My 5mo won't take a bottle and I'm about to lose it

Nov 261 min read

Been EBF since birth, totally our choice, but now that I'm going back to work part-time my wife needs to be able to give him a bottle so I can actually leave the house for more than 45 minutes. We've tried like 8 different bottles - Tommee Tippee, Dr. Browns, MAM, literally everything. He just screams and refuses them all. My wife's been trying for 3 weeks. Any actual solutions or are we stuck like this until he's on solid food? This wasn't supposed to be this hard

11 comments77 views

Comments(11)

FFritz N.Regular23h ago

The bottle refusal after EBF is brutal and honestly sometimes they just... won't do it. Few things that helped us: have someone other than mom try it, try it when he's not hangry, try different nipple flows (not just bottle brands), and sometimes timing matters - some babies need like 2 weeks of patience before they crack. Doesn't mean you did anything wrong.

MMarcus J.Regular21h ago

5 month old with 8 bottle attempts is actually still normal. Some babies take 3-6 months to accept bottles. It's frustrating but he's not broken. Keep trying different approaches but also accept it might just take time.

MMarvin T.Regularjust now

Have you tried different approaches than just "here's a bottle"? Like rubbing it on his lips first, letting him play with an empty one, trying it at different temperatures? Sometimes it's not the bottle it's how you're introducing it.

VVince R.Regular16h ago

This is brutal because it feels like it should be solvable. Maybe try letting your wife do the bottle attempts when you're not home? Sometimes babies can smell you and reject the bottle if they know the boob is available.

KKenny W.Regular14h ago

8 different bottles and he's still screaming - that's exhausting. Have you tried just being patient with it? Some babies take weeks or months to accept bottles. He'll get there but forcing it won't help.

RRaj P.Regular20h ago

The screaming is probably frustration not rejection. He knows boob is faster/easier. This is a patience game not a bottle-finding game. One of those "5 attempts a day for 2 weeks" situation.

SSawyer N.Regular13h ago

The screaming thing is real and some babies just take forever to accept bottles. I'd keep trying different options but also - is bottle-feeding for going back to work absolutely necessary? Like could your wife pump and you just do bottles at specific times he's more chill?

TTravis N.Regularjust now

8 bottles is a lot of trying. At this point maybe just keep offering and backing off? Some babies crack it at like 5 months in, some take months. It's maddening but forcing usually backfires.

MMike R.New Dadjust now

Real question: does he actually NEED to take a bottle or are you both panicking? If he can wait 45 mins and then boob again, that's the current reality. The pressure to make it work faster might be making it worse.

GGrant C.Regularjust now

This is so frustrating because there's literally no way to force a baby to take a bottle. I'd suggest trying the bottle when you're doing it (not mom) and keeping it super chill - no pressure, just available. Some babies respond to that better. Also if he's screaming like he's genuinely scared, different nipple flow might help - could be too fast and overwhelming.

BBrad H.Regularjust now

Have you tried a bottle warmed to body temp with expressed milk? And maybe a different teat entirely - like a MAM or Comotomo if you haven't? Sometimes it's weirdly specific about what works. Also don't try when he's already upset.