BB refuses to drink formula or breastmilk from milk bottle!"
- Thread starter olivia
- Start date
sophia_rebekah
New Member
hi NCC
My baby was like that when I tried to introduce to him a new way from drinking via the bottle other than from the breast at about 5 months plus of age. He "fought" with me, cried and cried till I gave up and gave in with the breast. It really needs lots of patience. Thankfully I had an aunt who helped babysit during the school holidays and when I tried one night again to bottle feed him, he took to it quite well. I've sucessfully weaned him off the breast since 6.5 months and he's now on bottle and FM. My boy is 10 months old already.
Maybe you can try to ask a relative who is patient and been through the weaning process to help you out abit?
My baby was like that when I tried to introduce to him a new way from drinking via the bottle other than from the breast at about 5 months plus of age. He "fought" with me, cried and cried till I gave up and gave in with the breast. It really needs lots of patience. Thankfully I had an aunt who helped babysit during the school holidays and when I tried one night again to bottle feed him, he took to it quite well. I've sucessfully weaned him off the breast since 6.5 months and he's now on bottle and FM. My boy is 10 months old already.
Maybe you can try to ask a relative who is patient and been through the weaning process to help you out abit?
cherylsiah
New Member
Hi,
I have read that it's easier to get another carer to feed ur child breastmilk from the bottle, cos once they smell u they rather breastfeed direct. I have also read that you can use a small spoon to feed ur child but may take a long time or need loads of patience. How old is your bb, maybe he/she is not ready to wean yet.
You wanna call Breastfeeding Monther's Support Group for help? 6339 3558
I have read that it's easier to get another carer to feed ur child breastmilk from the bottle, cos once they smell u they rather breastfeed direct. I have also read that you can use a small spoon to feed ur child but may take a long time or need loads of patience. How old is your bb, maybe he/she is not ready to wean yet.
You wanna call Breastfeeding Monther's Support Group for help? 6339 3558
hi, my baby was like that too and i was desperate cos i had to go on biz trip. She was about 10 weeks old then.
2 weeks before trip, i got another care giver, MIL, to feed. For the first few days, baby rather starve herself than to take bottle. In fact she only drank about 100 to 200 ml a day for a few days. So heartache. Got to a point baby will just cry, clamp her mouth and fall asleep.
I was really worried. Brought to PD. PD say don't worry as long as they drink some. Babies apparently have stored enough fats to keep them alive i was told.
Anyway, it took a lot of tears, patience and perseverence. In the end managed to get baby to drink from bottle in the day when I am at work. But when i am around, baby refuses bottle. Will nurse. So keep perservering! Mix breast milk with formula when baby starts getting used to bottle. then add more formula milk to get baby used to new taste.
Good luck!
2 weeks before trip, i got another care giver, MIL, to feed. For the first few days, baby rather starve herself than to take bottle. In fact she only drank about 100 to 200 ml a day for a few days. So heartache. Got to a point baby will just cry, clamp her mouth and fall asleep.
I was really worried. Brought to PD. PD say don't worry as long as they drink some. Babies apparently have stored enough fats to keep them alive i was told.
Anyway, it took a lot of tears, patience and perseverence. In the end managed to get baby to drink from bottle in the day when I am at work. But when i am around, baby refuses bottle. Will nurse. So keep perservering! Mix breast milk with formula when baby starts getting used to bottle. then add more formula milk to get baby used to new taste.
