Help! My Baby Won't Take a Bottle!

I breastfed all five of my children, the last three for almost three years, and they all bit me at one time or another but the biting didn't last very long. When they would start to bite, I would jump and say ouch which would startle them. They learned quickly not to bite as they didn't like the sensation of being startled. Babies are quick learners!

I hate to say it but, you will have a hard time getting a breastfed baby to like formula at 9 months. That's probably why he takes water and juice from a bottle but not the formula. It is NOT the same as breastmilk by any means. It's hard to get the babies to switch to cow's milk later on as well. You have to really work at it sometimes. They prefer the breastmilk most of the time. Why not just pump breastmilk it's better for them anyway. You can get him to stop biting if that is the problem.. Talk to a lactation consultant or go to a breastfeeding group Tuality has a good one. I wouldn't stop breastfeeding over teeth developement they learn quickly not to use them.
Good luck!

Try putting breast milk in the bottle until he gets used to the bottle..The nipple on the bottle sometimes the kids have a hard time adjusting to the nipple. But when he finds the breast milk which he is used to he will get used to the bottle then you might have an easier time moving to milk. I started to mix milk with water and it worked for me..

I am a grandmother of 8. All breast fed babies. You could try giving him formula from a glass or sippy cup. You may find he takes his fluids just find from a glass. You could also offer a bottle of water at night to start discouraging his breast feedings. It si hard when you are alone but these suggestions might be worth trying. GG

A.,
Since your son is taking the breast fine and eating other foods, I wouldn't recommend formula at all. Our son refused formula too. It's probably the chemicals in it that make it taste bad. I also don't believe in formula feeding any child.

My suggestion is to try a different bottle and nipple. The cheap bottles/nipples have such small holes and the nipples are so stiff and thick that they can't get enough milk out. (I have tried sucking on many bottles and some, I couldn't even get anything out.) If I remember correctly, Gerber makes a nipple that is a little smashed and soft like the breast which forms to the mouth of the baby versus the erect nipple type. These worked not only for us, but for my sister who has raised three children. Also, stay away from formula and use your breast milk. Rent an electric double breast pump from your pediatrician. This works very well. Freeze them into 8oz portions. Thaw them by letting them sit in the fridge. At night make up some rice,oatmeal or some type of grain cereal using the breast milk. Not too thick, but not too runny. The heaviness of the cereal, plus the carbs will help him to sleep longer.

Best of luck with the bottle and your little one.

I would forget the bottle and just try to get him to drink from sippy cups :-)

A. - I don't know if anyone else will say it, but I will! Teach him how to stop biting you. If he bites, he doesn't get to eat. If you are through getting your boobs chewed up (which hurts, I know!) then maybe you should just pump and let him still take a bottle, but with your mama moo juice. Formula does not taste good. Especially if he has been nursing all this time. Formula even SMELLS gross. Breast milk is a bit sweet, formula is not. Breast milk is best, formula is not. I really encourage you to pump and try giving him a bottle with JUST your milk. I know it hurts, the biting, but you can teach him how to stop...it just takes patience. Good luck to you! L.

A.,

your son is old enough to start with a sippy cup...have you tried that with milk/formula?

Also, is it imperative that he use formula at all? Maybe just breast milk in a bottle or cup for a while. talk with the doctor about cow or goat milk to replace when you are done pumping or feeding.

Good luck,
T.

When he bites, just say, No, No. and take away the breast for a time. He will learn not to bit. I breastfed one until she was 1.5 years and the other until she was 3. They DO learn not to bite. Formula tastes AWFUL next to mommy's milk. Plus your milk has 10x the nutrition that formula does. They have now discovered that breastfeeding helps the brain up to 2 years! So breastfeedin up to 2 years is a good idea. If you can do it, I recommend it GREATLY over any formula which is a poor substitute.

people ask this question all the time!!! If he has only been breastfed, then that is a habit that has formed - it is not going to change immediately. He may refuse a bottle for a few days, its not going to hurt him, just don't give him another option. It will likely be an unhappy time for both of you, but that is the result of not introducing a bottle earlier. Why is he drinking juice? For a few days, he can get enough nutrition from the finger foods that he is eating, and when he realizes that breastfeeding is no longer an option, he will give in and drink from a bottle...you can also try a sippy cup or cup and straw instead of a bottle.

I'm not sure if you want to stop breastfeeding or not but here's my advice...

