Breastfeeding perfectly but won’t bottle feed

At 5 months if shes working no more than 8ish hr shifts a sip cup & water would be fine, she can still get her milk needs from mum

Ladies I’ve loved every one of your posts. Never thought about all the different views. Thank you feeling much more relaxed now. DD and I went out last night and her partner was thrown into the deep end - now he understands how distressing it is for a Nana to deal with. Going to see how it goes. DD goes back to work when GD is 5 months old

When babies don't take to a bottle, it is often useful, if Mum can express some breastmilk, to dip the bottle's teat into it before offering it to the baby.

This is because babies use smell as well as taste and feel during the feeding experience.

It's bad enough when the "feeder" doesn't smell like Mummy or sound and feel like Mummy (which is essentially what makes babies feel comfortable and safe).

If the milk/teat doesn't smell/taste like "what I'm used to" as well, it's difficult for poor baby to understand what's going on in this essential part of its life.

Try it anyway.

My husband used to drape one of my milky T-shirts over his shoulder and chest if he needed to bottle feed our usually breastfed baby.

DS always refused a bottle, he wouldn't have a dummy in his mouth either. When he was about 10 months old he realised that drinking milk from a cup was much less effort than sucking it from a nipple.

The technique for getting milk from a teat and a nipple are different, I was told this by my midwife. If the bottle is not introduced early, the baby may not learn how to get the milk.

It sounds like your granddaughter doesn’t know how to feed from the bottle. I’d try using a feeding cup instead.

Many BF babies will not take bottle at all, ever and it is frustrating for them and worrying for the person trying it to make them. None of my DGC would accept any form of bottle. DGS1 and DGD used sippy cup and 360 cup from about 10 months - expressed breast milk. DGS2 was more of a worry as DD2 had to go back to work from 7 months and he refused everything - tried the sippy cups - all sorts, Dr Brown's bottles, syringes - was at HV for advice. Eventually he would drink from an actual glass. We had to take him to mummy's work to be fed sometimes. Now at 17 months he will take a bottle of EBM or full fat milk as well as water from sippy cup and 360 cup. Doesn't really need the bottle but just glad that he is drinking his milk! Poor soul has had the worst time with each tooth that eating anything requiring chewing has been a no no until the tooth is through so his milk is important.

I know Witzend it isn't for everyone for all sorts of reasons. I was babysitting DGD . I was left with a bottle of expressed milk plus a cold bottle of ready meal aptimil.
Baby only polished off both! DD was a bit insulted ? she kept asking me if she had really liked it because she hadn't taken to a bottle before..
She just likes her food. I told DD she should be glad to get a good eater

It was a struggle getting mine on to the bottle at about 5 months - I just didn't have enough milk and the endless feeding was exhausting- but they both took it eventually. Must say it was a great relief when they finally took a whole bottle and I knew they'd had enough.

Breastfeeding is all very well when it goes well but I do so dislike the evangelical 'Breastapo' who do their best to make any not entirely BFing mother feel guilty..

I had to get DS1 used to a lunchtime bottle at about 5 months when I went back to work, but it was devilish difficult. I persevered and he accepted it at least his child minder told me he did, but I continued to breast feed him morning and night until about 9 months.
Not an easy time looking back. He also began solids from around that time so he did not starve.

When DS1 was around 3 months, we had to go house-hunting and had to leave him with sister-in-law. I knew he wouldn't take a bottle from me, but luckily he had no such qualms with her.

Breast fed babies can be worse than exclusive bottle fed babies at gulping down too much and getting wind and distressed if they DO use a bottle too

Well bottles will be stressful if the baby hates it, and if the rationalle is to prepare for going back to work well that is misguided. A 6/12 month old can stay exclusively breastfed even if mum is away during the day.

If mum didnt WANT to breastfeed, that would be different

Are you feeding expressed mum's milk or formula?

You are totally right - dad should take over bottle feeding- as babies will more often than not associate mum's smell with BF. He is being 100% unhelpful- but I cannot imagine how you can interfere- at your peril.

Only newborns (till 4/6 months) who are going to be away from mum for more than an hour or two NEED bottles when away from mum if they normally breast feed.

I mean if they go to nursery/childcare

Once they can eat snacks and drink from a cup they can get all their milk needs at home when picked up. No bottle required.

Unless she is going back to work when baby is 2/3ish months there will never be a need to get it used to the bottle!

Breastfed babies from 6ish months on can have a breastfeed in the morning then have water in the day and breastfeed at night. No need for bottles.

Try a doidy cup. A natural transisiton from breast to cup without resorting to teatsI have used them with very young babies when working in hospital

Totally agree with Tanith

Seriously, would you want a nasty rubber teat thrust into your mouth when you are used to a small soft nipple. neither of my children ever touched a bottle,; I breast fed to ten months and six months, and both happily graduated to a 'sippy' cup.if that is what they are called.
Depending on when your daughter has to go back to work, I would encourage her to breast feed as close to the date as she can, and introduce liquid in a cup rather than a bottle.
Both mine coped, and they both settled well at night so I didn't have to give several night feeds whilst I was feeding. It is a short precious time; make the most of it if she can.

I breastfed DS. One night I had a stomach upset and DH tried him with a bottle - total waste of time, so I had to feed him myself anyway. I did start him with gluten-free baby rice quite early, but just mixed a teaspoon or so and he just tasted it.

I suppose, Abuelana, that it rather depends on when your DD is going back to work. If GD is going to be 9 months or more, there's plenty of time to get her used to a bottle. Moreover, the bottle isn't really going to be a problem because by that stage, if she won't take it, a feeder cup should supplement solids during the time that you have her.

sorry not minibo ..this

Minbie - award winning baby bottle teats

minbie.co.uk

try a different bottle /teat shape.I think Minibo is the make recommended for breastfed babies that need bottle fed as its more realistic.I'll double check for you.

Just leave them to sort it out Abuelana. I would like to say IF babies are hungry enough they will take a bottle...but was proved wrong with one of mine! Despite using every shape, size and texture of teats plus perseverance and trying with spoons/cups etc ....he refused all! Some will adapt to both and others won't. Time will tell with yours but in meantime just leave it to her parents to suss out.

Mine wouldn’t take a bottle so I put the milk in a cup and very gently poured the milk into her mouth. It worked. I think I started this when she was about 2 months old.

Our number 2 son refused a bottle. I thought it might have been because it was I who was giving it, so I left him with my mother while I went to the hairdresser. I returned home to an untouched bottle and a screaming child!
Mind you, in those days we were ‘ allowed’ to give baby rice etc much younger, and I didn’t go out to work, so I could escape occasionally!