Learning to Take a Bottle

The baby may not like the shape of the nipple. My son like the advent nipples, but my daughter didn't. I ended up buying Gerber premie bottles. The nipples were small and didn't gag her. She took to them right away. After she was a little older, I switched to Playtex. Their nipples are softer than advent and she liked those too. It's true about introducing a bottle early if you want to allow others to help feed. My pediatrician recommended introducing within the first 2 weeks. Hope this helps.

I used the Avent bottles for my 3 children who breastfed. My kids would never take a bottle from me so i had my husband or sisters feed them their bottles until they were able comfortable with both.

My baby had the same issue. I tried evey bottle and nipple and the one that actually worked was the playtex Vent air bottle with the wide nipple. The Playtex bottle is the one that has the top and bottom screw on. :)

I'm suprised the pediatrician recommended the bottle so soon if she does not need to supplement. To avoid "nipple confusion", if a mom wants to strictly breast-feed, a baby should not be introduced to a bottle until 6-8 weeks old, so that nursing is firmly learned and established. (That goes for pacifieers, too).
That said, when it is time to introduce the bottle, it's about experimentation. Each baby is unique and has their own preferences. You're right- it could be the nipple, or it could be the flow. And it certainly doesn't smell like mom's skin. Also, if not already, use breast milk in the bottle, not formula, until baby gets the hang of it.
As far as recommendations, I used Avent bottles with a #1 nipple for my son (changing nipples as he got older), and he took to it right away.
If baby simply won't take a bottle, even the littlest ones can learn to take milk from a spoon, or even a cup! Finally, a lactation consultant is a great resource. Tuality Hospital offers free breast-feeding support every Tuesday at 10:00am (and in the evening, too - not sure what time) at the Health Education Center on 8th Avenue (accross from the main hospital). Check them out!

Both my girls (2.5 and 7 mnth) resisted the bottle. Tips we used to get them there:
- Have someone other than mom do it as they will expect the breast from mom.
- Make sure the temperature is right for the child. My second daughter wouldn't take it unless it was VERY warm.
- Try different bottles and nipples. With my second daughter, the Playtex Drop-in are what finally did the trick after trying about 3 others. Their nipple is more malleable than some of the others.
- Initially w/ both my girls, you had to be standing and holding them to feed them - just to complicate things I suppose.
- Since you have to toss out milk once the baby drinks it and the process of getting an infant to take a bottle can involve lots of starts/stops and subsequently tossing out breast milk (who wants to pump more than they have to) I suggest trying smaller quantities at first and then once they are taking it you can make larger bottles.
- If possible, try to time the bottle so the baby is not so hungry that they are panicky.
Hope this helps...

Is your sister planning on returning to work? If she isn't and is happy not to use the bottle then this is one area I would ignore my doctors advice!

The baby is only a month old anyway and if she was determined to leave for more than an hour or two then she should wait just a little longer to introduce a bottle. I always recommend around 3 months. Breastfeeding is well established by this time and it is often easier to introduce the bottle to an older baby.

When she does introduce recommend that she have someone else give the baby the bottle. Often breastfed babies won't take the bottle from mom because they are accustomed to the real thing!

Good Luck!

Wow. I'm amazed at the very widely differing opinions you're getting in answers. My experience and research:

1. The bottle is helpful if YOU want the flexibility. I did, and was very glad to have it as an option. (I also needed it so I could get some sleep. Made a huge difference.). If you don't mind being on the hook every few hours for the first year and it's stressing you out to get her on a bottle, then don't worry about it.

2. Babies take a bottle earlier better than later (3 weeks is about ideal, I think. By a month + they start to get picky, as yours is). You hear a lot about "nipple confusion," but I've never heard or seen anyone actually having that issue unless they bottle fed their baby from the get-go and then introduced the nipple. It's just a term that gets thrown around a lot.

