I used to live in this magical land where babies drank from bottles with little persuasion. They latched on and cuddled into your arms just as if it was the real deal. That was until I had Charlotte. She is the almighty protester of bottles and has taken down anyone brave enough to attempt a bottle feeding with her.
Does she really need a bottle?
I’ve asked myself this question a number of times. Following Charlotte’s birth I decided to be a stay-at-home mom, so getting her on a bottle wasn’t my top priority. She was exclusively breastfed until she was six weeks old. At that time I decided to pump a bit and try a bottle out. Our first attempt was completely unsuccessful. She gagged, she screamed, and she refused. I decided to try the next day immediately after she woke up from nap knowing that she would be content and hungry. To my surprise, she guzzled down three ounces. I thought to myself, “We’ve got this, no big deal.” I mimicked our successful attempt about a week later: same time of day, same temperature, same bottle. No luck.
I know that Charlotte really doesn’t need a bottle. She has a great latch, she’s gaining weight, and breastfeeding soothes her. But, I need her to take a bottle — not nearly in the same urgency that I did with my first daughter and I am grateful for that. My heart sinks knowing that she is hungry and I’m the only one who can cure her hunger pains and calm her tears. I want to be able to get a haircut or go on a date with my husband and have the peace of mind that she is not screaming until she is red in the face. Yes, in some ways it feels good to be wanted that much, but sometimes mama just needs a break.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again…
I have asked everyone that I know with a breastfed baby what their trick was to get their baby to take a bottle. I have appreciated every tip and I have tried them all. Here is the ongoing list:
- Six different bottles
- Seven different nipples
- Facing out/facing in
- Going outside/staying inside
- Leaving her for others to feed/feeding her myself
- Feeding her in her swing, carseat, carrier, and high chair
- Hungry baby/fed baby
- Spoon feeding/eye dropper feeding
I have tried multiple combinations of the above methods. Seriously, my heart goes out to Sam-I-Am from Dr. Suess’s “Green Eggs and Ham” as I can fully relate…
Me: Would you like to take a bottle?
C: I would not like to take a bottle.
Me: Would you, could you in a swaddle?
C: I would not, could not in a swaddle. I would not, could not take that bottle.
Me: Would you eat it with a Dr. Brown? Would you eat it lying down?
C: I would not eat it with a Dr. Brown. I would not it eat it lying down. I would not, could not in swaddle. Mommy, please, I will not take that bottle.
Me: You do not like it so you say. TRY IT, TRY IT AND YOU MAY!
How does this story end?
I was hoping that I would be able to share the perfect recipe of tricks to get my baby to drink from a bottle. However, I cannot. As it turns out, that very first time she chugged 3 ounces out of the bottle was our last success. Please comment and share any other tricks that you may have for myself or other moms in this boat. I am hopeful that with continued pumping, practice, and patience this will be how our story ends:
C: I do so like that milk in a Tommee. Thank you, thank you my dear mommy.
