Hen party approaching-baby won't take bottle

Mrs Doyle

Hi, I have an exclusively breastfed 5 and a half month old, and I have my sisters hen party coming up in a week and a half.she will not take a bottle from her dad though, what to do? We have just started trying properly this week for her dad to put her down, going thru bedtime routine, but she is going into convulsions. And only mom (and boob) will calm her.
She HAS taken a bottle, albeit we tried only sporadically with varying success. Although only last week, when I got the TOmmee tippee fast flow teats, she guzzled down a bottle for her uncle. Hence I thought problem solved but no! We co sleep for a lot of the night, and she wakes for food 2/3 times btwn 7pm and 7am (which I'm ok with).also started solids.
Any suggestions?toying with bringing them to the hotel, but really don't want to do that!

RentDayBlues

Are you around when the bottle is being fed? I found that if they could smell me they were more resistant.

My second was more hesitant with the bottle and with settling, but without me around it was easier

I would suggest taking a night off if you can before the hen to give it a trial run, that way you'll know if you need them in the hotel or not.

tinkerbell

I would just bring your baby and daddy to hotel with you. Easiest and least stressful option for you all. You can go back then for breastfeeds when you need to. Your baby is still tiny, she just needs you.

Do you actually want to go? You have a baby now and you are entitled to put your baby first. If you would rather not go, that's fine.

celligraphy

Don't give up! Give it time , your baby will end up taking the bottle in the end don't worry , let your baby see if they can hold the bottle themself too

Ruby31

I feel your pain! I was in the same situation last year. I kept my phone out all night expecting a call from my other half, but the call never came! My son slept so well. I think it was because I wasn't there, I couldn't believe it because he used to feed/comfort suck all night.

If you can, do a practice run. Otherwise, would it be so bad to have them with you at the hotel? Do whatever suits you. Seriously. I stressed myself out so badly at the time and looking back, wish I'd just suited myself!

lazygal

My second would never take a bottle, from me, my husband or anyone else. Just never accepted it at all, and we tried repeatedly with different bottles and expressed milk at different temperatures. I had to accept that he just didn't want a bottle in the end.

Chocolate girl

Happened with my friend she was going into hospital. I sent her and hubby out for a few hours and her boy took bottle from me. He was hysterical when they tried. She never had problem again. They do know if you are around and they will do same in dad as he is anxious too and pick up on that. Get the uncle again or someone else and hopefully that will work.

Mrs W

I was that soldier. Hen party at 12 weeks, Christmas party at 18, wedding at 22, Adele concert next weekend and hotel booked 😢
Still no bottle here and I've tried 6 different types. We have made progress today on a dodi tho which I'm hoping will make him more accepting to bottle? Not getting my hopes up tho!

Mine is fine during the day, has solids and I come home for lunch on the days I'm working so he doesn't go too long.

Keep trying until next week, if the worst comes to the worst, bring them with you. I did and it was grand!

foodaholic

Try a cup instead of a bottle
Or a straw. My daughter would only drink from a straw from 5 months

Jen44

I had a hen when i was exclusively breast feeding too and my hubby and baby just came too. We stayed in a different hotel to the rest of the hens and i fed her and left for day activity then came home fed her and went out for night activity.

spottybananas

Try warming the teat, this is the only way my husband can get our son to take a bottle. However having been away overnight for two nights at 7 and 9 months I would take baby and husband with you to hotel if possible. Pumping for comfort is the biggest faff and annoyance EVER, baby empties them in minutes and pump takes me 20-40 minutes to pump for comfort, but not pump too much, etc. I'm too lazy for all that

Mrs Doyle

Thanks all for the replies! We have had a bit of success with bottle BEFORE taking her upstairs,so not SO worried now about putting her to bed,at worst he can keep her up until she falls asleep herself.the biggest worry now is the night time feedings,she is still waking anywhere btwn 2-5 times a night.dodi works only a third of the wake ups (but tbh it's just easier to stick the boob in!).its not I'm against bringing them to hotel,I guess I'm hoping all she needs is a night away,and she will magically sleep through the night!
Will see how we get on this week,and if we are not comfortable,will bring them along!

xalot

You could try a couple of different types of bottle teats, my little fella wouldn't take a bottle for me at all, tried MAM bottles, tommee tippee, medela, a boots one and then finally had success with Avent Natural bottles. Apparently you're supposed to try find a teat that mimics the shape of your own nipple!

Best of luck with it!

Mrs Doyle

Thanks again all for all the replies,so just to update ye,I resisted bringing them to hotel,left them on their own and they were FINE! She took the bottle no bother in my absence,didn't drink a whole lot during the day but before bed and a couple of times during night,she guzzled down formula!which might explain the night wakings,but that's another issue! Great to know she can be left without boob for a while (although pumping in d pub was a bit of a dose alright!).had great night,but good to get back to d little munchkin for Mother's Day!

LegacyUser

Mrs Doyle wrote: »

Thanks again all for all the replies,so just to update ye,I resisted bringing them to hotel,left them on their own and they were FINE! She took the bottle no bother in my absence,didn't drink a whole lot during the day but before bed and a couple of times during night,she guzzled down formula!which might explain the night wakings,but that's another issue! Great to know she can be left without boob for a while (although pumping in d pub was a bit of a dose alright!).had great night,but good to get back to d little munchkin for Mother's Day!

She didn't drink much and was awake during the night? Not to be funny, but it doesn't sound like a great success for her.

cyning

PaidInFull wrote: »

She didn't drink much and was awake during the night? Not to be funny, but it doesn't sound like a great success for her.

What she said was baby didn't drink much during the day but drank more at night. Baby wakes every night. It sounds fine. What you have said is really unhelpful.

Op I'm so glad it worked out for you!