3. I used a bottle that mimicked the breast for my baby, and it worked great (I used the First Years brand. there are others).

4. Definitely have Dad or someone else do it, while you're out of the room.

5. Try "dreamfeeding" for starters. Especially if your baby takes a pacifier, you can slip a bottle into her mouth a couple hours after she's gone to bed, and she'll automatically start drinking (without even really waking up). If you get her to take it while she's asleep (or half asleep), she'll transition to doing it while awake. Also, she'll sleep longer.(More on this in The Baby Whisperer, if you're interested)

6. I gave my baby one bottle a day for the first 6 months of her life (actually, her daddy gave it to her), at the same time every day. It worked beautifully to give me the constant flexibility I needed, but keep her primarily on the breast.

7. Use pumped breastmilk to minimize the adjustment for baby.

Good luck!

Use the slowest nipple possible, breastfed babies are used to 'working' for their food, so she may not like the faster flow. Have your sister try different bottles until she finds one her daughter likes. Is your sister planning on going back to work in the near future? If she doesn't anticipate needing to have someone else feed her daughter she can always wait on this too.
J.

Hello everyone,
I have 3 kids, and introduced a bottle at 4-5 weeks with each one. So, I think one month is a great time. I worked with my first, and then with the other two I found it helpful when many things were going on. (I'm nursing my 6 month old and had a 5 day fever - by the end of it, I just hadn't eaten or drank enough to feed baby... a little bit of frozen breastmilk saved the day!)

1) We used the Platex Natural Shape and the Advent systems. We usually start with Playtex, slow speed, because the disposable bag collapses, most like the breast with fewer bubbles. That shape of nipple also keeps babies lips splayed out similar to nursing.
2) Mom should not feed baby his first bottles. Dad or another caregiver should. My baby still doesn't take a bottle from me at 6 months.
3) Breastmilk should be freshly pumped and warm (body temperature). Frozen tastes different, and formula would be completely different taste.
4) Try when the baby is very hungry. Or if that leads to a frantic baby, try an hour before baby might normally eat, before they are starving.
5) Try different types of nipples/bottles. Borrow them before you buy if you konw another mom with a baby.... just boil them first to sterilize.
6) Try once per day, at different times until the baby takes it. Once baby will take it, you can go to once per week!

My first two took from a bottle fine. My last has resisted more. But, he will take it when he is hungry enough if I am not in the room. (He won't take it if he can hear my voice).

I didn't read through all the posts, but it looks like there is a lot of good information. If she isn't going to spend a lot of time away from baby, it may not be neccessary. But, for us, we like the flexibility of a date night and as I mentioned it was helpful when I was sick for so long!

Good luck to your sister.

i have a 2 yr old son. i breastfeed for 18 mos and enjoyed most of it. while i understand introducing a bottle, it's not necessary. my son refused anything other than breast so i know how tied down it can feel, but it isn't necessary. if baby is uninterested, she shouldn't worry about it unless there is something like needing to go back to work and putting baby into daycare or if she just doesn't feel breastfeeding is right for her. if that be th case i hear trying out different bottles and/or nipples until you find the right one is the only way to do it. i don't know cuz a had a stubborn little guy. best of luck!

My daughter never took a bottle or a pacifier. Really, if you are breast feeding and are a stay at home mom, YOU DON"T NEED BOTTLES. Kind of defeats the purpose of breast feeding and can throw your bodies milk production off any type schedule you may have it on. I can see using a bottle if you pump and leave bottles for child care, but I wouldn't force this issue if you didn't need to. Bottles and pacifiers are harder to wean a kid off of and in some cases can cause dental problems. Save some money for diapers.
KL

I don't understand the big need for bottles - I have three kids, and they were all raised without bottles, except for the occasional backup (maybe once every few months?) if I had to leave them with someone else, which fortunately I didn't have to do very often. I would certainly not introduce a bottle to a one month old, there's no reason for it, she's too young, and she should breastfeed as much as possible. I would say if there's a desire to introduce a bottle, wait until six months or so, and invest in a good bottle, with "natural" looking nipples, not those cheap ones - they're better feeling for the baby and will make it easier. Again, don't push the bottle, that can certainly wait. If there's a need for it, and she's hungry enough, she'll take one, but I would wait until later to try again. Good luck!

