk (or water) will go in, but it just comes back out. The only way he will drink it is if he sucks it out - but it is pretty slow going. I know what you mean, dumping all that EBM!! That's why I've started using a little bit of water for practice, instead.

Thanks again!

[713abc]

Just thought I would add my story...My ds refused a bottle from 7 weeks, but when I went back to work when he was 12 wks, he started daycare and he took a bottle from them with little complaint. I'm not sure why they were able to have such success when we had tried everything, but he took the bottle slowly but surely from them. Without really fussing, too. It was amazing.

Mom to Max,
05/28/03

[sirensrise]

this might sound weird, but dd loves the straw. yup. never took the bottle. only liked take n toss sippy, but gets really messy. she does the straw beautifully.

[bigsis]

I went back to work when dd was 12 wks old. She didn't take the bottle at all. :( I'd nurse her before I left dc. Then I'd see her at lunch to nurse her. She was given EBM via medicine droppers. She didn't finish but *maybe* 5oz per day. However, to make sure she gets enough, we co-slept (and still do) so she can nurse all night. HTH!

ETA: After 2 mos of the medicine dropper, she eventually took the sippy cup. She's up to 10 ozs of EBM per day now. Probably even more if I give her more, but I have a limited stash.