You are reading an archived post.
To visit the home page click here.
Quick note: After writing about my painful left breast, I did a little soul-searching and I talked to my network of mamas and our pediatrician, and decided that it's time for the baby to take a bottle. Of formula. I'm hoping to somehow delicately balance formula and breast milk for the next few months. Other mamas do it, why can't I?
The funny thing is, Elliot didn't get that memo. And the bottle, it turns out, is an evil, evil device meant to torture sweet little babies.
We're working through all the things we're supposed to do: trying different nipples, having dad give her a bottle, etc. So far? She is winning this battle.
She has no problem screaming and crying for 45 MINUTES while her father gently tries to give her a bottle. And it's not even formula in the bottle! It's breast milk. Fresh... sweet... breast milk.
Here are the bottles we've tried, or are going to try:
The Playtex Drop-Ins bottles come highly recommended from friends. They're wasteful, I know. The plastic inserts are disposable, which means we'll be buying--and tossing--a ton of them if she chooses this bottle. It's all about the nipple and we're going to use the 'Rapido' one.
We've tried Dr. Brown's and I think she's on the fence about this one. It is quite the piece of technology, with some sort of straw-type device that goes down the middle of the bottle. I honestly don't know what that's all about, I just bought one because my physician said her daughter preferred that brand.
We're fairly certain that the Gerber bottles are a lost cause. The nipples are just too firm and not long enough. And neither Elliot nor her parents can figure out the Medela nipples (does the flat part face up or down in her mouth?). We have not yet tried the Soothie nipple but I don't have much hope in that one either since she won't take a Soothie pacifier.
I feel like we're just being mean when we try to get her to take a bottle. And because it's such a traumatic event for her, I also feel that mom guilt. I'm sure that will be a feeling I have many times over the years so I may as well get used to it.
But, this bottle thing needs to happen. When I finally did decide to start supplementing with formula, I felt euphoric. Like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I think that says the breast feeding has become quite a burden. Sad, but true. (My boob, by the way, still hurts)
The ironic thing about all of this is that Elliot is obsessed with water bottles (plastic ones, like Arrowhead). She loves to grasp an empty plastic bottle with both hands and put the top in her mouth. She also likes to drink water out of a cup. The photo in this post of her with a Gerber bottle with water in it. She didn't drink it but she did play around with it a bit. I feel like we should both walk around drinking out of baby bottles and maybe she'd want them, too!
We use Avent ... I had to supplement right away though, so David got used to a bottle quickly. The Soothie bottles were great for us too, but then, he liked the Soothie pacified. I was actually told, even if breastfeeding, to introduce a bottle by the 4-6 week mark so it wouldn't be too much of a shock if I had to use bottles later. I guess it's true ...
Avent here too! It's the only pacifier Allee would take though, so we went with it for the bottles too.
We use the Dr Brown's bottles with Lorelei. They are very tech-y, aren't they? Her day care uses Avent. She is not taking a bottle as much now, though, but will usually take a sippy cup with formula or now cow's milk since the pediatrician said to start transitioning. That's definitely a good option and may avoid the 'nipple confusion' problem.
Something that MAY help is physically leaving the house while she is being bottle-fed--if she knows there's an alternative available she might hold out for it. Lorelei goes through phases where only I am allowed to feed her (what an honor!) but if I'm not physically there, like when she's at day care or at grandma's or she's home alone with Dad, she is fine with whatever option is around.
Jess, I did buy a sippy cup the other day since she's interested in grabbing bottles and putting them in her mouth. She didn't quite know what to do with it, which isn't to say that I should just totally give up. It would be great if she took a sippy cup because then we'd avoid the whole bottle thing altogether.
I skipped the Avent since she won't take those pacifiers. But, if none of the listed bottles work, Avent is my next try.
David wouldn't take an Avent pacifier, but was ok with the bottles, if that is any help.
Of course, now I'm worried about plastic bottles, so I just ordered some Gerber glass bottles. We'll see how those work ...
I have fortunately not had any problems with Cooper taking a bottle, a pacifier or a sippy cup. He loves anything that he can drink or eat (except avocados right now). We have only used Medela bottles. Someone gave me some glass bottles and I haven't even opened the package. I like the idea of physically leaving the house and have Jason feed her with the bottle. That may change the scenario for her a bit.
Good luck and maybe we can see you this week, Thursday or Friday?
We use Dr. Brown's, my son has been using bottles since he was born because he spent 3 weeks in the NICU. But he goes back and forth from breast to bottle with no problem.
I was worried about the plastic bottles too, so I bought Gerber bottles and use the Dr. Brown's inserts, caps, and nipples; they seen to help with swallowing too much air.
It sounds like Eliot will drink from a cup, so have you tried milk/formula in a cup? Skip the bottle thing altogether and avoid the extra dishes.
Good luck!
My son had the same problem. He screamed and yelled and pushed away the bottle for days. I resorted to punching a whopping big hole in the top of the bottle nipple. The liquid practically dripped out. When he finally figured out how to suck on the darn thing, he nearly drowned himself in formula. Then I gradually reduced the size of the opening.
We used the drop ins with success, and because I went back to work at 11 weeks, she had to get used to the bottle early and did fine. But transitioning to a sippy cup was harder until we bought her a playtex nuby cup. It's like a mix between a bottle and a cup. If Elliot is going to resist all nipples, she may not like these either, but Camille did so I thought I'd share.
Good luck! I know the mommy guilt is so hard, but you have to do what's best for both of you. A happy mama also means a happier baby.
We use Avent bottles here (not the pacifiers, I don't know if that would make a difference). If you want to continue breastfeeding as much as you can I would recommend sticking with the newborn nipple. Once you go up to the faster flows she'll take more and more from the bottle and less and less from you... But if you're really ready to let go, then by all means get the fastest flow nipple you can! :-)
Jen, that's a good point about the nipple. Maybe part of the problem is that the milk is gushing into her mouth. She does seem to get overwhelmed. I'll try switching to the newborn nipple tonight and see what happens.
Get the Mother Popper: Podcast -- Free in iTunes!
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/26124/26251398
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference The Bottle Battle: Round I:
a Delta Park Project - © 2007-2008 Anna Johns - Contact Me
Subscribe to my blog (RSS) | Free Podcast in iTunes
Podcasts produced by Morley Studios.
Anna Johns is a blogger, podcaster and mother living in rainy Portland, Oregon.
Mother Popper is a daily blog and weekly podcast bridging the worlds of parenting and pop culture.
I was talking to some of my fellow Stroller Strides mommas about how Xander won't take a bottle either. One mom said her son would never take a bottle so they just tried giving him a sippy cup. Once he figured it out, he used it like a champ. So maybe, after all, what they might take is something totally different than a "nipple". Elliot's a smart cookie, I know. Maybe she thinks, "Stop trying to give me something that is kind of like a nipple!" Who knows!?! I bought Xander two sippy cups today in prep for next month! Hang in there, momma. She'll figure it out.