A month seems awfully young to be introducing a bottle unless your sister is having to go back to work soon. Nipple confusion can occur. If going back to work is the issue for the bottle, I would have Dad give the bottle. Mom is the breast, but Dad or another adult would be the bottle. Smells, touch are part of nursing as well and this will diminish the expectation of the breast. But if your sister is bottle feeding rather than breast feeding, I hope she's pumping to provide the milk for the bottle. We produce more milk as baby grows, and giving a bottle won't stimulate the breast to increase production unless she pumps.

I would recommend the Playtex soft liner bottles. They even have a nipple that is flat tipped like the breast. But there is no need to rush the bottle, I would at least wait until she is 6 weeks old. If she really does need to get her on a bottle it helps sometimes to either put breast milk on the nipple so she tastes it right away or even a little sugar water to get her interested. best of luck for you sister

I agree with it being a little too early to introduce a bottle. Once she is a little older, though I think it IS important to do that so that the mom can pump and leave if she needs to (it's always good for moms to have a little escape if they need it!). I would also encourage her to have someone ELSE give the babe a bottle. It REALLY confuses little one's when MOM is trying to give them food through this "foreign object" they have never seen before. Plus...if they can smell moms milk, but are not getting it out of the place they are used to that can cause confusion as well.

I breastfed my son and had to transition him to bottle at 8 weeks because he had to go to daycare. I was pumping at work. I used the Playtex drop-in Nursers with the brown nipples becaus they are most "like mom".

Wish her luck!

There is lots of advice out there on how to get a baby to take a bottle, and some or none of it may work for your sister's baby. My second daughter refused a bottle from one month to just after four months. Even after I went back to work. Our caregiver fed her with a dropper for several weeks while continuing to try the bottle occasionally. After a few weeks of this, she decided to take the bottle and she has no problem with it now. SO...the moral is...if you ever really need a baby to take a bottle they can learn. I wouldn't worry about it at one month (or even two or three) and would just relax and enjoy the newborn.

M.

Take it slow. Try different nipples

I am sure you will get a bunch of people telling you that there is no need to introduce the bottle and that it may interfere with nursing, yada, yada, yada. There is some logic to that, but not all women are super-moms, and moms need to be realistic about what is best for everyone. A mom that is tried to her baby for exclusive breastfeeding gets no more than an hour or two to herself and can resent breastfeeding. It is a lot easier to continue if you love it, and it is a lot easier to love it if you are not restricted so much by it.

Okay, having said that, she will need to try many many times, and probably a variety of nipples. Search for nipples that are specifically designed for nursed babies, and try every nipple material (silicon, latex, etc). If all else fails, try a breast bottle (http://www.lullabylane.com/jump.jsp?itemID=8819&itemT... Adiri)
Also, baby will be much more confused if mom is the one trying to feed with a bottle, so have someone else do it. Try different holds. Baby may prefer to be held in the nursing position or may be too confused by that and need to be held away from the breast. Feed with breast milk in the bottle because formula can taste pretty nasty to a nursed baby. Once baby gets the hang of it, use a bottle for one feeding every 2-3 days… otherwise, baby will forget and you’ll have to start all over again. If you wait too late to introduce the bottle, baby will be be way more stubborn, so work on it between 4-6 weeks.

