How to Train a Baby to Eat From a Bottle

If your breastfed baby has difficulty taking a bottle, don't despair. You can rest assured that it's a common problem. Sucking from a bottle requires your baby to use different facial muscles than sucking from a breast, which makes it more difficult for a baby to learn. A baby may have trouble with the feel of the bottle nipple or the flow of the milk. With some patience and perseverance, you may be able to get your breastfed baby to take a bottle.

Instructions

1

Prepare a bottle by filling it with breast milk or formula.

2

Warm your baby's bottle in a bowl full of warm water for five minutes. Swirl the milk and let a drop fall on your wrist to test for warmth. The milk should be slightly warmer than room temperature.

3

Don't wait to offer the baby a bottle until she's almost starving. If you wait until a baby is very hungry, she's likely to reject a bottle in favor of what she is used to.

4

Have the father or another caregiver give your baby a bottle while you stay out of the room. If your baby can sense that her mother is near, she may refuse the bottle.