Baby will not take a bottle, and my wife needs a break

SmilingLurker

My wife has been exclusively breastfeeding for the last 9 weeks and a couple of weeks ago we tried to start giving our son one bottle a day. He is a large lad, and she has not got a decent sleep in a few months. At night I have taken him to the far side of the house, but he would have no problem raising the dead with his lungs.

I would like to know if anyone has any tricks to get him to take a bottle so she can get more sleep?

We have:

• persisted through lots of screaming
• changed bottle brands
• changed teats
• formula(various) /expressed milk
• various temperatures
• alternated between bottle and breast
• tried at various times of the day - he is very fussy in the evening

She breastfed on our first until my daughter self weaned, so we do know it gets easier. I would still like to give my wife a break, I think she needs it.

yellow hen

Have different people tried to give him the bottle? Might he take it from a grandparent if your wife is not there?

SmilingLurker

Myself, my wife and her mother have all tried. With my wife absent and present. I should have put that in the original post, but thanks for the suggestion.

yellow hen

SmilingLurker wrote: »

Myself, my wife and her mother have all tried. With my wife absent and present. I should have put that in the original post, but thanks for the suggestion.

I honestly don't know as our little fella was topped up with a bottle from an early age so was used to it. I'm sure of the other ladies here will advise you though. Hope you get a result soon and your wife gets some much needed rest.

How Strange

Perhaps try cup or spoon feeding.

If using either you hold it up to hisputy and let him lap the milk like a kitten.

http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/alternative-feeding/

liliq

SmilingLurker wrote: »

My wife has been exclusively breastfeeding for the last 9 weeks and a couple of weeks ago we tried to start giving our son one bottle a day. He is a large lad, and she has not got a decent sleep in a few months. At night I have taken him to the far side of the house, but he would have no problem raising the dead with his lungs.

I would like to know if anyone has any tricks to get him to take a bottle so she can get more sleep?

We have:

• persisted through lots of screaming
• changed bottle brands
• changed teats
• formula(various) /expressed milk
• various temperatures
• alternated between bottle and breast
• tried at various times of the day - he is very fussy in the evening

She breastfed on our first until my daughter self weaned, so we do know it gets easier. I would still like to give my wife a break, I think she needs it.

I'm not sure what to suggest regarding a bottle but does your wife co sleep with the baby? It can be a real sleep saver.
Maybe you could take your older child to the playground etc during the day so your wife could go to bed with the baby?

SmilingLurker

liliq wrote: »

I'm not sure what to suggest regarding a bottle but does your wife co sleep with the baby? It can be a real sleep saver.
Maybe you could take your older child to the playground etc during the day so your wife could go to bed with the baby?

We do co sleep which improves sleep time. I take my daughter to the playground, and for walks. I am using up holidays to stay home to help out. Our parents and extended families have been great helping out.

Thanks for the suggestions

SmilingLurker

How Strange wrote: »

Perhaps try cup or spoon feeding.

If using either you hold it up to hisputy and let him lap the milk like a kitten.

http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/alternative-feeding/

Thanks we have not tried this... will try today

Thanks

holding

Another thing you could try is giving the bottle to the baby to play with during the day - no milk in it, just as a toy, so that he gets used to what it looks and feels like. He probably associates it with feeling bad/ hungry right now too, so that might help with that too.

Hang in there!

Only thing I found that really helped at that stage was the co sleeping, and the hubbie taking over everything else so that I could literally stay in bed with the baby for a few days (which you're already doing ).

wmpdd3

My partner would wrap baby in my night dress and then feed baby. Also piano music instantly stopped both crying, so heed sick on a bit of that and dance with them before the bottle, we found 4 pm was a good time.

Also heed put a but of the milk on their lips so they knew they were getting the milk they like.

They preferred long treats to, not short like tommee tippee. After 4 months any bottle would do them.

Good luck.

stoutykid

What worked for me to wean my two children was to start breast feeding for a few seconds before slipping in the bottle. After a few attempts at this method both my two were happy enough to take bottles from anyone. Also the temperature of the formula I feel is key, warm rather than room temp until they are weaned would be my recommendation.