If you want to continue breastfeeding- flick his mouth (gently) and tell him no biting. They understand. And stop nursing for awhile, then try again while contiually re-enforsing the no biting. My daughter only bit 3 times and realized she didn't like that. My son was a little harder but after a couple weeks he stoped as well.

If you want to stop nursing- don't give him anything but milk in a bottle. Either your breast milk or formula. Kids don't need juice. Especially at such a young age. Give water in a sippy cup and milk in the bottle.

Just a thought. I never had to give my kids bottles so I'm not the best to respond. But I hope this helps.

Try a sippy cup with a soft spout. My daughter nursed for over a year, but anything additional we gave to drink after 6 month came from a sippy cup. I was worried about nipple confusion.
Have you tried room temp and cold formula? Maybe he is temperature sensitive.

Hi A.,

Have you tried Avent bottles yet? Those were the only bottles my son would take after breastfeeding. They have a wider nipple compared to Dr. Brown's or platex bottles and appear more natural for babies. That is strange that he will drink juice out of a bottle but not formula. You might consider switching formulas too. My son would only drink Enfamil Lipil. If none of that works, you could always take him in to see your pediatrician for advice. Hope that helps!
-Ali

please keep breastfeeding! no need to mess with bottles, formula etc. babies learn very quickly not to bite - if he bites, just say OW and remove him and explain that it hurts, and then let him nurse again. be careful not to make a huge overreaction that he enjoys, or he may learn to bite to get that reaction! it's really very very simple. continuing to breastfeed him is by far the best gift you can give him which will last him his whole life, for nutrition, for connection, and for his emotional wellbeing - the longer you can breastfeed him, the better (mine nursed till 2-1/2 and 4-1/2 years). also, cow's milk products are not good for any humans and especially not for babies. nature knows best, and you are giving your baby the best (and he is very smart to reject any imitation)! and especially since your husband is away, it is wonderful that you and he can continue to breastfeed.

One thing that can work with biting is to pull him closer to you so that he has to let go to get a breath. But he is old enough and probably understands more than you think so tell him "no biting" and that it hurts mommy. Stopping the feeding until he is ready to nurse without biting. He should get it pretty soon. If he still wants to bite something you can replace it with a teether toy. It could also be that he isn't hungry or just playful. Try not to react too loudly (I know that is hard sometimes) my daughter thought it was so funny when I screamed "ouch."

Sometimes biting can just be from teething pain or other developmental changes going on.

I think usually babies know what they shouldn't eat and it may be that formula would not be good for him right now.

Hi A., this is always so hard. My daughter was the same way and it drove me bonkers. At this point, you may want to try something different - the sippy cup. He probably won't take it well either (at first) but it sure beats trying to get him to take the bottle for the next few weeks, ONLY to have to try and wean him from it when he turns 1. There is no magical way to do sippy cup or bottle, at least not that I have found. You just have to keep trying over and over and gradually get there. My daughter would have hardly anything to drink in a day and it scared me, but my dr. was very reassuring. She always said thirst is one of the strongest drives a human can have and they will drink when they are thirsty. Good luck, I really relate to how VERY frustrating this can be. Oh, and contrary to everything I read, my daughter didn't take the bottle ANY easier from my husband!!

Congrats for giving him breastmilk this far!! If you really want him to take a bottle, you may need to continue pumping. That way he's still eating, but not biting. If he is just starting to nip your nip a little, it'll pass. If he bites, remove him from the breast, tell him no, and then wait a couple minutes before giving him the other breast. My daughter has 12 teeth, is 15+ months and still breastfeeds at least 8 times daily. She hasn't bit me in months (except when I tickled her when she was eatting!)

Are you discontinuing breastfeeding because of him biting you? Because if that is the issue, it might be better to find a way to help him stop that and continue to breast feed rather than to give him a bottle. It is recommended that because the mother has a nursing relationship that someone else gives the bottle. Now, you mentioned that you are the only one feeding him...does he go to child care at all? If he does, the care give might be a good person to give him a bottle of formula.

The other thing to think about is the formula itself. It might not be something that tastes good to him in which case, trying another brand or formulation (eg. soy vs. milk base) to see if it is the taste that is the problem. You mentioned that you tried mixing the breast milk in with the formula but have you tried just breast milk? If he is not taking breastmilk out of the bottle than you know that he only associates milk from the breast. If he does take the breast milk, than it might be that he doesn't like the formula.

