"How to teach an 8 week old breast-fed baby to drink from a bottle too"

[ringlets]

My second child will be 8 weeks old tomorrow. She is a great breast feeder but we are trying to "teach" her how to take breast milk and/or formula from the bottle. I work from home and need to have others feed her as well. We have tried several bottles and nipples (Dr. Brown's, Playtex Naturals, First Years Breastflow, even the orthodontic nipple.) Our daughter doesn't seem to lean to one particular bottle, so I'm hoping some moms can provide some insight! Anyway, it has only been a few days, but she really doesn't want to take from a bottle. Can anyone please share their thoughts if they too experienced the same situation and share how they introduced the bottle to their son or daughter. Our son breast-fed and bottle-fed, with no problem, shifting back and forth very easily from breast to bottle. Thank you to anyone who can provide some thoughts. Much appreciated!

[Anonymous]

I have to say that I am in exactly the same position: my son took it no problem, but my daughter does not seem to be able to take to the bottle. She is 11 weeks ans we've tried several times and just not sure what to do next. I too welcome any and all advice - but at least you know you're not alone!

[Anonymous]

check this thread out

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/29015.page

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem and asked everyone, including my doctor for advice. What I found was that you just have to keep trying different ideas until you find what works for your child. For us, it was finally Dr. Browns. But just as you said, we tried all the different types of bottles/nipples--we even tried those bottles that were advertised for helping the transition from breast to bottle, to no avail. We also tried using droppers, sippy cups, etc. For some babies, I heard that they are more likely to take formula from a bottle b/c they are expecting milk to only come from the mother. Other people say you should pump and try breastmilk b/c they are used to it and more likely to take it. Others say to mix the breastmilk with the formula. I am not sure any of that mattered in my case. Some people advice that the father should give the bottle when the mother is not in the house -- the baby supposedly recognizes the scent of the mother and won't take a bottle because they expect/want the mother instead and will refuse the bottle. Anyways, I hope that eventually it works out for you with time and patience. Good Luck to you!

[Anonymous]

Same boat! Argh.