Introducing a bottle

[petesgirl]

I have 3 weeks until I have to go back to work, we have trying to get DD to take a bottle but it hasn't been successful... Any tips??

[trales]

My DD was born 1-26 and I have been back at work a few weeks now. She will take the bottle from anyone, as long as I am not home. If I am in the building, the bottle is spit out and she cries. While I am at work ,no issues. She takes 3oz at a time. DH had to be patient at first, the first bottle took just over an hour, now they go down faster.

[babygirl1029]

I had the same experience as OP with my DS. When we worked on transitioning to a bottle around 2 1/2 months he would only take it from someone when he knew I was not home. They are smart, aren't they? Good luck!! I know it is stressful!

[erosenst]

Agree that you will likely need to be out of the house. Some kids do it really easily, some really struggle. If it's a struggle, if you have a friend who is really really good with babies, have him/her do it. (Not to stereotype, but new dads can get stressed and babies pick up on it and won't take the bottle just because of that.)

You/they may need to let the baby get pretty hungry first, and realize that it's this or nothing, which a really experience 'baby person' will know and work through. Remember that babies won't intentionally starve themselves, and a little crying won't permanently scar them. (See: easier if you're not home. Also, obviously a fine line in 'a little crying' - no sure how old your baby is.)

[azzeps]

I remember struggling with my daughter with this. My DH would try and give up, and then he would give her to me, and I would hold her facing away from me, sitting up and leaning against my chest, and she would take the bottle then. I wonder if maybe she sensed his anxiety? I think I got the idea for that position from a Dr. Sears book. It had to be very un-breastfeeding-like for her to accept it. Keep trying! And good luck!

[petesgirl]

I remember struggling with my daughter with this. My DH would try and give up, and then he would give her to me, and I would hold her facing away from me, sitting up and leaning against my chest, and she would take the bottle then. I wonder if maybe she sensed his anxiety? I think I got the idea for that position from a Dr. Sears book. It had to be very un-breastfeeding-like for her to accept it. Keep trying! And good luck!

Oh, I've heard of this too but had forgotten! We will try it!

[Jen841]

We did bottle boot camp at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I would leave and go somewhere and buy another type of bottle. Dumb me did the Dr Brown, Avent, ... And the only one that was successful was he super cheap ones I got on the third day!