DS won't take a bottle - need help!

[beansprout13]

DS2 (now almost 9 weeks) is refusing to take a bottle of EBM. We have been trying since he was about 3 weeks. In the beginning we had some success, but of late, he is absolutely refusing. I'm starting to freak b/c I have to leave him in the next few weeks for a couple of overnights and I don't know what to do.

Here is what we have tried:
Sassy/Mam bottles (had the best luck with these in the beginning, but now refusing), Born Free (with born free nipple and avent nipple), Playtex Drop Ins (with rubber and laytex nipples), Adiri and Dr. Browns. I've tried to give him the bottle, DH has tried, my mom has tried, my neighbor has tried - no luck (contrary to how it is supposed to be, I actually seem to have the most luck getting him to take it.)

He won't take any artificial nipple - no pacifier either.

I'm just at a lost and super frustrated right now. Is there anything else I can do or try??

[mattiew]

Keep trying, I know it is hard! We had the most success with the breast bottle and then evenflo clear nipples. The resistance is common but no fun when you're going through it.

[LBW]

How long of a stretch have you left him for? Are you giving the bottle attempt an hour or two? I know how frustrating this can be. Before I finally gave up on bottles, my DS would go up to 7 hours while my mom tried to get him to take a bottle. He was a lot older than your baby, though.

I'd try being very consistent about replacing the same feeding each day with a bottle. If he's hungriest first thing in the morning, try that feeding. Could your DH feed him while you pump? I have a friend who has been very successful getting her babies to take bottles by always having her DH do each and every early evening feeding while she pumps.

Something else to try is to see if you can sneak a bottle in while he's sleepy. I've heard this works.

My last suggestion is a baby nurse or doula. Someone in DS2's music class tried this with her baby with some success. I think she hired her to come for a few days in a row.

Good luck!

[mommylamb]

We went through the same thing and it scared me to death. DS finally started taking bottles right before I went to work. I tried all the tricks, like having someone else give him a bottle while I was gone... in the end, he took bottles from me before he would take them from anyone else, which I know is contrary to other people's experiences with this. I used to try to give him one every morning because that was when he was in the best mood. I tried all sorts of bottles and nipples, and I don't think it mattered at all. He took it when he was good and ready. Remember, babies won't starve themselves (or so I've read), so if he's hungry enough, he will eat. Good luck, and don't stress out too much. He'll start taking them. Now we're at the stage where we've switched to sippy cups, and boy does he miss those bottles!

[mondayschild]

Hopefully this is not your case...but also check your milk. Is the baby drinking it when its fresh pumped, but not when its been refrigerated or frozen?

I have this odd Lipase issue that makes my milk taste funky fast. We could not figure out why she refuse violently so often, but took it a few times...Turns out she only took it fresh.

The good news is we started her on the sippy at 4 months since we thought it was the bottles forever! One less transition to deal with.

The milk will smell a little weird and def tastes weird if you have too much lipase in it. Good luck!