Name: Joanna

Stow, MA

Number of kids: 2

Ages of kids: 4 months, 2 1/2

Problem: Our son is now 4 months old. We gave him a bottle of breast milk at least once a week from 5 weeks of age (so that he would get use to the bottle). I need to go back to work in a few weeks so I started weaning him a few weeks ago. When I only had to give him a bottle for one feeding, he survived. He didn't like the bottle but he took anywhere from 1/2 ounce to 2 1/2 ounces. I've now worked it up to 3 bottles a day and he still doesn't like the bottle that much. Yesterday he did drink about 1 1/2-2 ounces from the bottle and seemed to suck the nipple correctly. Most of the time however, he is unhappy and most of the formula ends up on his chin. When I return to work I will still be nursing him in the morning, afternoon and night but I'm worried about the day feedings. I guess I'd like any ideas on how to make this work better. It's starting to stress me out.

A few questions. Is it a mistake to give him cereal and spoon him formula if he rejects the bottle for a feeding or is that just making the problem worse? The nipple he took with breast milk(Nuk) he doesn't seem to like now. Someone suggested the playtex nursers so I tried it and he seemed to like it more but now I'm realizing that he is not getting much more from this nipple. Is it a mistake to keep switching nipples? Will that confuse him ? Any other ideas?

Update from Joanna: Well, from the time I posted my problem, I've discovered a solution. Zachary now takes the bottle. I realized that if he sucked the Nuk nipple before, he could do it again. When he rejected the bottle, I gave him a few spoonfuls of cereal and fruit(which he loves). He did take the bottle after this. I think he was sensing how stressed out I was and that wasn't helping. When I relaxed and realized that he wouldn't starve, I did the above and it worked! I also realize now that I was trying to give him the bottle before he was really hungry. When I waited for him to get hungry and gave him cereal to whet his appetite, he was fine.