I worked with a dad who was at home with the baby while his wife was in
school a couple of days a week and whose baby stopped taking a bottle. We
tried all of the different nipples to no avail.

I suggested that he spoon feed--milk in small bowl and feed with a regular
teaspoon--and not offer her any bottle for at least a week. Spoon feeding
went quite well after baby learned what to do. After a week I suggested
that dad "feed her awake" which is picking up baby when she is just
stirring and offer her a bottle nipple. It worked. Then for a couple more
days, if baby was wide awake he spoon fed; if just waking he gently offered
the bottle.

Now, when I say "offer" I mean OFFER, not stick it into the baby's mouth.
One gently touches the lips and upon baby's opening her mouth the nipple is
slipped in respectfully. Often when a baby refuses a bottle someone will
try to force it on her and that says "doom."

In the above case it was a week or more after this approach until baby was
taking the bottle again, with Dad remembering to respect his baby's mouth.

Pat Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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