I breastfed my son (now 19 months) and I knew I would be going back to work when he was 3 or 4 months old, so I had to go through the same thing as far as getting him used to a bottle early. I think it was around 6 weeks that I was able to get him to take it. I used pumped breastmilk so the only difference was the bottle, and not what he was actually drinking. One thing that was very important was that I had to have my husband (or anybody other than me) give him the bottle and I would have to be in another room... so he would not be refusing the bottle in order to get the breast instead. I only had my husband give him a bottle once a week and that was enough for him to get used to how to drink from it and to understand that it was an acceptable source of food. By the time I went back to work, he had no problem drinking from the bottle for the babysitter and still breastfeeding when he was with me. It definitely takes time and patience to get them used to something new. Your sister may need to experiment with different times for trying to introduce the bottle. She may be more receptive to it early in the day than later... or when she is more awake than sleepy or vice versa. Oh, and as far as bottles/nipples, we used the Playtex VentAire. There is one that was called Natural Touch or something like that (sorry I don't remember) that is supposed to be better for breatfed babies.

Hi B.,
We had the same advice from our doctor for my first son and he didn't like it at one month either. It wasn't until about 2 1/2 months that he took it (and I was glad because I had to return to work when he was 3 months). Babies are only 'newborn' for such a short time. I would tell your sister not to worry about it and that the baby will take it when she needs to. Enjoy being an auntie ~ it's the best! :)

Neither one of my kids took a bottle. Just means Mommy gets to be the EVERYTHING!! Wish her luck!! :)

I believe she is asking for suggestions.... I didnt see anywhere in her post "Please give me your personl opinion about bottlefeeding infants?" an last time I checked... baby bottes were not evil.

To the otriginal poster.... the only thing I can suggest isto eeryng and try different bottles..... I had the best luck with avent bottles when switching my kids over.... Also Soothie Bottles.

I had the same problem with my daughter, trying to get her to take the bottle before I went back to work. I found that having my husband try instead of myself worked better, and we also found that only trying for about 5-10 minutes at a time every hour, not forcing it on her continually. That just made her have more of an aversion to it. It was hard for me because I really just wanted to give in and breast feed her. I also found a nipple that was more like mine. She ended up liking the playtex bottle and nipples. I got a lot of help reading the baby whisperer book. And don't worry she still much prefers breast feeding over the bottle. I hope this works for you.

I know that my pediatrician advised me to get my son used to the bottle before 4 months- if you wait too long they can fail to develop the skill, or in my son's case _forget_ it. He was great at the bottle at 6 weeks, good at 3months, and at 5 months when I actually needed him to take the bottle he just chewed it, no matter how hungry he was. I've tried all sorts of things, and at this point am mainly just using sippy cups that have the suction valve pulled out, but... here is my advice-
try the Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate bottle it feels and works a lot like the breast, and comes in different speeds/stages.... My son actually will drink from it, which is pretty remarkable.

if the bottle never works out for your niece- the Munchkin sippy cup works really well too!

Try the playtex nurser with the drop in bag (easy to just put a breast milk storage bag in once thawed and warmed under warm water) and the brown latex nipple. My kids were picky too and never took bottles on a consistent basis, but if given no other options they would take this one. They hated the Avent bottles (unfortunately what I had stocked up on) - the nipples were too stiff, I think, and not like a real boob at all. Nice thing is, the playtex one is cheap - and no bottles to wash! Just toss the bag when finished and wash the nipple.

Mine last one was that way. She wouldn't take the bottle until about 4 months old. Now she only will take it when I am not around. If I am anywhere within about 50 feet of her, or she just hears my voice or sees me period, she will refuse it. She has no problem taking it when I am not around though. Yours may do the same or may go straight to a cup. My oldest daughter did that. She started drinking from a cup I held for her at 4 1/2 months old. My boys loved the bottle, breast, sippy...it didn't matter as long as it was food. :) Good Luck!

