So last night I did my second birth, and first night time birth since my second babe was born. He's four months old now, I am breastfeeding exclusively/on demand at this point, although I start back to school tomorrow. So my little guy pretty much refuses to take a bottle- he has taken a coupe in the past but has pretty much refused lately, needless to say this led to a very frustrated papa, who has to go to work this morning, and was up with a crying baby most o the night. Any advice? I am considering letting him start to eat rice cereal mixed with breastmilk if that will keep him happy while I am gone. I REALLY wanted to do breastmilk only at least for the first six months, especially because I had a pretty severe uterine infection after I had him and was given really strong anti-biotics that I think messed up his gut a bit.
Help! I love doula-ing but am worried about the stress it is placing on my family at this point!
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What about using a dropper? I think some others here might have more experience with this.
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personally I'd put off my doula work (and did) until baby is older.
I would do the same thing and I definitely wouldn't start him on cereal yet. I would also try a dropper like Bex said. Good luck! I hope you can figure something out that works best for you and your family.
If you do not want to get him used to a bottle, i would say hold off on leaving him with anyone. There is NOTHING worse than looking after someone elses hungry baby.
Mine never has either. Dh has had some grumpy days but he'll live. I am a SAHM so he can have the 1 or 2 days a month that I am with a mama. I would have missed out on some fabulous births had I stayed home though. My dh cup fed her or used a dropper. Here we are almost a year after my first birth and she still nurses around the clock, never took a bottle, and I have my doula career and she's not starved yet. Just my
ETA: She was on breastmilk ONLY for 6 months!
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Staying home is not an option. So a dropper like a medicine dropper is that what you are talking about? What is the danger with feeding him cereal (especially if it is mixed with breastmilk) before six months?
I really do need to get him to eat something besides milk out of my breast as I am also starting back to school. I guess I am more looking for advice from other moms who have gotten babies who initially refused to take a bottle, or compelling reasons against adding cereal at this point.
When Isis was about 4 months old, I had a birth. Daddy couldnt get her to use a bottle either so he, in his HUGE amount of frustration tried spoon feeding her breastmilk. Worked great!! Then he started getting her used to a sippy cup. worked great for us!!
I also started her on Cereal mixed with breastmilk at 4 months or so... She was sooooo interested in what we were eating, and loved it! Just keep it really liquidy and easy for her to ingest.
Wroked really well fo rthe nights that I wasnt at home. baby slept better at night, and then woke shortly after I got home to nurse...
HTH!!
LOve and Light,
Denise
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Denise: Proud wife of Tim for 11 years and counting, proud mama to Orion- 11, Osiris- 9, Anubis- 5, Isis- 2 and New Baby Beani- Due Winter 2010/2011
Certified Prenatal, Birth, and Postpartum Doula
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Last edited by Denise77AK; 01-11-2009 at 04:37 PM.
Yes, a medicine dropper. It's time consuming but works. We are both of the mindset that you do what you have to do. Also, Gabby loves sippy cups. She has since she started crawling around and finding them. There are so many types of these too so experiment until you find one or two that he does like. Good luck and congrats on your recent birth and going back to school!
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Babies do not create the enzymes to digest cereal at this age. So basically you would be filling up his stomach with something that he can not utilize for nutrition. It is a common factor in failure to thrive babies. It can also give him belly aches since it just kind of sits in there unable to be digested. Try cup feeding, dropper feeding, spoon feeding etc. A medicine cup works well for cup feeding but you have to be careful that the edges are not sharp like some of them are. Basically sit baby on your lap, hold the milk up to his lips and let him lap it out of the cup. You aren't going to be pouring it down his throat. You can buy a Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) at your local baby store and use the tubing along to the end of your finger and have him suck on your finger to feed him. They are only about $10.
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So with the SNS, babies often like sucking on your finger better than on a bottle? Nicole E how did you get your babe to take a bottle at when she was 4 or 5 months?
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I would have missed out on some fabulous births had I stayed home though. My dh cup fed her or used a dropper. Here we are almost a year after my first birth and she still nurses around the clock, never took a bottle, and I have my doula career and she's not starved yet. Just my 
