My three month old won't take a bottle. If I am gone from the house and she becomes hungry she'll eventually take one after a battle. Any tips? I'm wondering if we should try a diferrent type of bottle with her.

I've noticed a lot of baby stores carry the wider nipples now, I'm thinking Avia makes one, and look for anything that has a "soothie" nipple on it. These are wider and more like breastfeeding, so your baby may accept them easier.

The other thing I would suggest is to make sure you have some of the formula already on the bottle's nipple before you try giving it to the baby (squeeze or upend the bottle a bit, then rub the formula around the top of the nipple. The taste may convince them to accept the strange texture more easily.

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Tigriz
Mom to Alex - 1/21/06

I definately agree with making sure some yummy milk/formula is on the bottle nipple before offering it to baby. I can't imagine that rubber or silicone tastes very good.
Other than that, I think you just have to keep trying and eventually she'll get used to it.

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Umbilical Cord Blood Storage | Breastfeeding Advice and Information

I've never tried that trick with the formula on the nipple. That's a great idea! I may pick up an Avent bottle too.

My youngest absolutely refused the bottle, no matter what. Until drinking from a cup was realistic, we used a medicine dropper whenever we needed to get a liquid in.

Taia

Wow. How did you feed them 6-8 ounces of fluid from a medicine dropper?? You must have the patience of a saint.

When I was breastfeeding the consultant advised putting a little formula on my breast to get the baby accustomed to the taste (he had to be supplemented due to jaundice). She also advised trying a bottle with a soothie nipple on it since it is shaped most like a breast.

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Tigriz
Mom to Alex - 1/21/06