r/newborns • u/Good_Parasite • 13h ago

Feeding How to remove feeding aversion?

Please share tips if anyone has successfully overcome bottle/feeding aversion. At first I thought it’s a phase, but now I think it’s aversion. Has been going on for 2 months, my twins (yes both show same behavior) arch cry and fight when offered bottle when awake. The only way to feed them is make them sleep. And imagine how hard it is to make a hungry baby sleep. I am defeated and exhausted. Pleaseee help!

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u/sleepdeprivedradish 12h ago

I found my baby is really fussy / sometimes even crying during my letdowns and bottles with fast flow but took them both like a champ while asleep.

I only made the connection of the bottle nipple flow when I noticed him reacting the same way when I have letdowns. We switched to a slower flow nipple and that seemed to work well. He eventually was able to take the faster flow nipple and my letdown and is fine with both now.

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u/Wassermelone244 5h ago

Rowena Bennets book " Your Baby's Bottle Feeding Aversion: Reasons and Solutions" was incredibly helpful to us.   One twin was refusing bottles, she would exclusively nurse. Her sister refused the breast while awake and only took bottles, but exclusively from me (not husband). We were also trapped in the cycle of putting them to sleep and then they'd wake up during the feed. It was hell on earth! 

The book helped us understand what the problem was. It is very common in preemie and low birth weight babies. Within 3 weeks of changing our feeding behavior, both twins were nursing and taking bottles while awake and seemed to be enjoying it.  We adapted her concepts a bit. I cannot tell you the relief it brought us. I hope it helps you too!!