Breastfeeding and bottles

My 9 week old baby is exclusively BF on demand, i started introducing a bottle a few weeks ago and he cannot take it. He gags, chokes, cries and gets incredibly distressed, no matter how hard i try he just can't get it and i feel so bad for him. Once at 6 weeks he managed almost an ounce, but he's never managed again since. I have no problem EBF for as long as he needs, and i will not let him go hungry or cry... but i really need to know that he can take a bottle when necessary. I have a ton of milk in the freezer and everyday it's just more getting wasted. It's making me anxious knowing that i'm the only one who can meet his needs (i have health problems and won't always be around).

I've tried with a warm teat, cool milk, warm milk etc etc and it's just not happening. Taking it from someone else doesn't help, and he's NOT refusing, he just physically can't seem to manage even though he really tries. I need some tips, or to hear your experiences of going through this and how you worked it out in the end? thanks  

ETA; he does have a tongue tie, but it doesn't stop him from bfing so would it be causing problems with the bottle?

Is is a slow nipple?

Yup it's 0-3 mo/slow flow.

I have an overactive letdown, so i was suprised at how messy it can get and how much choking etc he has with the slow flow  

My daughter also has problems with the bottle. I just offer her 1 oz.( not when she is super hungry though) and help her out.I actually lay her down on the boppy with her head supported and it seems to help.

try the breast flow bottles, my sister had the same problem with my nephew and he took those bottles and nothing else. good luck

I asked this question 3 times and no one can still answer me right. So im watching to se.
Everyone keeps telling me what bottle to use and not how to introduce it to him 

I'm not sure which brand that would be in the uk? I use these; http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/closer_to_nature_slow_flow_teats_x_2/

He really tries and gets so upset/frustrated.

Because he managed once i thought i should stick with it, and the fact we bought a whole set of those bottles. But now i'm wondering if we should try a medela special feeder/cup feeding instead? I guess i'm scared that won't work either. I have to go into hospital next month and i don't know what else to do?!

Quoting Mama on bedrest:“ I'm not sure which brand that would be in the uk? I use these; http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product ... [snip!] ... instead? I guess i'm scared that won't work either. I have to go into hospital next month and i don't know what else to do?!”

Dina starts to scream when i try. I dont know what else to do either. I tried 3 different bottles. Even spent 15.00 on ONE bottle b/c it was suppose to be the best. Didnt work. Nothing works

Quoting Dina Monique's NY Mama:“ Dina starts to scream when i try. I dont know what else to do either. I tried 3 different bottles. Even spent 15.00 on ONE bottle b/c it was suppose to be the best. Didnt work. Nothing works”

remember this was what i was most afraid of too! He still eats every 1-3 hours in the day, so it's not like i can just slip out for a while esp as there's no routine to his feeds. I tried giving him some on a spoon but that didn't work either (can't even take gripe water). What are we supposed to do?

I have a syringe for giving infant meds, i may have to try that. It's like 5ml so would take forever!

Quoting Mama on bedrest:“ remember this was what i was most afraid of too! He still eats every 1-3 hours in the day, so it's ... [snip!] ... are we supposed to do? I have a syringe for giving infant meds, i may have to try that. It's like 5ml so would take forever!”

Have you tried pouring it in his mouth with a cup? I havent. I dont know how to go about doing it.

One girl said to look up a lactation consulate but thats only for breast feeding

I wasn't sure if just using the bottle itself without a nipple or even the lid from the milk storage bottle would do?

eta - i've done cup feeding in nicu and it was a tiny pot thing with a lip on it.

The medela special feeders cost a lot so i don't want to waste even more if he just cant do it and its going to upset him even more.

Quoting Mama*AtoZ:“ My 9 week old baby is exclusively BF on demand, i started introducing a bottle a few weeks ago and he ... [snip!] ... thanks   ETA; he does have a tongue tie, but it doesn't stop him from bfing so would it be causing problems with the bottle?”

I'm not sure if you can get your hands on the Gerber Nuk bottles, but that's what I'm going to try with my daughter. She has the same problem with a bottle, she just plain out hates the Avent bottles that I had great luck with with my son. But the Gerber Nuk bottles have a slanted nipple that's contoured like our nipple gets in the baby's mouth when they BF. I'd try that and see it if helps, and just go slow. You might find that once he's a little older that he will do better too...

Quoting Wyatt & Bristol's Mama:“ I'm not sure if you can get your hands on the Gerber Nuk bottles, but that's what I'm going to try with ... [snip!] ... I'd try that and see it if helps, and just go slow. You might find that once he's a little older that he will do better too...”

I've just found a sippy cup that came with our steriliser (same pro BF brand as the link i posted). It says it can be used from 3 months, so maybe he'll be able to drink from that? I can wait till he's 12 weeks before we need to be apart, so hopefully by then he'll manage it - i'm hoping he will because you know how much they change even in one week at this age!

You know i think there was something really special about our preemies, Gmanaged to go from tube-> cup-> bottle-> breast and back to bottle and then tube again. He also didn't cry every time i put him down and didn't have any seperation anxiety until about 5 months. Yet my lil full termer cannot be put down and can't take a bottle! I wonder if they just develop differently, and what it is about those extra weeks that causes all these "differences"?!

I'll update if he manages with the special sippy cup, i feel quite tempted to try a 1/2 oz today and just see if the different teat'ness helps!

Quoting Mama*AtoZ:“ I've just found a sippy cup that came with our steriliser (same pro BF brand as the link i posted). ... [snip!] ... manages with the special sippy cup, i feel quite tempted to try a 1/2 oz today and just see if the different teat'ness helps!”

I know what you mean. You're not the only other person to say that about their preemie. I've talked to a couple of other people that said that they had very similar issues with feedings. It must be something about them being born before everything is coordinated and "set" with their feeding abilities.

I've at least my daughter has gotten better about how and when she eats. It's still hard to go out and get groceries esp by myself, but I can usually manage getting out for a couple of hours without her fussing too much.