Besides, it is not a good idea to be giving liquids other than formula or breast milk out of the bottle. Since in the long run, it will make it far more difficult to transition him off the bottle. If he has the association that only milk comes from the bottle and everything else that he drinks comes from a cup, than it will be easier for him to stop drinking from the bottle.

Whoops...I just saw that you are a stay at home mom...so there is no childcare. Are there family members that can offer it to him from time to time? If nothing else, it would be nice for you to get out and know that your baby is getting formula or breast milk while you are gone.

Good luck. It is going to be a hard sell to your baby if you have been breast feeding him and he is not yet ready to wean. Unless you have someone available to help you give him a bottle when you are out of the house, some babies are just not willing to take a bottle when they know that your breast is just inches away.

If you need some suggestions as to how to prevent your little one from biting you, let me know and I can tell you what I did when we ran into this problem. It is certainly not easy. I realize that what ever decision you make in terms of breast feeding that you need to get him to take a bottle or cup from someone else so that you can have time away. It can't be an easy thing to do with a husband that is away for long periods.
Be well!

Have you tried just going to sippy cups. Sometimes that works better. Or maybe the kids cups with a straw instead. Best of luck

don't try to force the formula on him. if he is still getting breast milk from you and he drinks juice and water then that is all he needs. and i might suggest less juice and more water. his teeth will develop just fine without the formula, really. both of mine were breast fed, no formula ever. when they wanted more than the breast they got water. it is still the same. they are perfectly healthy not having all the icky additives in formula and without the extra sugar from the juices. if anything perhaps milk or unsweetened almond milk. rice milk is too high in sugar and soy milk is especially hard on baby's system. though there are a lot of products out there for babies made from soy it really not good for them. good luck!

Hi A.

Have you called your pediatrician? While it is not exactly a medical condition the doctor is a terrific resource for these things.

Have you tried a sippy cup? It is not much different than a bottle but the texture is so different it may be all you need.

Have you tried a different type of formual, like soy, or even a different brand?

You may also consider mixing the formula into the cereal, it is not a lot but at least it is a start. Or perhaps pumping and offering the breast milk in bottles...this won't last forever as I am under the impression that with pumping the supply gradually decreases but if you kept a pumping schedule during the day (say every four hours) I would bet that you could get enough bottles - or milk to mix into cereal and other such - to keep him happy and satisfied until he gives up his fight against formula

I feel your pain on the biting! My youngest son was a biter before he had teeth...and then got his first tooth at two months old. It was torture but something made him stop chewing around the time that first tooth broke and I breast fed him for an entire year.

Good luck!

maybe try pumping for the next 3 months if he bites too much to nurse him but biting does stop my son bit me every once in a while but stopped after he realized it hurt me. i breast fed him until he was 15 months old. but yea if you can pump until his first birthday then he can have whole milk.

premies can't suck and drink out of (special, flexible) cups >> all babies can drink out of cups

you'll have to hold it and teach him, and when he discovers he can spill it you'll have to hover for a couple of months again and control the situation ... but it's way faster than a sippy cup to get nutrition in ;)

biting: when mine bit, I immediately pulled them off (finger in the corner of the mouth the break suction of course) and put them on the ground and walked away for a little while. (Well, the first few times, when it was clearly accidental, I just took them off and held them away from the nipple. When they did it with forethought, that was cause for a mommy-walk-away.) Three of the four we got through it in a couple of weeks; the fourth weaned himself without really getting into biting much. If you want to nurse, stick with it ... it sounds like maybe not, though.

Probably if he is eating a wide variety of foods, the formula thing isn't necessary anyhow. There are food sources for DHA and such things. Iron is a little tricky sometimes.

Adding vanilla (or just sugar) makes regular milk tastier for little people; perhaps it would work for formula?

Have you tried a different formula? Maybe it is the smell or taste of the formula- if you can try straight breast mulk and the bottle and see what happens... If he drinks that, start doing breast milk with like 1/2 oz formula- even less if if refuses. as/ if he starts to drink it, gradually increase the formula til eventually straight formula. Think about it, have you tasted or smelled formula? It is a big change for a breast fed baby......

A.,

With Dad gone this may be a hard one. Our little ones can smell us moms, especially lactating moms, at around 20 feet away. That's probably why he's refusing the bottle. It could also just be your son.

