How to get bub to drink bottle

[Issey]

I want to start my bub on formula, just one bottle at first a day as I need to stop breastfeeding in a couple of months as I have to go back to work and expressing is too difficult in the environment I will be working in.

I tried today and he just screamed, so back on the breast. Then I got DH to try later than night and bubs had about two mouthfuls and then cried again. :eek:

I guess change can be hard so wondering how best to deal with it. Shall I just keep offering it to bubs and hope he takes it? Should I mix breast milk in it perhaps? :confused: I think this may be a stressful exercise.

[Ange&Seth]

This sounds like a terrible time for you chic!! I don't have any personal experience to give you as bub had no problem going from breast to bottle.

What type of bottles and teats are you using? We had Avent and PUR self sterilising ones, they have big teats so bub still has to open wide to suck, like on the breast. Maybe it's the teats he doesn't like and not the formula itself?

[veve]

ok - a few questions for you first ..

-has your bubs HAD a bottle before?? if not - you should probably start with a bottle full of breast milk.. so that it tastes familiar... (that way only the bottle is different)

- what bottle and teat are you using???

- you could definately try 1/2 b milk 1/2 formula... I asked my GP if I could do that - and she said that as long as it was mixed immediately before the feed it was ok ...

xx
Jen

[hayleylea]

hi there, my little one didnt have that much of a problem taking the bottle(he had no choice though cause i had to give up breastfeeding cold turkey as i got sick). The main thing is its just trial and error. DS wouldnt take the wide neck teats.....or the skinny ones. The only ones he would take was the NUK ones - I have heard of alot of bubs that will only take this shape teat. I have since switched over the PUR ones that are the same shape as the NUK. You just have to perservere.....i feel for you though. Im just glad Cooper wasnt all that fussed with changing to the bottle when i finally found the right teat for him :eek: Goodluck with it!:smiliedance:

[misskittyfantastico]

Amelia happily took a bottle of EBM from DH...we then mixed in a little bit of formula and kept upping the ratio, we also had to try a couple of different ones, now she has one formula bottle a day...I'm sposed to be weaning her so I can go back on my BP meds....I'm not doin a very good job:D (shh don't tell my Dr!)

[Issey]

I don't think it is a problem with the bottle itself as he has happily taken breast milk from it on occasions without a fuss.

I think it is the taste of the formula as he screwed his face up and cried - like that isn't my mummy's milk!:eek: . He sucked on the teat for a couple of goes the second time with DH. I thought maybe with DH doing it he can't see me or smell my milk. When he noticed me in the room he cried so maybe I have to get out the room?

[Ange&Seth]

That might work til he gets used to the taste - and it makes sense that it doesn't taste the same. I didn't even think of that one (duh!)

[jkate]

When I started Aden on the bottle, he had to have it really warm!! Took us a couple of weeks to work it out, but finally he drank a whole bottle with no compliants. After a few months he didnt care what the temperature was, just that first few months. Something to think about anyway.