I like BF'ing but...

I am getting so tired of the girls not taking a bottle EVER. I feel so "on call" and I can't do anything that would really provide some rejuvenation for me. I'm trying to be creative, take bubble baths, run to the bookstore for an hour here and there but I can't help feeling sort of resentful of the fact that I am completely stuck. I know that sounds terrible...I'm not resentful of the girls, I'm just resentful of the situation. I am a proud breast feeder and feel lucky that it's working so well for us. I'm not trying to complain - I guess I'm just venting. I really want to take an afternoon (like 4-5 hours) and go to the gym, workout-sit in the steam room, meet a friend for coffee etc. and it's not possible. Every time I do leave for an hour or two here and there I'm usually running through the aisles of the grocery store - then rushing home to put the groceries away before stripping and feeding. I can't really relax when I'm out knowing that I need to be a clock watcher etc.

I guess I'm just feeling sad and throwing myself a bit of a pity party here. Thanks for listening.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, we've tried everything! I have left so my smell isn't here, warm bottles, cold bottles, every nipple on the market, all sorts of positions etc. The ped suggested I just leave and don't come back until they take it (starve into submission) but that doesn't seem right to me and would create a huge mess in our routine for them to go hours without eating and likely not sleeping either.

 

Have you tried syringe/dropper feeding them?

 

:hug99: I'm so sorry you're trapped! Your feelings sound SO totally normal, don't beat yourself up. It is really hard watching the clock all the time. You get a BIG pity party with lots of "death by chocolate" cake and Cure music! :lol:

FWIW, I wouldn't feel comfortable with the pedi's suggestion either, and I've never heard of starving into submission even working. My niece would not take a bottle for love or money, and one time SIL was stuck out of the house running late for some reason, and my niece was hungry, and my brother kept trying to give her a bottle of EBM - she was wailing with hunger and still wouldn't take it.

Have you tried syringes like Kristi said? Or how about a finger feeder? The only other thing I can think of is just to keep offering bottles - who knows, they might change their minds and take one sometime...

Meantime, I'm sorry you can't get a longer break right now! Vent away! :hug99:

 

My second son was li

 

Hi ladies, we have done the syringe. The problem with that was that there are two and DH is only one and syringe feeding took almost an hour just to get 2 ounces in them with all of the spills and their fidgeting etc. It is an option if I were to get hit by a truck or something but it's not a viable option to just get "me" time. Thanks for the support ladies!

 

DS really didn't like bottles, but when I went back to work when they were 6 months old, (two days a week) it became a necessity. I do understand how you are feeling. You've received some good advice. The only thing that worked with us was the latex (yellow) nipple and the temperature of the milk being *perfect*. Even then it could be a challenge. Make sure someone else is the one doing the feeding, and if necessary fact the eating baby away from you. Good luck! Persistence will pay off. I agree that starving is not a good idea, but stretching the feeding to when the babies are definitely hungry might help. Good luck! :hug99:

 

Sorry about before, my cable went out!

My second son was like this: he would NOT take a paci, a bottle of expressed milk, anything but me. The dr said he was a "skin baby. He wouldn't even touch solids until he was 9 months.

At 15 months I got Lyme Disease and they prescribed antibiotics that were contraindicated with bfing. He screamed for 6 straight hours. "Starving him into submission" was not going to work. I went back and made them give me different antibiotics. I definitely would not do that. The syringe idea is interesting, though.

I ended up nursing the girls exclusively and never pumping because I'd already done that with DS2 (DS1 would never drink formula, even mixed wtih EBM, but he would take a bottle of EBM), and yes, I was pretty stuck. It didn't bother me as much, though, for some reason.

Feel free to vent all you need!
:hug99:

 

I feel for you! I'm pretty much in the same position (but with one). It does get a bit easier as they get older and establish a better routine. I'm sorry you're feeling trapped, but I understand! :hug99:

 

My girls hate bottles too!
It does seem that they're better with them if I am no where in sight and the bottles are really warm. But even still they will only take an ounce or two, look for me for a bit, then take another ounce or two. Its a slow process.

 

As I was reading your post, i felt like I was reading my own words!!! I was in exactky your position until my four year old needed tubes. I spent the day in the hospital, missed one feed, and guess what? They eventualy took the bottles. Now I make sure that 2 afternoons a week I get out and a sitter gives bottles, I don't want them to forget how to take a bottle and they still won't take it from me!! It was definitely worth it!! My sitter told me it took them about 30 min each to drink the bottle, but the time is getting shorter. The first time they protesed for only 15 min.

By the way they were 3 1/2 months when we gave them the bottles...


Good luck

 

One of my boys went through the same thing at the same age. My mom always said I need to teach them how to use the bottles or else I'll look up and want to kick myself for being so tied down for so long. I didn't agree and now looking back on it and realizing that as my boys start solids and will need me less, I'm so thankful for that time when I could be their everything. It's such a short but beautiful period. I know sometimes it's overwhelming, but you've done an excellent job so far and it will only get better from this point on. Even if they don't learn to like the bottle, you'll learn to get past that "on call" feeling. It will get so much easier. Hang in there and I hope (and believe) that they'll be sucking from those bottles in no time.

 

It's really tough. A couple of suggestions, our sitter swore by putting the girls in bouncy chairs to start bottle feeding them - she said that if you hold them to bottle feed them, they'll expect the breast. Also making sure someone else does it with you hiding etc. Finally, for us they began to space out their feeds a bit at around the age you're at now as well as to feed a bit quicker and not need so much burping. It at least enabled me to rush out for an hour or so. Also in a couple of months time you can begin to teach them to drink from a straw sippy cup (for some reason better accepted by bf babies) instead of a bottle and then you'll be v happy they're not little bottle addicts.
Good luck
lisa