Bottle refusal

[Anonymous]

This is my 3rd baby that I’ve BF and she’s 8 weeks. Starting around week 2 we have been offering her a bottle a day and she managed to take it, though sloppily and without a good latch (and only from DH). The past week or so she is outright refusing the bottle (of either bm or formula, which I’m happy to give if she’ll take it). My older dd never once took the bottle despite us trying snd I'm terrified this one is following suit. I actually felt a tad depressed throughout her first several months because I was the only one who could feed her.

Any advice from someone that has BTDT? I combo fed with my oldest and that was great because my babies tend to be very lean and it gave me the reassurance that he was getting enough nutrition. My current 8 week old started off larger (8.5 lbs at 38 weeks) but her weight loss has slowed and I’d love to have the option to bottle feed. How long did you guys try before you just gave up and accepted that you’d be EBF? I try nightly but feel awful if she gags when attempting the bottle.

I have her 2 month appt this week so will share this with ped too, of course.

[Anonymous]

Mine refused all bottles until I tried the Como Tomo. Did you try different bottles? It made a big difference for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Even if she never takes it, she will be ok. I know it's hard to believe but you've been through it before so you know. My second never took a bottle, even when she went to day care. All that stuff about how the day care ladies can get any baby to take a bottle? I'm sure it's true for most, but not for my insanely stubborn kid. They wound up having to spoon feed her the milk for months. It sucked for everyone but they were really nice about it.

The real downside was because she wouldn't take a bottle, and thus didn't eat much during the day, she wanted to nurse at night. And I felt like i couldn't cut her off because she needed the calories. And she was skinny. I wanted to stop nursing at 12 months but she had other ideas. She nursed until 18 months when she finally dropped her night feed on her own. At 19 months she was completely weaned. Now she is 4 and eats normally (though still is reasonably skinny) and I barely think about it anymore.

So, you will be fine! But that said ... keep trying different bottles just in case. But don't freak out.

[Anonymous]

Has she been assessed by a KNOWLEDGEABLE person for a tongue tie? My daughter had a similar issue. We got her posterior tie released at 4 months and things got much better.