Good luck!
hi NCC, my gal also like that when i started working part-time. b4 that i 'trained' her for a few days, but always end up giving her my breast. but i realised that if it's me who's feeding her, sure unsuccessful! if it's my MIL who's feeding her, after she fusses for a few minutes, she'll start to drink BM from bottle, but usually only 2oz at one go, so we give her 2oz, after an hr, give her another 2 oz. someitmes she would rather go without milk for 5 hrs straight, wait until i get back from work! (i only work in the afternoon). my gal is now 3 months old, and this week, she's more receptive to bottle feed.
maybe u can ask ur husband or relative to help you to bottle feed her. they say babies can 'smell' their mummies, so maybe that's why i can never feed my gal from bottle. but i never had this problem with my son when he was a bb.
maybe u can ask ur husband or relative to help you to bottle feed her. they say babies can 'smell' their mummies, so maybe that's why i can never feed my gal from bottle. but i never had this problem with my son when he was a bb.
blackforestluv
Member
Hi all, my baby is already coming 9 mths old and still want direct bfing. I tried all sort of ways, but just can't get her to drink formula/breastmilk from bottle.
I get my mum to feed her, and I was hiding somewhere. BUT once she sees the bottle, she will fuss and turn her head away. Sigh...I've been trying ever since when she's 3 mths old...but she always win the battle.
I get my mum to feed her, and I was hiding somewhere. BUT once she sees the bottle, she will fuss and turn her head away. Sigh...I've been trying ever since when she's 3 mths old...but she always win the battle.
Hi smlow,
My hb tried to feed her, but she kept crying until he also got frustrated.
Yesterday, I managed to bottle feed her and she drank 60ml. After that, kept playing with the bottle. What a mischievous gal!
Hi Mrs Tan,
Yes you are right. My gal will fuss and turn her head away once she sees the bottle. I have to keep praising and encouraging her before she starts to drink soon.
Guess every babies is different in their own unique ways.
My hb tried to feed her, but she kept crying until he also got frustrated.
Yesterday, I managed to bottle feed her and she drank 60ml. After that, kept playing with the bottle. What a mischievous gal!
Hi Mrs Tan,
Yes you are right. My gal will fuss and turn her head away once she sees the bottle. I have to keep praising and encouraging her before she starts to drink soon.
Guess every babies is different in their own unique ways.
happymum123
New Member
I had the same problem when my bb was 2 mths old when I first started to intro bottle to her. Before that, I latched her on totally. What I did was to pump out fresh breastmilk and immediately give my MIL to feed her. Cos i heard that breastmilk kept in fridge and freezer taste a bit differently. Only when she accepted the bottle then I give her milk kept in the fridge. But not the frozen milk, till now she still doesn't like frozen breastmilk. I also cut the teat hole to make it bigger. Sometimes bb doesn't like the bottle cos the flow is too slow for them. So they will drink only a bit enough to fill their stomach, then will not want to suck anymore.
hope this helps.
hope this helps.
hearing so much from all of here... I'm considered very fortunate... actually I was breastfeeding partially form the beginning cos milk supply was low then... plus my mum and aunt wants to help to feed etc... so express and feed via bottle since birth... so my boy has got no problems with the bottle and still latch on until he get curious and refused to latch on at 9mths.(partial BF - 5mths and total BF 4mths)
Guess u'll have to start early if u want to wean off ur baby. otherwise, it's like us adults, when we have a habit, it'll be hard to break the habit.
try getting somebody else like the person ur baby likes most (besides u) to feed them... it does helps cos they might recognise u and ur smell if u're near.
All the best, mummies... jia you!
Guess u'll have to start early if u want to wean off ur baby. otherwise, it's like us adults, when we have a habit, it'll be hard to break the habit.
try getting somebody else like the person ur baby likes most (besides u) to feed them... it does helps cos they might recognise u and ur smell if u're near.