First off, keep trying, althouth I don't think it's necessary at 1 month old. There is pleanty of time to keep introducing the bottle. It's going to be important for your sister to be able to get away for short periods of time and not be worried the whole time. Also, she should try having someone else bottle feed the baby. Babies are pretty smart, and if mommy is feeding her she is going to expect the breast. Mommy can also try a small bottle and position the baby in the same position as breastfeeding, with the bottle at the breast. The other thing is that all nipples are not the same. She should look for something that has her own shape so that it is more familiar to the baby. Good luck to her. I had problems getting my son to take a bottle, but once he got the hang of it it was nice to be able to get out for a few hours without concern about whether or not he was going to get hungry and not be able to eat.

try alot of diffrent nipples.....
my youngest still hates big bottles and most nipples.
good luck...

I wouldn't start a bottle this early at all... most don't ever have the need for a bottle...... if you still want too my friends all waited until they were at least 6 months of age.... if you get so sick that you can't nurse the baby, then do the bottle, and let someone else said they will get when they need too.... or hungry enough

A month old is a bit young to take a bottle. Three months might a better age to try to introduce a bottle. At one month you can get wicked nipple confusion. At this point you should be concetrating on getting the baby used to nursing, which is hard enough without trying to introduce a bottle.
Things that may help with the bottle when it is time, get a slow nipple that is short. Mix whatever you are feeding the baby with some breast milk to make it more likely for the baby to want to eat it.
Good luck!

We used Dr. Brown's bottles they have a preemie flow nipple. I breast feed and supplement some when needed due to my supply. The Avent bottles were way too fast for both my children, the preemie flow seems to work well for us. My 5mo is still breast fed and we still use the preemie nipple so it doesn't come out too fast.

We have a 3 1/2 month old who had to take the bottle right away due to my schedule. We ended up trying 3 different bottle types till we found the one he liked. My whole mom circle uses the avent. I was very dissapointed because I had wanted to use glass not plastic.

My advice would be for her not to listen to her doctor! La Leche League advises that newborns not be started on a bottle until at least 3 weeks old, and a month old may just be too soon. If your friend has no immediate need for a bottle then her baby is smart! No need to introduce something which has the very high potential of interferring with breastfeeding. Babies who take bottles can decide that bottle feeding takes less effort and muscle action that nursing and will decrease their nursing. Decreased nursing is basically weaning in progress, which is great when both parties are ready, but can be hard if the baby begins to prefer a bottle and weans very early, also if the baby is nursing less, the milk supply drops and then it can be harder to pump to fill the bottles. Remember that the longer an infant nurses, the longer they receive rich brain building compounds that formula cannot duplicate and both mom and baby receive beneficial hormones produced while nursing and mom's risk of breast cancer decreases. So many positives!! everyone wants what is best for their babe and doctors have authority out there, but many are not up to date on new research, have no training or experience with nursing moms, and some are just plain patriarcal and think a bottle is more appropriate .. Anyways best of luck and check out websites or books from La Leche League ( who also if you look in the phone book has a local lactation consultant who is on call to answer nursing/bottle questions or even visit you) also Mothering magazine has lots of resouces and links to helpful sites..take care

I think this is a really personal decision. My 8 1/2 month old just started taking a bottle at six months. I tried and tried to get her to take one at 4-5 weeks and she wouldn't have anything to do with it.

Each woman has different reasons for wanting their child to take a bottle or not wanting to introduce it. For us, I felt like we introduced it too late. I think she was use to breast-feeding and didn't want anything else. Why did she suddenly take it at six months? My best guess is she had an ear infection and wouldn't nurse, so I tried a bottle in desparation - and SURPRISE - she took it. Now at 8 1/2 months she doesn't seem to have a problem with it, but we only do about 1 a day.

Some kids will switch back and forth and others won't ever take a bottle. I wished my child would have taken a bottle sooner, so I would've been able to get out a bit more.

My recommendation is to call a lactation consultant at her hopsital or consult www.kellymom.com or La Leche League. I got all sorts of good tips from a Lactation Consultant at the hospital. Over the period of a few months we tried multiple bottles, nipples, different people giving her the bottle, and other techniques. In the end none of them worked, but at least I felt like we tried everything.

