Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Bottle Frustrations

I promise to post more about our wonderful week up in Goshen with lots of pictures but right now I need to share my frustrations and stress with the bottle. Last week while we were in Goshen we decided that it was time that we start to introduce Nolan to the bottle. We felt that this was a good time since it would give us 3 weeks before I went back to work and might also allow me to participate in more of Matt and Erin's wedding weekend activities. The first few days we tried we didn't have much luck...lots of screaming. We tried different bottles, different nipples and my mom talked to a lactation consultant at Goshen hospital...finally last Thursday night I was able to get him to take a bottle after baiting him in with the breast. Friday night I went to the rehearsal dinner with Kevin leaving Nolan at my mom's where he successfully took a bottle. He again took a bottle on Saturday and Sunday when we got home, which was the last bottle he took. I'm starting to stress out because I have to go back to work in a week and a half and next week I have a two day training when he will need to be fed with a bottle. I never thought that getting him to take a bottle would be so difficult. It makes me think that maybe we should have started earlier, although we were told not to use a bottle or pacifier until 3-4 weeks to establish breastfeeding. We have tried getting him to use a pacifier at times as well, which he also did for a few days but has refused again today. I don't want to get him completely confused and I hate hearing him cry so hard while Kevin tries to give him a bottle. I just want to know that he is going to be ok while I'm gone. I already am not looking forward to leaving him to go back to work and him not taking a bottle is making the thought even more difficult. Your prayers and suggestions on this concern would be greatly appreciated.

1 comment:

  1. Oh, I'm sorry it's going so rough! With Luke we only tried to give him a bottle twice before I went back to work, maybe not very smart but it didn't seem to cause any problems. He didn't do terribly well either time, but he was staying with my mom and I knew that if he really had trouble she could bring him to see me. It turned out that for the most part he did fine when I wasn't there, except for a few weeks right after he turned three months. I have heard other people say that if the mother isn't around it is usually easier, so maybe he will do ok when you do go back to work. Even when Luke was not taking a bottle well, it was only when he was at home, at my mom's he still did fine. Also I know some babies don't eat as often when htey are away from mom and then nurse more frequently when mom comes home. If you only work and 8 hr day and you can get to feed him over lunch he probably won't be too bad off even if he does decide he doesn't want to take a bottle for a while. Also you can always have them try to spoon feed or finger feed him. Hope that helps!!

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