5 Tips for Getting A Breastfed Baby to Take A Bottle

This post was sponsored by NUK as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own

Jackson is almost 8-months-old now! Time is flying by and if I’m being honest, I’m kind of okay with that. Out of all my kids, I’ve nursed him the longest and I’m a bit wore out. We’ve been slowly introducing a bottle to give me a much-needed break.

I never realized how hard it would be to get a breastfed baby to take a bottle! With patience and persistence, Jackson is taking a bottle now and then.

I know many mama’s face this same struggle, so I thought I’d share some tips that helped me out.

5 Tips for Getting A Breastfed Baby to Take A Bottle

1. Have someone else give baby his/her first bottle. A lot of babies won’t take a bottle from mom if they are used to nursing.

2. Try leaving the house! I know this might sound a bit extreme but seriously try it! Babies are smart and know when mom is around. If mom isn’t around there is much better chance he’ll take the bottle.

3. Use a bottle that represents the breast as much as possible. We’ve been using the NUK Simply Natural Bottle and so far we are loving it! The 9-piece set comes with 3 different nipples with different flow rates. I suggest starting with the slowest flow as it’s easier for baby to adjust to a bottle. The design of the nipple is modeled after the breast, which makes for a more natural feeding experience. You can pick up the NUK Simply Natural Bottles at Target or Walmart. NUK also has Freemie cups which you can pick up at Target or Walmart as well.

4. Wait till baby is hungry but not too hungry. You want your baby to be hungry enough to take a bottle but make sure not to wait until they are upset and too hungry.

5. Since your baby is probably used to being nursed, try using breastmilk in the bottle if possible. Jackson has had formula as well but his first time using the bottle he did best with breastmilk. Probably because it was a familiar taste.

What tips do you have? Share in the comments!