All the best, mummies... jia you!
i am trying to wean my month old boy now. having much difficulty as he refused bottle when he was 3 months altho he was on bottle and breastfeed since 2 weeks. i have tried many milk bottles and many sippy cups. but only to realise one day that he was interested in the milo i was sipping with straw. i then used straw to feed him milk and succeeded. i am still in midst of weaning and can sense he wants breastmilk now and then. still persevering...
wow. so glad i chanced upon this thread.
my bb 7m old still rejecting bottle too. takes between 0-200ml of BM from bottle/cup a day while i'm at work.
erm... those mommies who succeeded in weaning... HOW was it achieved?
my bb now a bit constipated cos drinks too little during the day n sweats a lot
my bb 7m old still rejecting bottle too. takes between 0-200ml of BM from bottle/cup a day while i'm at work.
erm... those mommies who succeeded in weaning... HOW was it achieved?
my bb now a bit constipated cos drinks too little during the day n sweats a lot
blueydoo
Member
Hi mummies,
Can you all share if you have any luck in getting your babies to drink fm from the bottle? I desperately want to wean my son off bm and introduce him to fm. But he simply refuses. He's 6.5 months and I just started him on solids.
He will even refuse the Nestle cereal I bought because he can smell/taste the formula in the cereal. I have to go on a biz trip in 3 weeks time and I really want to get him on fm. My supply is also dwindling.
Any of you use the starving method? It seems abit cruel, but everyone I talk to tell me when babies are hungry they will automatically drink whatever you give them. How long did it take for you to achieve?? Days? Weeks? Months?
Can you all share if you have any luck in getting your babies to drink fm from the bottle? I desperately want to wean my son off bm and introduce him to fm. But he simply refuses. He's 6.5 months and I just started him on solids.
He will even refuse the Nestle cereal I bought because he can smell/taste the formula in the cereal. I have to go on a biz trip in 3 weeks time and I really want to get him on fm. My supply is also dwindling.
Any of you use the starving method? It seems abit cruel, but everyone I talk to tell me when babies are hungry they will automatically drink whatever you give them. How long did it take for you to achieve?? Days? Weeks? Months?
hi mummies,
i'm also facing the same problem!
It is not the first time my bb drinks from bottle, NOR the first time she tried FM, all along since 2nd mth, i've been doing partial BF and my bb doesn't fuss with the bottle.
Only @ ard 6mth, bb started to reject taking milk frm bottle. I tried many brands and sizes of teats, also no use. Even the caregiver also cannot make her drink frm bottle. she will only take milk direct from B or FM via spoon. But i find the latter very troublesome, time consuming and the milk gets cold fast, heard people say will have more "wind" if use spoon to drink milk.
i'm still struggling. i'm also running out of ideas.
Blueydoo,
my caregiver also tried the starving method... only sometimes work, and my bb only willing to take abt 100ml, then reject again. then next feed, reject bottle again.
i'm also facing the same problem!
It is not the first time my bb drinks from bottle, NOR the first time she tried FM, all along since 2nd mth, i've been doing partial BF and my bb doesn't fuss with the bottle.
Only @ ard 6mth, bb started to reject taking milk frm bottle. I tried many brands and sizes of teats, also no use. Even the caregiver also cannot make her drink frm bottle. she will only take milk direct from B or FM via spoon. But i find the latter very troublesome, time consuming and the milk gets cold fast, heard people say will have more "wind" if use spoon to drink milk.
i'm still struggling. i'm also running out of ideas.
Blueydoo,
my caregiver also tried the starving method... only sometimes work, and my bb only willing to take abt 100ml, then reject again. then next feed, reject bottle again.
I just delivered to my 2nd baby in May... initially she also refuse bottle... in the end we found that she refuse formula milk actually. and she also dun like the NUK and Pigeon normal teat.
My fren suggested Pigeon Peristaltic teat and since then, my problem has been solved....
my girl is more fussy than my boy so watever balance of the bottles and teats from my boy cant be use on her at all.
My fren suggested Pigeon Peristaltic teat and since then, my problem has been solved....
my girl is more fussy than my boy so watever balance of the bottles and teats from my boy cant be use on her at all.
excitedparent
New Member
Dear mummies,
Same for my boy here when he was on TBF! Initially, he would rather go hungry than to drink from the bottle. It took us a week to let him learn.
