Infant Won't Take Bottles

[Unregistered]

I posted about this dcg last week, and I'm still having issues. 15 weeks old now, and she can't (or won't, not sure) latch onto a bottle.

In MI being on the food program means I have to provide a place for moms to breastfeed. So as much as this frustrates me, as long as dcm can be here in 5 minutes to bf, I can't really do anything (and she can).

Dcm and dcd are besides themselves. I truly believe they are trying the bottle at home - with no luck, also. Dcg has switched schedules so she is now up all night with them feeding and sleeps for me. It's fine for me, except when she gets hungry.

I've never seen a baby not latch onto a bottle like this. We've tried several bottles, bigger/smaller nipples. I hold her in diffierent positions, tried the bf position mom uses, nothing works. I'm lucky to get .5 oz. per feeding.

Any words of wisdom?

[Blackcat31]

I posted about this dcg last week, and I'm still having issues. 15 weeks old now, and she can't (or won't, not sure) latch onto a bottle.

In MI being on the food program means I have to provide a place for moms to breastfeed. So as much as this frustrates me, as long as dcm can be here in 5 minutes to bf, I can't really do anything (and she can).

Dcm and dcd are besides themselves. I truly believe they are trying the bottle at home - with no luck, also. Dcg has switched schedules so she is now up all night with them feeding and sleeps for me. It's fine for me, except when she gets hungry.

I've never seen a baby not latch onto a bottle like this. We've tried several bottles, bigger/smaller nipples. I hold her in diffierent positions, tried the bf position mom uses, nothing works. I'm lucky to get .5 oz. per feeding.

Any words of wisdom?

Sorry, no words of wisdom coming from me.

I have been there and done that before.

I will never do it again.

I'd term but that's me. I can't manage a nursing mother every 2 hours so its just not something I'd be willing to do.

Keeping the child (and making due because mom is just a phone call away) isn't truly providing what DCG needs and that would weigh on me heavily.

[Unregistered]

Can you try cup feeding or an alternative to the bottle?

[laundrymom]

Have you laid her on the floor beside you?
I know it's against everything everywhere. But to get a new baby to latch on sometimes I have to totally disconnect for an ounce or so and let moms milk be the only stimulation they've gotten.
Seems to work. Although I hate it. Also, move the bottle a bit to mimic mom moving.

[Solandia]

Have you laid her on the floor beside you?
I know it's against everything everywhere. But to get a new baby to latch on sometimes I have to totally disconnect for an ounce or so and let moms milk be the only stimulation they've gotten.
Seems to work. Although I hate it. Also, move the bottle a bit to mimic mom moving.

My most difficult to feel baby would eat in the bouncy seat, not with me. Also...my go-to bottles (the old style Playtex drop-ins with the rubber nipple) are no longer manufactured. Most of the breastfed babies would take those, if nothing else worked. Right now I have a failure-to-thrive infant with reflux(dr browns bottles) who fusses at the bottle and struggles to feed. Have to force him to latch onto the bottle.He has never been breastfed. I switched his nipple to the non-latex disposable brown nipples that come with the ready-to-feed bottles (so the nipples the hospitals use) & he eats much more relaxed, and has a bit more normal feeding cues.

Good luck! Feeding issues are frustrating for everyone involved.

[daycarediva]

Baby is cluster feeding in the evening to make up for lack of feeding during the day.

With my last daycare baby, (of ALL TIME) I used a foam piece and pushed the nipple through a hole I made, THEN I put mom's shirt over that with the sleeve over the hole. Newborn nipples, too. As low flow as possible. Put him across my legs and put that between us. It tricked him enough that he would drink for a bit. Got 1-2 ounces an hour down him that way for months.

Now? I would give them a time frame and term.

They should have been doing this from birth. Mom nurses, Dad gives bottles.

[Unregistered]

I don't think I can term. Maybe I'm wrong, but from what I'm understanding from my food rep, I HAVE TO provide a place to bf if dcm wants to. So..how can I term?

If dcm worked miles away and the baby was starving, I would have no choice. But dcm is about 2 miles away and can be here in 5 minutes. About as fast as I can prepare a bottle.

But long term, I really need this baby to take a bottle.

I have tried putting baby in a car seat and on the floor, wrapping her in dcm's clothes...hmmm...maybe I'm just stuck for awhile. Super.

I totally agree baby is cluster feeding at night. I'm hoping it pushes dcm and dcd even more to use bottles at home. Although I really believe they are trying. Every morning I get a "bottle report".

