My baby refuses the bottle
Manuel FernándezWhat can I do if my baby refuses the bottle? To get a baby to accept the bottle, it is essential to make sure the teat imitates the anatomy of the mother's breast, to offer it at calm moments (not when extremely hungry) and to ensure the milk is at the right temperature. As midwives, we have found that customisation based on the shape of the real nipple reduces refusal in a high percentage of clinical cases.
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What should you do when your baby refuses the bottle?
The first thing is to find the exact cause that makes your baby refuse the bottle, and for that the best solution is to offer him something as close as possible to your breastfeeding. Because your baby is used to your breast, and the more the feed resembles your breast, the better the result will be.
So we should stop using generic bottles, and the solution is to offer your baby the feed in a made-to-measure Happymami bottle, as well as following the guidelines you will receive with your Happymami bottle for the first feeds. These guidelines have been developed by our midwives according to your baby's age and the design you create, and they will help you make sure your baby does not refuse the bottle.
Do you need more information about bottle refusal?
Read our article created by midwives for you, with love!
Is your baby refusing the bottle? Don't worry, we are going to help you. It is a situation that can happen, and that is why our team of midwives has prepared the following post for you. Because you have surely wondered why my baby will not take the bottle? or which bottle will be the right one for my baby? Below we are going to go through the keys to getting your baby to accept the bottle.
Why does your baby refuse the bottle?
The first thing is to understand what is happening and at which stage you and your baby are, so as to find the best solution for your situation. It will also be key to avoid using a generic bottle and instead choose a made-to-measure Happymami bottle, for two main reasons.
If your baby has breastfeeding well established, for example a 4-month-old baby who has been exclusively breastfed and whose mum now has to go back to work. Your baby will probably recognise perfectly what mum's breast is like: its shape, texture and milk flow. To such an extent that he will surely have absorbed the perfect stimulation that your breast exerts on his palate and the pressure he has to apply to extract the milk and feed.
Well, in this situation, if we offer a generic bottle that is completely different from your breast, your baby will probably refuse the bottle. Because he is used to mum having a nipple with an individual shape, and the stimulation of his palate with a generic bottle is much greater, which overwhelms him.
And what about the 15-day-old baby who needs a supplement? In this situation we should also prioritise using a made-to-measure Happymami bottle. Because science warns us: 50% of babies who use a generic bottle lose their breastfeeding. At 15 days old, breastfeeding will not be fully established, and using a generic bottle that is different from your breast will cause your newborn to suffer teat-nipple confusion, losing your breastfeeding.
The most common reasons for bottle refusal are:
1. Confusion between breast and bottle.
2. Inadequate teat flow.
3. Material or shape of the teat that is not comfortable.
🍼 Solve these problems with the Happymami bottle, designed to adapt to each baby's needs.
What should you do when your baby refuses the bottle?
The first thing is to find the exact cause that makes your baby refuse the bottle, and for that the best solution is to offer him something as close as possible to your breastfeeding. Because your baby is used to your breast, and the more the feed resembles your breast, the better the result will be.
So we should stop using generic bottles, and the solution is to offer your baby the feed in a made-to-measure Happymami bottle, as well as following the guidelines you will receive with your Happymami bottle for the first feeds. These guidelines have been developed by our midwives according to your baby's age and the design you create, and they will help you make sure your baby does not refuse the bottle.
What should I do if my baby will not take the bottle?
If your baby refuses the bottle and you are still using a generic bottle, the first option is to switch to a made-to-measure Happymami bottle and to follow the guidelines we will give you so that your baby takes the bottle. We even have a completely free service so that, in the cases that need it, our midwives will follow up with you via WhatsApp to look at your baby's bottle feeds, find what is going wrong and give you guidelines to achieve it. We want him to take the bottle and we want to protect your breastfeeding as much as you do, which is why we will always offer you the best of us.
How do I know if my baby is refusing formula?
Just like you, your baby does not like every brand of milk, as each one has its own taste. So if you use formula, the first thing is to make sure he likes the milk you have chosen for your baby.
To do this, you can first offer him a little on a spoon, so we can see your baby's reaction, which may be total acceptance or a funny face. If it is the latter, it is a sign that he does not like that type of milk.
If you are not sure whether or not your baby likes the milk you have chosen, you should assume that he does not like it and it would be advisable to change to another milk, the best option for the first feeds being to use your own milk, which we know he does like.
How can I get my baby to stop refusing the bottle?
As we have seen, the most important thing is to avoid using a generic bottle and to use a made-to-measure Happymami bottle. This will allow you to prepare the bottle that most closely resembles your breastfeeding and to increase bottle acceptance rates. As well as following the guidelines that will arrive with your order after purchase.
Design the bottle that most closely resembles your breastfeeding
Read like this it now seems obvious, but it is something that has never existed until the Happymami project came along. We are mums and midwives who, during our professional work, saw how generic bottles often made the baby refuse the bottle.
Not to mention how many breastfeeding journeys came to an end because of the use of generic bottles. So we set to work on a new concept of bottle that would give every mum, individually, the chance to have the bottle that most closely resembles her own breastfeeding.
What is more, for your baby your breastfeeding is perfect, so if you use a bottle that resembles your breast as closely as possible, you will considerably increase bottle acceptance rates.
🍼 Create the bottle that respects and complements your breastfeeding.
🌟 Designed by midwives, our personalised bottle imitates your breast, helping your baby to accept it more easily and protecting the special bond of breastfeeding.