We would put him in the sarong, and when he is about the sleep with eyes closed, we would stuff the bottle into his mouth. It works most of the time. Hope this will help you.
Same for my boy here when he was on TBF! Initially, he would rather go hungry than to drink from the bottle. It took us a week to let him learn.
We would put him in the sarong, and when he is about the sleep with eyes closed, we would stuff the bottle into his mouth. It works most of the time. Hope this will help you.
annedrew
Member
Hi,
Will baby prefer FM to expressed breastmilk? My girl have not tried FM b4 and she was on full BF til i went back to work. Now she is rejecting the bottle. My MIL and SIL says it may b she dun wan BM. Told me to buy FM for her to try. I dun feel comfortable with it. Any advice?
Will baby prefer FM to expressed breastmilk? My girl have not tried FM b4 and she was on full BF til i went back to work. Now she is rejecting the bottle. My MIL and SIL says it may b she dun wan BM. Told me to buy FM for her to try. I dun feel comfortable with it. Any advice?
blueydoo
Member
Hi Annedrew,
By full bf do you mean she was latching or full bf through the bottle? If she has been on full BF, it does not mean she prefers FM. She may be just cranky that you are not the one feeding her, or she can't latch on cos you're not around, or she may be going through a phase.
By full bf do you mean she was latching or full bf through the bottle? If she has been on full BF, it does not mean she prefers FM. She may be just cranky that you are not the one feeding her, or she can't latch on cos you're not around, or she may be going through a phase.
hi annedrew
i had the same problem - bb refused bottle. now my gal is 2+ yrs old. she never accepted the bottle altho we offered to her everyday until she learned to use the straw. she's been drinking milk with a straw since.
don't listen to your in-laws telling you baby doesn't want BM. since your baby has been on BM for months, u know she can take BM. anyway BM is good for baby, especially in the first 6 months. try to continue with BM as long as possible, then try FM progressively when you're ready to wean baby off BM.
you may want to check that your BM is stored and that baby's caregivers warmed/handled it properly. make sure it's not spoilt or smelling funny due to other food fumes in the fridge/freezer.
like what Blueydoo suggested - it could be that your bb misses you
that's natural cos baby had you till you went back to work.
you could try using different bottles/teats. avent and pigeon peristaltic have been recommended by many moms. just try all sorts of bottles/teats till u find one that your baby can get accustomed to.
good luck
i had the same problem - bb refused bottle. now my gal is 2+ yrs old. she never accepted the bottle altho we offered to her everyday until she learned to use the straw. she's been drinking milk with a straw since.
don't listen to your in-laws telling you baby doesn't want BM. since your baby has been on BM for months, u know she can take BM. anyway BM is good for baby, especially in the first 6 months. try to continue with BM as long as possible, then try FM progressively when you're ready to wean baby off BM.
you may want to check that your BM is stored and that baby's caregivers warmed/handled it properly. make sure it's not spoilt or smelling funny due to other food fumes in the fridge/freezer.
like what Blueydoo suggested - it could be that your bb misses you
you could try using different bottles/teats. avent and pigeon peristaltic have been recommended by many moms. just try all sorts of bottles/teats till u find one that your baby can get accustomed to.
good luck
cherylsiah
New Member
Don't worry, have a patient caregiver to feed bb instead, they wil get used to eat after a bit of crying. Don't be around if it stress you to watch her cry. BM is best for bb, she loves it too j doesn't like the bottle, trust me. I had to train my maid to feed him and I watched him cry, heart pain, but no choice cos I was going back. Anyway, he's now oredi 19 months n doing v well. Even now I am training him to drink fresh milk cos i am getting tired of the night feeds and my milk supply is dropping. He doesn't like the bottle or cup even and I just spoonfeed the whole amount. It takes me lots of time n patience, but no choice.
Don't give up your breastfeeding like that, it's not worth it.
Don't give up your breastfeeding like that, it's not worth it.
annedrew
Member
Ya... I am trying to continue to keep giving too! Just tt quite stress now as MIL keeps complaning bb not drinking, says that later bb wont grow....
