My Baby Finds Comfort in the Bottle
Tate started out eating formula from a bottle at least twice a day in the beginning. Even after I established my milk supply and was able to meet Tate’s dietary needs, he still occasionally had bottles. I was never able to get ahead of his needs and he had formula when we were apart. Even now, he has at least one bottle per week (I can’t ever seem to get Tate and I both ready, fed and out the door on Sunday morning).
I always prefer to breastfeed him, but I like that he is willing to take a bottle when we are in a pinch. One thing I don’t like? That there are times when he totally prefers the bottle. No matter what I do, he gets frustrated trying to nurse. He fights, cries, and squirms for what feels like hours. He is farther from going down for the night when we are done with the routine than he was when we started.
In these instances, inevitably, he gets a bottle. And thing that totally gets me? He doesn’t calm down eventually, it’s immediate. It sort of breaks my heart. I worked so so so hard to be able to meet all of his needs (both physical and emotional) by nursing and it makes me feel a bit like a failure.
Have any of you been in a similar situation?
Related: Can we do better for nursing working mothers?
Wolf has become so attached to the bottle that he sometimes needs it to fall asleep. big bad habit we’ve got to break him from.
but don’t feel like a failure lady!!! you’re still BF which, coming from someone with low supply who just recently threw in the towel, I totally feel you. but you are amazing for keeping it up! best to you – I’ll have to keep peeking in to see adorable little Tate’s progress.
I have had that problem occasionally with my three-month-old recently and feel exactly the same way about having worked so hard to breastfeed and not wanting to stop. I have stopped giving him a bottle at all in the past week so he doesn’t have a choice, but I’m afraid he may refuse a bottle next time need to give him one. And I certainly want to have the option for a date night sometime!
The first time Chloe (4 mos today) did it I had just fine back to work. I was so afraid that this was the end to her breastfeeding. I was so wrapped up in the moment I couldn’t think clearly and felt so defeated. It didn’t occur to me til after that it was a nursing strike. It doesn’t happen that often and don’t beat myself up about it anymore. Luckily I can always pump her a bottle.
My baby boy is 3 weeks old and already fussing fighting kicking and refusing to nurse after he got a bottle. He was given a bottle after birth because after my c-section he refused to nurse for hours and hours to I pumped my colostrum to give him. The nurses were not supportive of breastfeeding (my first nurse told me I wouldn’t even be able to nurse due to flat nipples) and no lactation consultants were available to see me until 2 days later. The LC was not helpful and basically just smushed his face into my boob and told me ge was latched fine (but he wasn’t). I was getting him to nurse ok with a nipple shield until this week when he decided he really only wants a bottle. To be honest it breaks my heart but I keep pumping (thankfully my supply is ok) and hoping one day we can nurse calmly.
I feel like a failure everytime i make a bottle I never got to breast feed between my son and daughter deciding not to latch and getting milk fever! Be glad that you can even 80% of the time. I would give anything to have been able to. That special bond you’re supposed to feel when you breast feed I never felt and wish everyday that I could. No being able to also caused my postpartum depression
be happy that you can.