How do I help my baby take the bottle?

Hi :-)

My boy is 100% breastfed and has been since he was born almost 5 months ago. However, I have to go back to work and therefore he has to take the bottle now. There is just one problem. Noah refuses the bottle. He vomits and makes 'ew' faces every time :-). What is a good way to do this gradually? I don't want to force him or wait for him to be starving to offer the bottle. I don't think that is the way to go. He is teething...so I put the nipple in the fridge but instead of sucking he just scratches his gums lol. His dad is the one giving him the bottle and I just leave the room but it isn't working. I have been pumping but I know eventually he will have to be given formula although I will keep him on breast milk as well until my supply is no more.  I bought organic formula so should I just try giving him that or do I keep trying breast milk in the bottle?. Please help!

[mol6541]

Going with breastmilk is always good.  What type of bottle are you using?  My sister in law had the same issue and I recommended her using the Playtex Nurser.  It's the closest bottle you'll find normally that feels like the breast.  You might try buying just one of several types of bottles to see which is going to work best for him.  I hope everything works out for you.  With my sister in law, her baby took the bottle the day before she went back to work.  It will happen it's just going to take a little time and work on both your parts to figure it out.

[PrettyKitty1]

I have two types of bottles: Dr Brown's and Tommee Tippee. No success with either so far.

[lil_sweet_thang]

bottles flow faster than breasts so he may b getting to much to fast i would try diff bottles and nipples with breast milk first and then mix in part formula and part bm also make sure the baby is burping enough if he is use to the breast he may b getting air around the nipple good luck

[Clysta]

Not to be negative or discourage, but some babies just never take one or the other. I've tried with my daughter for 2 months now and she hates them. I had left her with my husband and FIL for 5 hours and she screamed and would just choke on the milk and refused to drink it. Keep trying different nipples though. He may take one. When she was first born she took to the Born Free bottles really well and then rejected everything. People may tell you 'if they get hungry enough they'll take a bottle' but in personal experience..they don't.

[Ashelen]

Really?? The Tommee Tippee's haven't worked for you? that's so odd, they're VERY much like the breast....hm. Well, when I had to switch my son back and forth he went from breast to TT with no problem, but with my daughter it was breast and Soothie....you could always try that :-). I got the playtex nursers for my son initially but they're really only good (in my experience) for occasional feedings as the nipple collapses too easily under the efforts of a stronger latcher. I would recommend just trying several different bottles with slow flows...I would personally recommmend the Tommee Tippee's again, they are the closest to the breast that I've ever come across and I went through bottle after bottle with both kids before finding ones that worked.

Good luck! Oh, and - stick with breast milk as long as possible. the older Noah is when you have to transition him to formula, the better his digestion will handle it. You WILL have to slowly switch him onto it once you decide to, but the longer you wait the more mature his system will be. Formula once in awhile in the bottle won't harm him, but keep with the breastmilk as much as possible for now so your supply doesn't diminish early.

[tiredbuthappy]

Maybe you should try a nipple that is not like the breast, so he doesn't get mad that he's not getting the real thing? Just a thought.
If he is choking, I would go with a slow flow nipple. Also, if he is choking on it, I actually recommend the Nuk nipples, or similar orthodontic nipple. On the breast, he controls the flow. On the bottle, the milk just pours out. The hole on the Nuk is on top, so the flow is a little more controlled. It won't keep dripping into his mouth even if he isn't su.cking.
Also, just wanted to let you know that it IS possible to maintain a supply while pumping, as long as you have good pumping habits and a good pump. I had to exclusively pump and had no issues maintaining supply. Let me know if you need any pumping tips for at work or in general. Over on the BF forum, there are many of us who pumped either exclusively or parttime while we had to work.

[PrettyKitty1]

Ladies,

Thanks a lot for your sugestions. I will consider them strongly. However, many of them I've already tried. The Tommee Tippee nipples make the flow very slow and I have been giving him breast milk in the bottle. I will have to give him formula just because I work 12 hours and while I can always pump, with a busy job I know my supply will significantly decrease and he will have to be given formula. I wish I could exclusively breastfeed Noah until he decides to wean himself. I will, though, give him breast milk every day until my milk production stops. A little bit of breast milk is better than no breast milk at all.

I will continue to be patient and offer the bottle with breast milk and formula combined.  Do you guys think it's safe to mix the two in a bottle?

[tiredbuthappy]

It is safe to mix it in a bottle, although I preferred not to. I didn't want to waste any breastmilk if the baby didn't finish the bottle, so I always did breast milk first, and then added formula if she finished it.

[PrettyKitty1]

Got it! I will do that, then :-)

Thanks tired :-)