But I will latch her on once reach home and oso for nite feeds and b4 i go to work...
Hard to try whether my BM got spoil coz norm by the time i reach home, she would have finish the feed.....
But I will latch her on once reach home and oso for nite feeds and b4 i go to work...
Hard to try whether my BM got spoil coz norm by the time i reach home, she would have finish the feed.....
cherylsiah
New Member
don't worry tt BM spoil, j store carefully. Fridge abt 4 deg (most home fridge) can store 3-4 days, freezer abt 3 mths; transpt via proper insulated bag wif ice pack 2-10 hrs depending on brand
U tk care n God Bless
U tk care n God Bless
My MIL did the same thing. Kept telling me to stop BF and give FM. When bb 4 months old, kept insisting that I start her on solids. They come from a generation where breastfeeding wasn't encouraged and babies ate lots of porridge.
I used to do what you're doing - baby drank very little milk during the day, but latched on as soon as I got home and BF every hour till bedtime (I suspect that's how baby filled up for bed. hehe). Also gave nite feeds.
So long as your bb is still within the normal weight and height range and hasn't suddenly lost significant weight (check with PD/doc), it's fine if she consumes less for a while. It could be a transition period cos you just went back to work. Keep monitoring her growth/progress.
Store your bottles of BM in an airtight container, so that the fumes from other food (especially raw meat) in the fridge will not go into the milk. Inform your bb's caregivers that thawed/warmed BM should be consumed within 1 hr. Throw away the balance after 1 hr. Thaw frozen milk in the fridge before the estimated feeding time. When it's time to feed, warm the thawed milk in warm (not hot/boiling) water.
You could just open a bottle of BM to check. I tasted and sniffed my own BM to check taste/smell. I figured that whatever I expect my bb to put in her mouth, I must be prepared to put in my own.
If the BM tastes/smells normal, most likely your bb is just rejecting the bottle. Try different bottles. Try feeding baby when she's half asleep. My bb was like that - only drank when half asleep. Another mommy on this thread also shared the same thing
I understand what you're going through cos it sounds very similar to my own experience. Take comfort in the fact that other babies have gone through the same thing and overcome the rejection phase
I used to do what you're doing - baby drank very little milk during the day, but latched on as soon as I got home and BF every hour till bedtime (I suspect that's how baby filled up for bed. hehe). Also gave nite feeds.
So long as your bb is still within the normal weight and height range and hasn't suddenly lost significant weight (check with PD/doc), it's fine if she consumes less for a while. It could be a transition period cos you just went back to work. Keep monitoring her growth/progress.
Store your bottles of BM in an airtight container, so that the fumes from other food (especially raw meat) in the fridge will not go into the milk. Inform your bb's caregivers that thawed/warmed BM should be consumed within 1 hr. Throw away the balance after 1 hr. Thaw frozen milk in the fridge before the estimated feeding time. When it's time to feed, warm the thawed milk in warm (not hot/boiling) water.
You could just open a bottle of BM to check. I tasted and sniffed my own BM to check taste/smell. I figured that whatever I expect my bb to put in her mouth, I must be prepared to put in my own.
If the BM tastes/smells normal, most likely your bb is just rejecting the bottle. Try different bottles. Try feeding baby when she's half asleep. My bb was like that - only drank when half asleep. Another mommy on this thread also shared the same thing
I understand what you're going through cos it sounds very similar to my own experience. Take comfort in the fact that other babies have gone through the same thing and overcome the rejection phase
cherylsiah
New Member
I don't fully agree about the part on you tasting it. Only reason is BM does have a fishy smell after storing in fridge/freezer (my older child complains of it when I had excess and made him drink cos he still falls sick often); freshly pumped milk has no smell tho. But bb is alright wif EBM as long as you follow storage instructions carefully. Don't worry too much
cherylsiah
New Member
I use spoon to feed for my second bb. He's fussy too.
shirley_ang20
New Member
Anyone instead in buying the breastflow first year bottles?
bluencream
Member
My baby also refuses the bottle. Now feeding her milk with a spoon *sigh* . Going to try her on the straw and see if that works or change to the Pigeon peristaltic teat as suggested by PP.