In the end, it was my daughters decision to take one at the age of six months. If your friend doesn't see it as an issue now or into the future, than tell her not to worry about it!

Good Luck!

I am in the same boat as your sister. I have a four month old that won't take the bottle either. I have tried about 3 different bottles. If anyone has any advice it would be great. One thing I haven't tried is pumping and putting the milk in a little glass, they supposedly will take it from there, but I haven't tried yet. Good luck. Thanks

A one-month old is at a good age to learn a bottle. Trying different types of nipples might work. If she just won't take one, then it may be a losing battle. I have always been able to leave my breastfed babies for a couple of hours between feedings. By the time my first was six months old he would take a sippy cup, so if your sister waits 5 or 6 months her baby will probably be able to use a cup or eat small amounts of solids and could be left with some other way to feed her. With both of my kids I've always been able to nurse wherever we are (even in a correctional facility!) and I've never "needed" to feed them any other way.

You shouldn't introduce babies that are breastfed a bottle till they are at least six weeks because it can cause nipple confusion. I wouldn't sweat it, we never needed a bottle for my son, but they will eat if they are hungry, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. There are lots of shapes out there, and she may need to try several before she finds one. Avent are good ones to try for nursing babies, they are shaped more like mom.

I might be old fashioned but I'd ignore the doctor. I nursed all four of my children until they weaned themselves, at approximately 12-15 months and then they went straight to a sippy cup. We were able to work through every situation that arose during those short months, and my opinion, based upon 20 years now of parenting, is that going back & forth from nursing to a bottle can be very confusing for baby.

Good Luck,
D. P.

i nursed my son for 81/2months and he never took a bottle. when i had to stop nursing he went nearly two days with out eating because he did not want anything to do with the bottle. i then had him on formula until he turned 1years old. i dont think it was a big deal but i was a stay at home mom. one thing you could try is to dip the nipple in breast milk. they do have nipples that are suppose to simulate the breast, those are the ones my son took. if changing nipples doesnt work try going from a a regular bottle to the ones that take bags or the other way around depending on what your using now. good luck

My doctor told me the same thing...and my baby just wouldn't take it. When she was almost 1 year old, we decided it was time to stop nursing. We pumped at first, and then switched her to milk. The first cow milk bottle she had was actually 4 oz. of skim milk (it's all I had in the house...) with two teaspoons of sugar, microwaved for 30 seconds. She downed it, and never looked back. (We switched to whole milk, no sugar, the next day.) I think when the baby is ready, he'll go for it. It's really hard to "train" babies to do anything...

Hi,

If she is already a year old I would recommend trying to transition to a sippy instead of a bottle. Then she won't have to make another transition later. I know a lot of moms of breastfed babies (mine included) whose babies don't respond to a bottle but do respond to the Nuby sippy with the straw.

Good Luck.

M.

B.,

I have a 6 month old son who also resisted taking the bottle. I had to go back to work so we had to get him on the bottle. I still breasfeed, while i am at home, but when I'm away, he is bottlefed.

There are a fewthings.
a) Keep trying
b) Breasfed babies , when they are offered the bottle may want to completely differenciate the feeding experience if they aren ot getting the breast.

My son eventually took the bottle by us putting him in the swing or under a mobile or just plain laying down with a pilow under his head. Some days he still does not want to be held while taking the bottle, but he will take it if you are not holding him.

c) Temperature of the milk : babies sometimes want warmer milk - even though they say give a bottle at room temp. sometimes if you warm it up a little more than that, they tend to take it more easily.

To give you and idea about temp, try pumping your milk and see the temp -its definitely warmer than room temperature.

Breastfeeding is wonderful, but its not a bad thing to introduce a bottle, this is the right age to start - the older they get, the harder it is.

Good luck!

V.

