[Loz07]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any tips to help get 3.5 mo to take EBM? She used to take a bottle as early on we were doing top ups, but we got a little slack and now the last few times we have tried she either hasn't taken it, or does but not for long...

I did try this afternoon a medium teat but with no luck. Will try that again, and will also try with freshly expressed milk, but anything else ppl have found successful?

Thanks

[libb81]

I started giving a bottle of ebm when my dd was 2.5 months. She uses the pigeon teats, med flow and I started at the dream feed and she was taking it in semi-awake so didn't realize. Not sure if that would help?

[LifesGood]

You may get advice to try this teat or that teat or when the baby is very hungry/not hungry and so on (and you should try all the different options) but the one thing I found that worked when my baby started rejecting the bottle was the 'distraction technique'.

This involved letting her lie under her toy arch and play a bit when she was neither tired nor starving, and then while she was relaxed and distracted slipping the bottle in to her mouth.

She started sucking and kept sucking. Such a relief.

FWIW I used Pigeon peristaltic teats (newborn size).

Good luck, IMHO if you persist with trying eventually your baby will accept the bottle again. Once she does, make sure you swap regularly between breast and bottle to keep her flexible. I used to give each of my babies one bottle of EBM each day (or night as the case may be) to keep them in practice.

[jdevine]

Another tip is to get someone other than you to give it to her until she is used to it. If you try and do it she may resist as she wants the real thing and it is there.

[Loz07]

Hi, thanks for the suggestions. I don't do a dream feed, so I can't try that, and the last couple of times we have tried has included my DH and in-laws... Admittedly that was with the slow flow teat tho. When I tried today she was reasonably hungry, but it was me giving it to her.

And I don't actually know what teats they are... They fit ameda bottles (pump, bottles and teats all gifted 2nd hand). I do have a nuk bottle/teat and an avent one too so I might play around.

I like the sound of the distraction technique (especially as she will generally suck on anything - fingers, fists, cloths, car seat... Not dummy tho!) so might give that a go

Will take any other tips too :-)

[Glowworm80]

My 10 week old is exactly the same. Totally rejects the bottle. I have tried avent, tommee tippee, no name brand and she spits them out. She also won't take a dummy (have about 10 different brands and shapes) but will suck her hands or my finger.

Someone recommended the medela calma teat. I bought it today and will try it this weekend. Really hope this one works:-)

[CharliMarley]

Could you try a little open cup or a large syringe from the chemist. They just sip the milk from the cup and gradually get it, but sometimes babies will NOT take a bottle teat.

[lucky 2]

The link below has information on alternative methods of feeding a breast fed baby.
All the best.
http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding...native-feeding/

[cuddlebud]

The distraction method worked for us too. We also hadn't given dd a bottle for almost a month and she refused. Ended up changing to a medium flow bottle an sitting in the bouncer. Every time she wouldn't take the bottle we'd wait 15 mins then try again. Teasing her top lip and letting her draw the nipple in herself also helped. Good luck.

We used to use the Medela calma but she stopped taking it, now we jet use the Medela medium flow.

[LifesGood]

OP - Pigeon teats come in two different widths and fit most bottles (I used Avent bottles).