bottle technique? help!

[trixipaws]

some of u might kno that iv never really established bottle feeding. i dont kno if its me thats rubbish at it or millie- or both of us lol!
i feel awkward holding her and the bottle, dont really kno what position should be in- and she fusses, gags, splutters and doesnt seem to kno what to do with it.
if i was confident about it i would buy a breast pump and start leaving her with my boyf/ my parents etc while i go for a nite out, or to get my highlights done, or whatever. but im not. even if i had a fridge and a freezer full of milk i dont feel i could leave her as iv never seen her bottle feed properly or been able to.
is there a technique i need to learn? or do some babies simply not take to bottles and thats it?!

 

[Urchin]

What teats are you using?

MAM do really good flat ones that are supposed feel more like a nipple. It sounds like she just needs more practice, Brody was a slow learner too but he got there.

 

[Redshoes]

As every baby's different I don't think there's an actual answer trixipaws, but would say she will splutter etc as she's not used to the teat, the milk will come out whether she sucks or not, she has no control, whereas with the nipple she does. Try having her in a half sitting position, so she doesn't get too much milk collecting in her mouth, and you might find it less daunting holding her slightly upright.
If you really want her to take a bottle/teat, I would suggest trying it everyday, so then she will get used to it, thats what worked for my best friend who exclusively breastfed up until her daughter was a few months old, then she introduced the bottle, took a while, but got easier.
Very best wishes, just do what you feel ready and comfortable to do, then you'll be relaxed, which means Millie will be too, and also let your boyf try her with the bottle, some breastfed LO's are said to take bottles easier from those who don't breastfeed them

 

[beanie]

Neither of you are rubbish at it!!! Milk comes outof a bottle differently, it pours into a babies mouth, they swallow and it fills again whereas with the breast the baby has to work the milk out. So it might be that millie is finding the milk is coming out too fast for her. I would perhaps try feeding her more propped up in your arm, and let her take the teat into her mouth as opposed to pushing it in.

I have got another list of articles from kellymom.com (am obsessed with this site lol) which has some great links on clicky

 

[Mrs_Jay]

prehaps another thought is the flow of the teat you're using, becoz if its coming out too quickly for her you could use a slower flow one xx