Having worked with lactation consultants a one month old is entirely too young to introduce a bottle as pacifiers and artificial nipples can interfere/ Your sister is still establishing a nursing routine during this precious time and should wait until after eight weeks.

Here is a good website:

http://www.breastfeedingtaskforla.org/resources/breastfee...

I wish her good luck!

Keep breastfeeding. Babies that are breast fed until the age of 2 are healthier. Breast fed kids visit the doctor less often. Do not have the ear infections that bottle fed babies do. Breast fed babies get immunities from their mothers and get sick less often. Breast fed babies are less likely to have food allergies. Breast feed your baby until they are at least 2 years of age.

Hello B.,
Have you ever heard of a "NUK" nipple...well they have them in the newborn size and up. They are a VERY funny shape, but according to the manufactors, they are the same shape that your nipple looks like in your baby's mouth. When my children were little, I used these nipples for each child (x3) and had NO problem with the change over from breast feeding to bottle feeding. She can use furmula, which I used a "soy based" formula...PROSOBEE or Isomil,(I used the "soy" formula because my children had a "Throwing up excessively..instead of throwing /burbing up just a little..I think my children were slightly Lacrose intolerant) And had no dificulties. I used the concentrated formula that you mixed with water, (the powdered brand didn't seem to mix well)...I also continued to pump milk whenever I could. I also would let my babies drink some "WATER" in their bottle once in a while throughout the day......My children ended up REALLY liking the water. I also NEVER put juice in the bottle...ONLY water of Milk. At night, once their teeth starting coming in, because my children LOVED water, by this time, I would ONLY put water in their bottle when they were READY or close to going to bed...first the milk, then washed down with water.
Hope this helps you.,Aloha, L.

My daughter is almost two months old and she is breastfed and we had a hard time getting her to take her bottle too...i thought it might be the nipple so we tried a few different types of bottles and we found out that it wasn't the bottle itself it was what was in the bottle.

Having the same problem.

I had to stop breastfeeding my youngest when she was a month old due to a metabolic disorder. Like your niece, she simply didn't want to make the transition. I found that the platex bottle with the hard siilicone dome shaped nipple (shaped most like the breast) was the only bottle that she was accept. It also took a lot of patience coaxing her. Personally, unless your sister is planning on returning to work soon, I don't see any reason to introduce a bottle yet as it could lead to nipple confusion and your niece may end up giving up the breast sooner than your sister planned on.

I think getting her to take a bottle takes patience. Offer her the bottle consistently. She will eventually catch on. My daughter did have to try different shapes to find one that my granddaughter took more easily. But that takes patience too. Stick with the same nipple several times.

I wouldn't think of getting her to take a bottle Too seriously. Her baby will drink when she's hungry no matter the source. She may miss a feeding but she'll probably take the next feeding. In fact she may need the experience of feeling hungry for her to be willing to try the bottle.

I took my granddaughter to the ER with a severe asthma attack. Mama wasn't with us. She was still breast feeding. My granddaughter did take the bottle with only a little bit of protest.

I would not give her a bottle! You do not need to, I breastfeed 4 children and felt no need to give them a bottle. And if your doc is not being supportive of your choice to exclusively breastfeed I would find a new doc. Breastfeeding is the most beautiful thing and one of many choices that you are going to make as a mother and yes it takes a little time but in the long run it is most worth the effort!!! Good Luck and keep breastfeeding!!!

Wow what a back wards doctor. Its really no wonder why so many woman do have problems breastfeeding with advice like that. If there isn't a need to give the baby a bottle I wouldn't introduce one. Thats just setting a woman up for failure. Babies are smart and they know that a plastic nipple isn't mommy.

