How Do I Get My Baby To Switch From Breastfeeding To Bottle?
October 31, 2009 by admin
Filed under Breast Feeding Supplies
I am trying to transition from breastfeeding to the bottle and my daughter refuses to take the bottle, I have tried different nipples and still no luck. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Try having someone else give the bottles. Most babies will refuse to take a bottle from mom.
And, unless it is vital that you wean right now, try to be patient. Baby knows a good thing! It’s not surprising that she doesn’t want to give it up.
how old is the baby?
babies are creatures of habits (at least the young ones and especially with their eating habits)-that’s their comfort zone. Now, older kids (toddlers) is another story, they like to explore/try new things.
My first baby took on the bottle the first time we tried it (for occasional use), and never went back to breastfeeding. that happened around 6 wks. She would take any kind of nipples (i had avent, and gerber, later playtex)
My second, i stayed home for 12 weeeks and breastfed exclusively. I had to, however, at around 2 weeks for couple of weeks to supplement with formula because I didn’t have enough breastmilk for her appetite. That was only one bottle before bed a few days a week. It was a struggle!! she would put up a fight (literally: flailing her arms up in the air, and turning her head away at the sight of the bottle. And one would think babies don’t know nothing when they are little! I tried the avent bottle nipples with no success. I went out and bought a NUK bottle with the othodontic nipple (it’s not round, it’s “cut” at an angle). That worked. and to this day (she’s 5 months) we have only used that bottle (she’s at home, so one bottle is enough, rinse and reuse). I had breastfed while on maternity leave for three months, and also on weekends and nights. she is only given a breastmilk bottle when i’m not around (i work). And here’s why i think that shape of nipple worked: she was a poor latcher in the beginning and a snacker. you could hear alot of noise from improper latching (she was only sucking on the tip of the breast). The avent nipples are not only round, but longer than NUK. To her, the NUK was probably closer to the real thing.
good luck.
Are you putting breastmilk in the bottle? Start there. And how old is she? If she is 6 mos or so you could just go to sippy cup with breastmilk or formula. My friend did this and just skipped the bottle altogether
I would just do a lil bit at a time. And def. use the WIDE nipples. They make the baby feel like its your nipple. Its shaped like a womens boob/nipple!