Question

How can we deal with a baby’s fear of bottles? We have been committed to breastfeeding, and the baby had no issues with bottles before. However, after a fever, the baby started to reject bottles due to the taste of medication. Now, even though the medication taste issue has been resolved, the baby turns away from the bottle and refuses to drink. Since the mother needs to work, bottles are the only option during the day. We have tried spoons or cups, but with little success. Are there any effective methods to help the baby reaccept the bottle?

Answer

Try the following steps:

  1. Choose a day when someone can assist you, and feed the baby exclusively with bottles for 24 hours. If breasts are too engorged, express milk and use it in the bottle.
  2. Do not give the baby any food or drink for 2 to 3 hours before feeding with a bottle, until the baby feels hungry.
  3. Experiment with different types of bottles and nipples, preferably using soft silicone nipples.
  4. Start by using expressed milk since the baby is accustomed to that taste. If breast milk is insufficient, formula milk can be used instead.