My 3 month old has been soley breastfed. I can't afford NOT to go back to work so I NEED to get her to take a bottle. I've tried nipples that are shapped like the breast and I've tried standard nipples. I've tried expressed breast milk and formula. I don't know what else to do! HELP!
Nope she isn't going to starve herself but babies are very stubborn and can outlast anyone once they want something. Try mixing your breastmilk with the formula, more of your milk at first, she won't drink as much as she used to at first but remember she's also adjusting and it will be hard for her. Just don't give in don't switch between the breast and bottle stick to the one thing at ALL times.. Also it would help if you try changing the scent of the bottle and nipple, wrap the bottle in something of yours and hold her close when you're feeding her. And boil the nipple in water with something that's safe and smells like home, that should change the scent and soften it up for her too.
while your feeding he/she have a bottle ready and after he/she is latched on slip the bottle as your taking your nip out. it might work. also I heard of this special device where you take the bottle and strap it to you instead of going out the bottles nipple it goes threw a tube that sits next to your nip and its sapose to help somehow I don't know im not exactly sure really. and if that wont work then theres really not much you can do besides maybe every few hours or so have the baby sitter bring your baby to you to feed.
Have you still got contact with your midwife? I would definitely ask their advice if you can.
It may be the smell of you she is missing? Try getting someone else to feed her a bottle holding her close to their body, wrapped in a cardigan of yours (or something else you have been wearing that smells like you). Hopefully that may help?
I don't want this to sound horrible, but if I were to refuse to breastfeed her and just keep offering her the bottle, she'll eventually take it right? She's not gonna starve herself is she?
