3 Month Old Won't Take Bottle - Isle of Palms,SC

Yes, try a small sippy cup with the strainer inside. If, not try a different type of bottle. Try the bottles with bags or just seek advice from the Peditrician

Try changing the nipple on the bottle. Also, putting some breast milk on the nipple or (believe it or not) a tiny amount of sugar might spark her interest. Also, try feeding the bottle when she is really hungry.

Hope this helps! Mom of 5, gramma of 11.

Have you tried different bottles? I went thru a lot of different one's...Dr. Browns, playtex nursers now we use NUK like the pacifiers--my baby loves them! Hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi E.-
My son is 2 - he hated the bottle at first also - I had to try 4 different types! I know it sounds fussy, but once I found the right one, he took to it very well...We ended up using the Playtex VentAir bottles - he was a big eater, so I graduated him early to the stage 2 nipple - He wasn't satisfied with what he could get out of the stage 1 hole. Keep trying - she will get the hang of it! Hope this helps...

Lots of great advice, and as you have read, every child is different. I have 3 children under 5 and nursed them all for at least 1 year. They all took the Advent bottle and nipple, that was not my problem. Tricks that worked for me...

- give her freshly pumped breastmilk, it will be the perfect temperature and flavor. (my first child)
- have someone else give her the bottle, if she won't take it with someone holding her in the "nursing" position, have her sitting, propped up on a couch or chair and have them feed her from the front without holding her. (my second child)
- if she won't take it from someone else (she just loves you that much), try to start nuring and with a fresh bottle nearby, while she is in her groove, pop one out and the other in. (my third child)
- lastly, it was suggested to me to put a little Kyro sugar syrup on the bottle nipple to entice the baby (if the previous methods did not work, but they did).

I had my daughter at 34 and she is almost 3 now. My daughter never took a bottle either. We called her a "marathon nurser". If we forced it, she spit it out. Anyway, if you stay home, I would suggest not worrying about if she takes a bottle or not. We gave our daughter a sippy cup at 5 months old, and she figured it out quickly. She still nursed for a long time, but if I wanted to pump and give it to her in a sippy, she would take it that way. I know 3 months is too young for a sippy, but in a few months start her practicing with a sippy (when she is sitting up of coarse), and she may like that more. It is fun for them to hold the bright cups with the handles and learn to tip it up. I do not know your situation, but if you are going back to work, I would imagine that she would take the bottle when she gets hungry enough. I think the reason my daughter did not like the bottle is due to the nipple being so different. My peditrician also clipped her tounge (underneath so that she could move her tounge out further (a lot of babies have this done). Try some different bottles, all my friends like the Dr. Browns. If you are staying home, I would not push it, just try to enjoy the experience. Nursing can be a beautiful thing, and they are only that little for a short period of time. Best of luck and congratulations. It does get easier.

This same thing happened to me. I eventually tried a variety of nipples on the bottle and having my husband give them to her. It took a few weeks, but she found one she liked. I have also heard if you try formula in the bottle she will take it. Then you can switch it to breast milk.

I have heard that the baby smells you and wants "the real thing" try for someone else to give your baby the bottle. It may work better.

Hello there.. I know how you feel. The only bottle my daughter would take (I am also nursing) is Avent. Did you try that one??? MY daughters doctor said alot of breastfed babies go through that.

Sometimes it helps to have someone other than you to give your baby the bottle. I think when your baby is around you, he/she wants you to feed them by breast. Make sure he is hungry but not starving.

She just wants the real thing. Let her have it. My daughter never would either. I was still able to leave for two to three hours at a time though. I just nursed her well then left. I would pump and leave some in a sippy cup which she started drinkin from at four months old. SHe also enjoyed water from a sippy cup at that age. Some babies just need mama. Enjoy it.

What is in the bottle? is it breast milk or formula? If it is formula, she simply may not like the taste. If it breastmilk, it could be the nipple. Remember she is growing, and so is her mouth, so what may have been fine before may not feel good in her mouth now. I would go through the "nipple trials" again. However, I must say, that if there was some way for you to continue breastfeeding, it would be best, but I understand that in this day and age it is not always possible. not to mention some kids just plain bite. :)

We tried every bottle with our now 2 year old. We finally got her to take the cheap Gerber bottles. The ones that you can find in the 3 pack at Kroger or Wal-Mart.

If you haven't already tried, have someone else give her the bottle.

We're hoping they will work with our son that we are expecting in April.

Good luck.

Good luck! My baby took a bottle in the hospital but then when I tried again a few months later it never worked. She went right from nursing to a sippy cup. I was told many strategies but none worked for her...have dad give the bottle with mom out of room, try every bottle out there, let her cry and she will eventually take it. I wish you luck!

I had the same problem with my son at that age. We started giving him the occasional bottle of breastmilk when he was 6 weeks old and he would take it okay, but then started to refuse it around 3 months. It took three weeks of attempting a bottle once a day to get him back to accepting one again. He is 6 months old now and only gets a bottle maybe once every week to 10 days, but he takes it no problem. I would just say to have patience, and just keep trying every day. Good luck. :-)

Have you tried various nipples? My son was also breastfed and I went through 4 or 5 different nipples before I found one he liked. We ended up using Gerber Mams.