Mums' reviews of Happymami
Bottle and teat materials
A detail to bear very much in mind is the material the bottle is made of, and especially the teat. Because it will be essential for it to be as close as possible to the texture of the skin of your breast.
That is why at Happymami, after an exhaustive search for the best material, we decided to make our bottles, both the teat and the body, from food-grade silicone. A state-of-the-art material that offers the best experience for your baby's palate, giving the best acceptance results and preventing the "disgust" and "gagging" that other materials can cause.
Safe for your baby
We must not only bear in mind that it is similar to the texture of your breast, but also that it is safe. That is why the state-of-the-art food-grade silicone used for made-to-measure Happymami bottles has multiple advantages.
A material that has undergone strict testing and is quality certified (European Standard EN14350, Regulation (EC) 1935/2004, Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 and Royal Decree 847/2011). Tests carried out by the international laboratory Intertek that make it possibly the safest bottle on the market.
So with the Happymami bottle we are assured that it is free of toxins such as BPA, which can be found in plastic bottles. What is more, if they fall, being made of silicone, they do not break as glass bottles would. Everything thought through to offer your baby the best bottle with the highest acceptance on the market.
Steps to make sure your baby does not refuse the bottle
Now that we have a made-to-measure Happymami bottle, the next step is to follow the guidelines that will arrive with your bottle. Bear in mind that these guidelines are designed according to your design and your baby's stage. And they are there to make sure your baby accepts the bottle. Once the bottle is established, you will not need to be so strict with the guidelines.
Sometimes it takes a little more effort, but just like your breastfeeding, which is now perfect, remember how it was at the beginning, and it was not always as easy as it is now. It was probably a little hard at first, especially if it was your first baby. But with consistency and patience you have managed to establish breastfeeding.
Well, in just the same way you are going to achieve it with your Happymami bottle, cared for down to the last detail, and by following the guidelines that will arrive with your design, your probability of success in bottle acceptance will increase exponentially. We are now beside you and we are going to help you achieve what you and your baby need without affecting your breastfeeding.
Using your own milk
Among the guidelines that will arrive with your Happymami bottle, you will find the type of milk to use, and our recommendation is that you use your own milk for the first feeds. It seems obvious, but sometimes we do not realise that your baby may not like the milk you are using, which is why offering him your own milk will be essential.
What is more, we will have to take into account when the milk was expressed, whether or not it has been frozen, as well as the ideal temperature for the feed. And all of this will arrive perfectly indicated with your Happymami bottle.
The best time to give the bottle
It is generally very widely accepted to recommend that the baby is hungry when offering the bottle, but we do not recommend it. We have helped many mums like you, and in practice it is quite the opposite. Your baby now knows that when he is hungry, the breast is for eating, and he does not know that anything else exists, so if he is very hungry, he will only be thinking about the breast, and it is not the moment to try anything new or to experiment.
That is why, for the first feeds, it is important that your baby is not very hungry. Our recommendation is that you offer the bottle the first few times 20 minutes before the feed, making your baby more receptive to discovering the bottle, and always provided that it is not a feed after sleeping, as babies are usually not very receptive at those feeds.
What is more, whenever he is crying inconsolably, it is important to stop, calm him down and then try again, or, if these are the first feeds, to try at another time. We are looking for positive associations, and forcing him to do something he does not understand will not make him receptive to learning what you want to teach him.
Should I give the bottle or should grandma?
Another controversial and culturally very widespread issue is that the bottle should be given by someone other than mum, because you smell. Well… it may be, but it is not the focus of the problem if he does not take it. As we saw earlier, your baby now knows that mum's breast is for eating, so if I am very hungry, I only think about the breast, and if on top of that it is mum who gives me the bottle, then I only want her breast. If it is grandma who gives me the bottle and I am very hungry, then I will only think about mum's breast.
With all that said, our recommendation is that it should be given by the person who is most determined to get him to take it, and who has the most patience. If you are nervous, your baby will probably get nervous too.
Other points so that your baby does not refuse the bottle
It is extremely important that your baby has a clean nappy, that the room is at a suitable temperature, and that there is calm. It also seems obvious, but many times what fails is not the milk or the bottle… it is that the baby has a wet nappy, or that it is cold at home. That is why we cannot neglect these small details.
Conclusion: my baby refuses the bottle
As always, every baby and every circumstance is unique, and you should adapt these recommendations to your particular case. What is more, if you need it, our team of midwives, who are experts in motherhood and breastfeeding, will be delighted to help you. Write to us on our WhatsApp, which you will find on the website, and they will study your case and help you achieve it.
Lots of encouragement, you are doing great, and above all patience. Every day is a little step and, when you least expect it, it will have passed, so enjoy the moment.
Why does my baby refuse the bottle if he used to accept it without any problem?The refusal may be due to several factors: changes in the taste of the milk, discomfort from teething, or simply a preference for breastfeeding. It could also be related to temporary discomfort.
What can I do to get my baby to accept the bottle after refusing it several times?Try offering the bottle in a calm environment, changing the teat for a softer one or trying different milk temperatures. You can also let someone else give it to him, as they sometimes associate the mother with breastfeeding.
What are the alternatives to the bottle if my baby keeps refusing it?You can try training cups or special little spoons to feed your baby. It is also possible to combine breastfeeding with small amounts of milk in other formats until he accepts the bottle.
