Won't take the bottle

[Shiny95]

I'm trying to introduce one formula bottle a day as a transition phase with the anticipation of day care next year. DD has had the bottle before with my EBM and one bottle of formula too. But yesterday and today she won't have a bar of it. Could it be the taste of the formula thats not enticing her to suck or just the bottle itself that she's not into.
What can i do???

[KapowSchazam]

Not sure if this will help, but have you tried offering it when she's hungriest (ie brekky) or getting someone other than yourself to offer the bottle (apparently bub can smell breastmilk/or associate you with breastfeeding)

[KaM]

I had the same dilemma for ages and actually gave up after trying all the bottles and teats I could find and tried at all time of the day and night!. Have you tasted the formula? It isnt to crash hot.. lol . .and breastmilk is sposed to be sweeter as well I think.

Anyways. . last week after seeing a friend with one . .I bought a 2 pack of a new Tommee Tippee bottle and teats that are sposed to be good for breastfed babies. The teat is very much like a nipple and is very flexible and soft. Its in a silver sort of curved box. Its a little pricey at $16 but at almost 9 mths she will now drink water from a bottle. Still working on the EBM. .lol

[Shiny95]

We have tried with my husband giving it to her, but i couldn't stand by and watch her getting frustrated and crying. Had to steal her back and put her on the boob.
I did actually purchase the tommee tippee bottle today. Will let you know if i have any luck.
I know what you mean about the formula, i haven't tasted it but it doesn't smell too pleasant.
Thought i'd try and sneak the bottle in half way through the feed when she's a bit dosey. :fingerscrossed:

[KaM]

I have my :fingerscrossed: for you!! I hope you can slowly introduce bubs to the bottle. Its always handy!!

[Mrs AJC]

Maybe try a different formula? Hope you find a solution. Good Luck:fingerscrossed:

[babylover111]

In my experience if the mother is feeding the bottle or watching on it takes babies a lot longer to take to it. Id give it a go with your husband again but make sure you're not in her sight. I hope it works for you :)

[Shiny95]

This could get costly.
From the look on her face, its the taste of the formula shes not keen on.
No luck with the tommee tippee bottle 2day. Will try again with some EBM.
Shes a boobie addict.

[KaM]

I dont blame her !! I remember tasting the formula and I almost puked. For a bub thats not used to the taste.. just like anything new.. it might take a while. .

A friend of mine intriduced it slowly. Mixing EBM with Formula . .like way more EBM first. .then slowly built up the formula in it

[Lin]

I've had exactly the same problem so I know what you're going through!! :banghead: I've bought every bottle, teat etc under the sun (including the tommy tippee one!) still no luck! And it's cost me a fortune!! (wonder if I can sell hardly touched bottles?? :p )
Mine's 9mnths so I've just been giving her a sippy cup and I also bought a bottle that has a little fold in straw which she is getting the hang of! It's meant to be for 12mnths upwards but I've got her to drink water out of it at least! As for formula, I'd LOVE her to get back onto that again so she can get through the day at childcare also! But I think I may have to express. Don't know how that will go as I've only ever hand expressed once and ended up really bruised! oops!
Mixing BM and formula sounds like a good idea! I'll try that one myself! Keep me informed as to how you're going with your bub! Cause I need just as much help!

[KaM]

My little miss has been able to drink from the small Heinz sippy cups since she was 4 mths, if only she'd drink mik from them!! lol

[sarahbelle]

I had the same problem. My DS would not have a bar of formula, I tryed every brand you could think of and he just wouldn't have a bar of it! I also used a cup from about 4 months which he was fine with and he is happy to drink water out of it but not formula. Someone told me to mix a tiny bit of condensed milk in it to make it sweeter like breast milk, but I wasn't that keen as it has so much sugar in it. In the end I gave up! I wasn't much good at expressing either so I didn't have that option. At nearly 11 months I started introducing cows milk which he was happy to drink. Compared to formula cows milk is also sweeter so it occured to me that he just didn't like the taste! Like everyone else has said it doesn't taste crash hot!