Hi Angie, try to continue to introduce bottle to your baby until she get used to it. I also faces the same problem, need to go through the hard way. Try NUK or medela or pigeon teat, get ur nanny/husband/in law, anyone except u to bottle feed the baby while u stay in the room away from the baby. Becos if you feed or u are near her, she smells ur milk and will not want the bottle. Nevermind if she kept crying non-stop, juz let her cry. when she had no choice, she will drink from the bottle and stop latching for few days until she is familiar with bottle. Once she get used to bottle, you can latch on again. I tried these methods advsed by PP and succeeded.
happymother2008
New Member
Hi all mummies,
My baby boy is born on Apr 2010..
I need advice..
Since day 1, I started total BF ( he also did not drink any water) until now. He does not even want bottle feed at all.
I tried to feed with EnfaLac or EBM him with bottle for the past 3 months but he does not even want to suck. Even water, he also dont want..
Causing me to keep taking leave as I should go back to work on 1 Aug..
Anyone face this and have solution for me??
Thanks in advance.
My baby boy is born on Apr 2010..
I need advice..
Since day 1, I started total BF ( he also did not drink any water) until now. He does not even want bottle feed at all.
I tried to feed with EnfaLac or EBM him with bottle for the past 3 months but he does not even want to suck. Even water, he also dont want..
Causing me to keep taking leave as I should go back to work on 1 Aug..
Anyone face this and have solution for me??
Thanks in advance.
ai_sakura
Member
Hi mummies, just wanted to share that I was BFing my girl until 27 months.. at first she was reluctant to take bottle too but we had to be more persistant than her and finally, she's happily taking bottle milk now.
If she didn't want bottle, we had to spoonfeed her, feed her through cup etc. Just wanted to encourage you to continue trying and don't give up, k?
Ai @ http://www.sakuraharuka.com
If she didn't want bottle, we had to spoonfeed her, feed her through cup etc. Just wanted to encourage you to continue trying and don't give up, k?
Ai @ http://www.sakuraharuka.com
Hi all,
I also had loads of problem weaning bb from bm. He fought really hard when I started at 3 months old.
What I did was to Start by intruoduciing rubber pacifier from pigeon. Then I start to pump and get someone else to feed him in between feeds about 1 ounce at first... At first he hated it but I kept changing my bottl and teats .. Kk nurse suggested the brown rubber teats that are really much softer. It sort of worked but thy need the tall narrow bottle. Hmm .. Try not to overheat the frozen bm .. Defrost early like a night before in the refreigerator .. Then warm milk in the warm water. That sort of got baby into drinkking it. But of course he cannot see me or else he will want to latch on. Yeah... Still latching on at 8 months .. Well .. Just started with 30 ml of fm with 90 ml of bm... He seems to like the taste of friso better.
I also had loads of problem weaning bb from bm. He fought really hard when I started at 3 months old.
What I did was to Start by intruoduciing rubber pacifier from pigeon. Then I start to pump and get someone else to feed him in between feeds about 1 ounce at first... At first he hated it but I kept changing my bottl and teats .. Kk nurse suggested the brown rubber teats that are really much softer. It sort of worked but thy need the tall narrow bottle. Hmm .. Try not to overheat the frozen bm .. Defrost early like a night before in the refreigerator .. Then warm milk in the warm water. That sort of got baby into drinkking it. But of course he cannot see me or else he will want to latch on. Yeah... Still latching on at 8 months .. Well .. Just started with 30 ml of fm with 90 ml of bm... He seems to like the taste of friso better.