[MunchkinWrangler]

Have they tried different kinds of nipples or bottle systems?

I went through Avent, Tommee Tippee, and Dr. Brown's before my ds settled on the cheapest Gerber bottles.

Some mom's get hyped up on making a 'statement' with how much money they spend on their bottle systems or the type of nipple just to show off.

IMO, the nipples that are supposed to be like a breast are too big and awkward for a small infant to latch onto. Not all babies but some babies.

Failing this, I would term. Either they are not being truthful to you about working on it and I think it was mentioned in your earlier post that they didn't really try at home. I wouldn't be okay with this at all.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Oh wow, forget it. I wasn't paying attention when I read the initial post. happyface

[MunchkinWrangler]

I don't think I can term. Maybe I'm wrong, but from what I'm understanding from my food rep, I HAVE TO provide a place to bf if dcm wants to. So..how can I term?

If dcm worked miles away and the baby was starving, I would have no choice. But dcm is about 2 miles away and can be here in 5 minutes. About as fast as I can prepare a bottle.

But long term, I really need this baby to take a bottle.

I have tried putting baby in a car seat and on the floor, wrapping her in dcm's clothes...hmmm...maybe I'm just stuck for awhile. Super.

I totally agree baby is cluster feeding at night. I'm hoping it pushes dcm and dcd even more to use bottles at home. Although I really believe they are trying. Every morning I get a "bottle report".

Oh and just because you're getting a 'bottle report' means this could have happened once and they're are fabricating stories each day while doing what works best for them.

If needing to term(the food rep cannot tell you what clients to keep, no matter what the issue is, it isn't her business at the end of the day and you will not get in trouble)just say it is not a good fit. Simple. You do not need to go into specifics.

[renodeb]

The worst experience I ever had with a baby not taking a bottle was about 2 years ago. When the baby was born she was under weight and they had to give her a certain amount of formula. Because of that the mom awesomed that the baby would drink from a bottle just fine going forward. When she started in my dc she would not take a bottle and I had to use a medicine dropper to get any down her. (I know it sounds mean) It took 3 months of doing that to get her to take a bottle.
I to could not have a nursing mom in my house off and on daily to bf.
deb

[Blackcat31]

I don't think I can term. Maybe I'm wrong, but from what I'm understanding from my food rep, I HAVE TO provide a place to bf if dcm wants to. So..how can I term?

If dcm worked miles away and the baby was starving, I would have no choice. But dcm is about 2 miles away and can be here in 5 minutes. About as fast as I can prepare a bottle.

But long term, I really need this baby to take a bottle.

I have tried putting baby in a car seat and on the floor, wrapping her in dcm's clothes...hmmm...maybe I'm just stuck for awhile. Super.

I totally agree baby is cluster feeding at night. I'm hoping it pushes dcm and dcd even more to use bottles at home. Although I really believe they are trying. Every morning I get a "bottle report".

You are required by your state to provide a place for nursing mother's to nurse if needed but breast fed infants aren't protected by the ADA. You ARE providing a place but the rest is enough of an issue that you can certainly term at will.

You can simply say its not a good fit or that the constant visits by mom is upsetting for the other kids or whatever....

One person's choice does not supercede the needs of others and if this is truly something you are having difficulty managing don't hesitate to term.

I fully and wholeheartedly support nursing moms but NOT at the expense of my sanity, my harmony within my day and at the expense of the other kids in care.

[Unregistered]

OP Here

Okay, I'm feeling a little better about everyone's input about the food plan. I'm going to finish out this week and see if there's progress. If not...it might be time to term.

[Leigh]

You are required by your state to provide a place for nursing mother's to nurse if needed but breast fed infants aren't protected by the ADA. You ARE providing a place but the rest is enough of an issue that you can certainly term at will.

You can simply say its not a good fit or that the constant visits by mom is upsetting for the other kids or whatever....

One person's choice does not supercede the needs of others and if this is truly something you are having difficulty managing don't hesitate to term.

I fully and wholeheartedly support nursing moms but NOT at the expense of my sanity, my harmony within my day and at the expense of the other kids in care.

This, exactly! I'd just tell them that the baby still won't take a bottle for you, and that it is something that you require. They may be "trying" at home, but it is obvious that they're not trying hard enough. I have had babies that won't take a bottle from Mom, but will from anyone else-it can be done. My last BF baby would take a bottle from Mom, but ONLY if I was in the room, too-she associated ME with taking a bottle...Mom thought that was just crazy!