Breastfed Baby Suddenly Refusing Bottle

Milkology Q&A

Question:

My 11 week old baby is exclusively breast fed, and has taken one or two bottles of pumped breast milk since around 3 weeks old. In the past he has had no problem taking bottles. In the past week or two, he suddenly has stopped taking bottles. He doesn’t get mad, he just refuses to latch onto the bottle even when we know he is hungry. He will typically bite down on the tip with his lips now or will start to gag if the bottle is in his mouth. We don’t want to lose the ability to give bottles. What can we do?

What to do if your breastfed baby suddenly refuses the bottle

Answer:

Hi! This sounds very frustrating. You should know that it’s actually quite common for breastfed babies to refuse the bottle at times. It may simply resolve on its own in time, but there are things you can do to entice him back to the bottle. First, make sure to offer when he’s not starving or fussy, but when he’s mellow and maybe just wants a snack. You can also try different bottle nipples and different flow speeds. Having someone other than the breastfeeding parent offer the bottle can help, because many babies won’t take the bottle from their breastfeeding parent. Trying offering in other locations than home. Or try while you are walking and holding your baby in a baby carrier. Finally, keep in mind that if all else fails, there are other ways to give your baby pumped breast milk. I had one mom who would freeze the milk and offer her baby spoonfuls of a breast milk slushie!