Good luck..I hope you have more luck than me coz I know it can be very frustrating and upsetting!

[camcat]

I had this issue with my DS when I'd leave him with others or gave him a bottle when I was having a couple of drinks on special occasions. He just wouldn't take it.
I mixed EBM and formula and he took it a couple of times but not with any regularity.
I use avent bottles and I changed the teat to a yellow spout (lets more out than green ones) and he started drinking formula ok (ie no EBM mixed in) but would only drink it for me:) .
Every now and then he'll wriggle around and purse his lips at me when I give him his bottle feed (he's still only having one a day @ the mo') but if I say "no. milk" he drinks.
I think it's kind of trial and error in that all babies are individual so will respond to different things. Heck, they're people, they may like 5 different things in the space of a day:) .
A friend from mothers group ended up giving her son to her mum for the weekend when she was weaning as she couldn't do it herself. It can be hard when they get upset so my tip is patience and love (corny I know):) .
Hope it gets sorted out without too much stress for you both:fingerscrossed: .

[Kirstlea]

I couldn't get ds to take a bottle from me but he was happy to take a bottle from dh but I wasn't there either.

So maybe get your dh to give her the bottle but you leave the house. It will give dh a chance to make it happen and you don't have to listen in. Also if dd realises that mum has left the house she may be more co-operative to taking the bottle.

good luck

Kirsten

[Mrs Dolphin]

I wish I had this problem!! My DD will only take a bottle and won't touch the boobie!

Like others have said try a different teat and just slowly try to encourage her...like with anything I think it is what they get used to as well. I am not really much help sorry but I kind of know what you are going through just the other way around! If only babies did what we wanted them to do all the time!! LOL!

Good luck with it - I hope it is working out for you... :hugs:

[Shiny95]

Thank you, some great tips there. And it's comforting to know that i'm not alone. Lin, i've done the same as you, i have so many different bottles and teats. Next consideration was buying a different formula.
I like the sound of getting Grandma to do some babysitting and giving the bottle a go.
I'm too exhausted today to even try.
It's quite frustrating when you go through the process of cleaning and sterilising everything only to find your tipping the formula down the sink and starting the cycle again.
She did take a bottle with EBM on New Years, so clearly it's the taste of the formula. Will have to get my act together and express more to try mixing it in.
By the way, happy new year all, hope it's a good one, and for those trying with me, we succeed with the bottle.

[Lin]

Another thing I'm trying, and I'll probably get a couple of poo poos for this, but I'm getting her onto cows milk. I've been told you're not supposed to until at least 12mnths but heck! There's a whole generation of us bought up on the stuff!
She takes a few sips out of my glass without a problem but I think she may still find it a little sour. It's not her only source of milk so I don't think it'd harm her... Instead of adding sugar to sweaten it, I thought I'd add a couple of drops of vanilla essence. (I've yet to try this so I'm not sure if it works or not!) She'll happily eat vanilla custard etc so I'm going to try it in her milk. Then see what happens next! :fingerscrossed:

You know, have you seen that add on tv for some air/con where there's a little boy laying on the couch drinking happily from a bottle? I envy that kid!!! LOL I'd love to just have mine sit quietly for a few minutes drinking from a bottle herself! To have a few minutes break would be bliss!!

[sarahbelle]

I think you will find the cows milk is sweet enough! You may not need to add the vanilla to it. A friend of mine had all 3 of her kids on cows milk at 3 months old! The youngest is 6 now and they are all fine! The didn't have formula in the old days and we all survived!!! Whatever works I say!

Good luck!

[Shiny95]

Just thought i'd let you know... for those people that may be searching for answers. She's finally taking the bottle.
The girls at day care sat her on their lap facing outwards with her head leaning back on their chest and fed her the bottle that way.
So once she got used to the bottle at day care, i then sent along a bottle with formula and voilla, no probs.
After a couple of weeks, she's now happy to take the bottle from me. I'll usually sit her in the rocker or lying on a pillow.
Good luck to those who are having troubles.