She may have to try a few different type/shape of nipples. Also use breastmilk and don't wait until the baby is really hungry. It is best to have someone else give her the bottle (when she is with mommy she will prefer the breast). If the baby gets really upset, don't force it and just try again another day. Good luck!

don't force anything like that. children know (even infants) what they want when they want it. if mom really wants to try bottles so she can get some rest there are bottles that are shaped like a breast. that might be worth a try. Good Luck

Tell you sister to get a new doctor! As long and mom and baby are happy breastfeeding there is no need to do bottles at all. My youngest child NEVER took a bottle. Went right from the breast to a sippy cup. My middle child didn't mind the bottle after about 3 months old. But of course he had to because I went back to work. My oldest child didn't take a bottle until 6 months and he fought it like crazy. (Again I went back to work.) The only way I could get either of my oldest children to take a bottle was to get ones with wide, soft, short nipples that were as close as you could get to a breast. I think it is harder for the babies to get milk from a bottle because it doesn't have the natural flow of a breast. Those rubber nipples feel foreign in their mouths and the standard nipples always made my babies gag because they are so tall and go down into their throats too far.

B.,
My answer can be one word: DON'T!!!!! Her little girl needs to be more established in breastfeeding before introducing a bottle, IF that ever becomes necessary (hopefully it won't). Sounds like another doc who does not trust breastfeeding and undermines it rather than becoming informed about it. Skip the bottle and consider switching docs to one who actually respects breastfeeding.
E.

I introduced my kids to a bottle at exactly 6 weeks. It is a little freeing to know that you baby will take a bottle if need be. The only thing I would suggest is that the baby be good and hungry and that the mother does not introduce the bottle. That baby can smell her and her milk from a mile away and if there is any stress or anxiety about this the baby can sense that as well. Mommy needs to leave and have someone else (Daddy, Grandma, Aunt) give the bottle. We used to have to take our son outside for distraction in order for him to take it, but as soon as he realized he was getting food it wasn't a problem. I think there is a fine line of introducing the bottle too soon and waiting to long in order to have a good transition. My pediatrician told me between
4-6 weeks and I opted to waited as long as I could just to make sure we had a real good handle on breastfeeding. Good luck!

I tried the same thing with my daughter before she was a month old. She would not have anything to do with any bottles or pacifiers. I bought every nipple made that was most like mom's breast, but she would not give in. Breastfeeding was so important to me, so I chose to stick with it. I couldn't go far from her for too long after each feeding, but it only lasted a year. She went to a sippie cup at one year old. Good luck to you.

Keep trying! 4-6 weeks is the ideal time, unless she'll never have to leave the baby then she could just only breastfeed. But that gets hectic around 7 months when you can't leave the baby without feeling guilty that someone else has to force the bottle or cup. Try different bottles too. The Gerber or Medela ones have a slimmer nipple than the Avent. Are you putting breastmilk in the bottle or formula? My son liked his bottles HOT not even a little cool so it was hotter than I would have chosen but not burn (be careful!). My 1 year old had 10 bottles his entire first year. Not the most fun so tell her to hang in there...but don't give up the breastfeeding. Good luck.

B.,
Please don't worry about the baby not taking a bottle. I breast feed all three of my sons until they were 15 months and they had the same problem when I tried to introduce a bottle of water. But when I had to leave them in the care of my mother, they took the bottle just fine. Personally I believe that breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do for a child and not to hurry. If she needs to go out, just plan her trips around the feeding schedules. Keep a bottle of breast milk in the frig, in case she is late and go with the flow.
It is more important that she give the baby a good start with breastfeeding then anything else, time will fly and before you know it the problem is over.

The Dr. is a quack! If this baby needs a bottle, which it shouldn't for a very long time, it will learn to take it or go hungry. Babies are very smart and when the time comes that it doesn't need the breast, it will be fine. Do NOT introduce the bottle so soon. Enjoy the breastfeeding and bonding directly with the baby. Every woman has the right to breastfeed as long as they want and never bring a bottle into the picture. I did for 15 months and don't regret a moment of my time with my now 4 year old son! Keep up the good work and don't worry about the bottle!