Help! My Baby Refuses To Breastfeed But Will Take A Bottle

You have been happily nursing your baby for awhile, but lately your baby has been super fussy while breastfeeding. They scream at the breast; they push it away. They seem hungry, but they just won’t breastfeed well—maybe they won’t nurse at all! 

BUT, when you give them a bottle of milk, they slurp it down right away...

Yikes! What’s going on here?

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Rest assured, this is actually a very common scenario for breastfed babies, especially when they’re going through a fussy period or a growth spurt. 

If you’ve been successfully breastfeeding up until now, and this suddenly happens, you should know that it’s unlikely that anything’s wrong!

What is probably happening is that your baby is developing a bottle preference, at least for now. 

But this is something that can be solved! Let’s talk about how you can get your baby happily back to breastfeeding again...

First — Rule Out Any Major Issues

 The first thing you want to do in this situation is rule out any “red flag” issues that might be making it difficult for your baby to breastfeed, or may indicate a drop in your milk supply.

Some things to watch for:

• Is your baby having any trouble gaining weight?

• Does your baby show any signs of illness?

• Is your baby especially gassy or showing signs of reflux?

• Has your baby’s nursing schedule changed? Are you offering them the breast less frequently than usual? Have you gone back to work?

Usually, when your baby shows a preference for the bottle, it’s not because you have less milk or your baby is unwell or uncomfortable, but it’s always wise to rule those scenarios out. You can talk to your doctor or a lactation consultant to discuss these concerns.

Why Your Baby May Be Preferring The Bottle Right Now

Barring any milk supply or health issues, the main reason that babies come to prefer the bottle over the breast, is that drinking from a bottle actually is easier than breastfeeding! 

Breastfeeding requires your baby to form a good latch and seal on your breast, and suckle vigorously to get the milk flowing.

Your baby might come to prefer the simpler, easier feeding route to the more complicated one. Makes sense, right?

Here are some reasons why babies might develop a bottle preference: 

• Bottles usually have faster flow than breasts, or at least faster continuous flow. Your baby doesn’t have to wait a few minutes for the milk to let down, and they can suckle more passively and be rewarded with milk.

• Bottles are easier to manage when your baby is upset. If your baby is fussy and crying, it can be hard for them to latch and do what needs to be done to breastfeed. They don’t have to put as much effort into bottle feeding, which can be much easier when they are cranky. 

• Some babies prefer the firmness and the shape of a bottle nipple—it soothes them quickly.

• If you have been offering your baby bottles regularly, they may have simply gotten more used to bottles, and need to relearn how to breastfeed successfully (it can be done!).

What To Do When Your Baby Refuses To Breastfeed But Will Take A Bottle

Keep Your Baby Fed, And Pump When Your Baby Refuses The Breast

You must feed your baby right now, even if they won’t take the breast. You can try non-bottle feed methods, such as cups or syringes, if possible. And for every time your baby doesn’t take the breast, you should pump to keep up your milk supply.

Don’t Wait Till Your Baby Is Starving To Feed Them

An over-hungry baby is a fussy baby, and a fussy baby won’t take the breast well. Feed your baby frequently, before they get too hungry. Changing to a more frequent breastfeeding routine might actually help you solve the problem without much more intervention.

Soothe Them Before Nursing

Again, you don’t want to try to nurse a cranky baby—the fussier they are, the less likely they are to take the breast. Try soothing them if they are fussy before nursing. Walk and shush them. Have them suck on your finger or a pacifier to calm down. Offer the breast when they are calmer.

Supplement Them A Little Prior To Nursing

An overly hungry baby won’t nurse well as well. But a baby whose belly is totally full won’t want to nurse either. Sometimes it helps to feed your baby a small amount—a few ounces of pumped milk—and then try to breastfeed them again. This way, their initial hunger is taken care of, they are calmer, and they may be more able to nurse.

Change Positions/Shape Your Breasts

Sometimes a simple change of position may help your baby breastfeed. If you nurse in a cradle position, try lying down, or nursing in motion, or nursing in an upright position. You can also try shaping your nipple into a “C” or “U” shape so that it’s easier for your baby to latch.

Get The Milk Flowing

Try pumping or hand expressing before latching on. If you can get your letdown elicited, your baby will be rewarded faster with milk. Gently squeezing your breast after your baby latches on can help too, as this can get milk flowing faster.

Want to get your milk flowing faster each time you breastfeed? Try THIS cool little gadget!

Try Nursing During Sleepy Times

One of the best times to get a reluctant nurser back on the breast is to offer while they are sleepy. That can be as they are falling asleep, when they wake up in the middle of the night, or when they are just waking up. They are much more likely to take the breast in this dreamy, relaxed state.

Weekend In Bed

Sometimes you and your baby just need to hit the “reset button” on breastfeeding to work things out. Try a weekend together in bed and take a nursing vacation!  Give your baby easy, constant access to the breast, nap with your baby, and do lots of skin to skin. That will often get your baby back to nursing.

Try A Bottle Alternative

If your baby won’t take the breast at all, you must continue feeding them. If possible, try an alternative feeding method to bottles, like a small cup, a syringe, a spoon, or even a sippy cup if your baby is older.

Introduce Paced Bottle Feeding

 Of course, if bottles are the only thing that works for you, you can use them. Try to stick to slow flow nipples, and try a method called paced bottle feeding, so that you can make bottle feeding as close to breastfeeding as possible.  

Want a free printable showing you exactly how to do paced bottle feeding?  Get it HERE.

The Bottom Line

When you’re dealing with a baby who refuses the breast but takes a bottle, it can become very stressful. It’s easy to question your milk supply, or your ability to breastfeed.  

You should know that you’re not alone! 

This is an issue many mothers encounter—and it almost always resolves in due time. 

If you have tried a number of things to fix the situation, but need more help, it’s always wise to reach out to a lactation consultant or breastfeeding helper. They can help pinpoint what is causing this problem, and help you come up with solutions that best fit your particular situation.

Most of all, don’t give up. This too shall pass.

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