I have two kids. My son is 5 now and flat out refused a bottle at all. Ever. But he liked his sippy cups. My daughter is now 18 months and did the bottle thing if she had to. I started her earlier on introducing a bottle than my son so that dad could feed now and then. That blew up in my face. Maybe when Dad gets home you can have him try to feed via a bottle while you go out, see if that helps.

Anyway, long story short, they both weaned at about 8-9 months and a bottle was a secondary thing for both. I'd try sippy cups until he finds one he likes. If he's biting you gently flick his cheek to get his attention and tell him no bite. He'll get the message pretty quick. My kids sure did.

Best of luck, don't know if I was any help or not.
Melissa

try a sippie cup, he's old enough. :)
D.

You didn't say if you wanted to stop breastfeeding all together due to his teeth or not. What I did was give my little guy a small sippy cup that was easy to drink out of...so he didn't have to suck as hard, therefore not mistaking me for the sippy cup. I went to these little cups I found at the $1 store 2 for a dollar when he was six months old with just water in them. He didn't start drinking any juice until about a month ago (now almost 18 months old). He hadn't had a bottle since he was 6 weeks old (and since he was a month preemie - he was adjusted to just a couple of weeks old). Anyway, to transition to using formula some, I mixed his oatmeal cereal in the mornings with the formula. Kinda made it easier that we never had to transition out of bottles as he has just grown on to bigger sippy cups, straws and drinking straight from a cup. He still nurses for nap and bedtime with nearly a full mouth of teeth. Simply slightly "popping" his cheek the few times he did bite me and strongly saying "NO" took care of that.
Hope this helps. Did not read through all the previous responses so hopefully I am not repeating.
Good Luck! And if you can hang in there for a couple of more months, you can just transition to real milk and only have to do one taste transition.

My son wouldn't take a bottle of formula, only breastmilk. A friend gave me this advice and it worked like a charm. Replace some of the formula water with vanilla flavored rice milk. Each day (took me 5 days)use less rice milk and more water. The rice milk is sweet, like breast milk. I probably could have done it in less days, but I didn't want to risk it. I started out with half water half rice milk. Don't use soy milk.
At 9 months he may be able to hold his own bottle, which is good because you won't have to hold him next to you. When I would cradle my son to take a bottle my son would try to turn away to nurse. Was an added obstacle.
Good luck!

Since your little guy is 9.5 months I assume he is sitting fairly well (not so wobbly anymore). I would suggest trying to give him pumped breast milk in a soft spouted sippy cup. That way he can learn to use the cup on his own. As soon as both of my kiddo's could sit well I took all the bottles away and replaced them with sippy cups. It took a couple of "bottle" times for them to figure it out but I think it was easier for them then waiting until they are over the age of 1 and have gotten more stubborn :-)

Good luck to you! I hope my suggestion is of some help.

Try a sippy cup! You have a great opportunity if he has just been breast fed to skip the bottle all together. Then you won't have to try and get him off the bottle later. There are lots of different ones out there to try. My daugher was super picky and would use one specific kind, she was tough to get off the bottle. But my son loved all of the cups and he was pretty off the bottle a year. Good luck.

My daughter never took a bottle. Have you tried to give him a sippy cup? You may have to try several different kinds before you find one that he will take, but it's worth the trouble and in the end when he is older he will use the other sippy cups anyway. Start with sippy cups that have a soft spout. It's easier for them. Good Luck!

This may sound odd, but have you tried goat milk? It's in the refridgerator section at the market. My son had an allergy to milk and wouldn't take formula, but the goat milk seemed to work just fine. Good luck! Pam

I had a similar problem with my youngest, only I didn't have the option of giving her breast milk. I found a silicone nipple that was hard and dome shaped like my breast to be the winner. It went on Playtex bottles and after a few tries she finally took it, however reluctantly. The nipple was made by Munchikins and I found it at Wal-mart. I don't think they carry it anymore, as it was 10 years ago that I last shopped for nipples, but I am sure that there has to something out there that is similar. Also you could try just switching him to the cup.

Well, one thing you can do is stop nursing him immediately if he bites you. He will get the message and you won't have to give him formula.

Have you tried pumping and then feeding it to your son with the bottle. He may be more willing to take a bottle with what he is used to in it. The formula has a very different taste so ease into a full feeding of it slowly.