NOt sure what you have tried but, these tips may help
Many babies won't take a bottle from Mom they want the REAL thing

It may even be that she doesn't like that particular nipple.
My daughters always preferred a clear Avent nipple to one of those brown ones?? My friends boys only took the Playtex nurser nipples.

Are you giving her pumped breast milk or formula
She may not like the taste of formula?

Does she take bottles from others?
If you are worried she won't take a bottle from a care provider I wouldn't be too worried babies know when they are with mom and they prefer her to the bottle but, will usually take a bottle with a little patience and coaxing from a dad or cargiver.

Are you returning to work?
In Columbus we have a Pumping Moms support group, if you are interested email me for more info

Good Luck and enjoy that little one

may she have a ear infection? try to see if she refuses your breast as well, if she does, the reason it's not the bottle...also have you tried with different nipples? Good luck.

Hi E.. I just went through the same thing last month and also got suggestions from mamasource moms. What worked for us was the Platex bottle with drop-ins, using the latex fast flow nipple. We tried every single bottle and nipple out there - but that is what worked best for my son. He now even takes the bottle in front of me. Good luck.

I have five children under the age of 10. I had different experiences with nursing and bottles with each one. I used to not understand how some babies could prefer breast or bottle. I thought it was mostly in the parenting technique. Well, five children later I can tell you that it has a lot to do with the child's personality. My first basically weaned himself at 4 months because he preferred the bottle and started refusing to nurse. My fourth child never would take a bottle (except for occasionally from a babysitter). If nursing exclusively is not an option, then you'll have to be persitent with her. Usually if a baby is hungry enough, he/she will tolerate a bottle at least for a few ounces until he/she is partially satisfied. You may need to work towards a sippy cup.

I understand your pain. Any success yet? I will tell you what worked for me. Repetition! My mother-in-law and husband would keep offering it to her over and over and FINALLY she took it! She still will only take a Nuk nipple. Both on pacifiers and bottles. Good luck....

Try a different nipple. Breastfed babies are very picky about what they nurse from. You may have to try several and look for the ones that claim to feel the most like a real breast. Good Luck!
K.

Hi E.,

You now have me concerned. I am a 33 yo mother of a wonderful little boy who was exclusively breastfeeding and I finally have him taking the bottle. He passionately refused in the beginning until I found a nipple that he would take, and you're telling me he may refuse again?!?!?! He still won't take a pacifier...

I'm sorry, I don't have a solution other than being persistant in offering the bottle. She will eventually get hungry enough to eat. As a mother it is so hard to see your baby cry when you know all you have to do is give them the breast and they will stop but you have to decide what is most important. What I have learned about babies is that if you are persistant, they can be trained (I hate to say trained as if they are animals, but you can get them to do what you want with persistance...even if it hurts).

I wish you the best and pray my little one don't digress.

Like the other moms a few questions need answered..if you are changing from breast milk to formula baby may not like the taste and you may have to switch formulas until you find one she likes. If it's that you are putting breast milk in the bottle and she doesn't like bottles well you will have to try different nipples until you find one she is willing to accept. Each one of my children would accept different nipples...yes I breast feed but you can't leave your breast at home if you work or need to go out and not take baby. So what you need to do is buy different bottles and nipples until you find one she likes. I tried Playtex various ones, Dr. Browns and a few others I can't even remember but my youngest breastfeed the longest and best and when I had to have someone give him a bottle he likes the playtex the simples starter set did him fine and he likes the rubber nipples which they don't have anymore I think and when they changed to some silicone brand he didn't like it but he was about to get bottle broke anyway so he didn't have to have that very long. Best of luck on your bottle journey.

I went through the same thing with my 5 month old daughter now, when she was that age. We finally got her to take the Gerber Nuk nipples w/Dr Brown bottles. Give it time, she will take it. I find that giving my daughter a bottle every night at bedtime, keeps her taking the bottle. Also teaches her to fall asleep without me. We went out of town over Christmas, and stopped giving the bottle for a week, and were back at square one.I think consistency is key, because she seems to reject it when she hasn't had it for awhile. Good luck!

My daughter (3rd child) did the same thing. I was advised to have another family member feed her the bottle; however, you would have to leave the house (take a walk or run to the store) as your baby will still smell your scent & know you (your breast) is still around. My husband was not successful & she just would not eat. After several days of attempting & re-introducing the bottle, I went ahead & gave it to her myself & guess what, she took it!! Now, futher than that, it took a few different bottles before we found one she liked. It just takes a matter of persistence, patience, & time. Good luck, hope at least one of these suggestions will work for you.

Di

My son, now 2 years old, never took a bottle or a pacifier. You could imagine the stress I had when I had to go back to work. I tried about 20 different bottles including one that looked like a breast. My nanny one day fed him with a sippy cup. I have pictures of my 3 month old holding a sippy cup which was bigger than his head but it worked. I would pump enough for the day while I was working, she fed him with the sippy and then I would nurse him when I was at home. The only catch was that he only used one type of sippy cup. Luckily it was the cheapest one and you can buy it only at WalMart. It is called a Nuby and has a clear, soft spout. It costs about $1.79 each. I also noticed that he would not take the Nuby from me, I think because even at that age he would rather have nursed. Good luck!