Why Isn't My 5 Month Old Taking Her Bottle?

There are several possible reasons why a baby might refuse her bottle, but no matter the reason, parents who can't get a baby to take her bottle experience worry and frustration. Whether a baby is accustomed to her mother's breast and is refusing the introduction of the bottle---or has never had anything but a bottle and has stopped taking it---there are strategies to helping her back to her normal feeding schedule.

  1. Common Bottle Problems

    • Breastfed babies sometimes refuse the bottle simply because the nipple has different feel in their mouths. If a breastfed baby is being introduced to the bottle and formula at the same time, the difference is double since the taste, smell and consistency of breast milk is not that of formula. Babies who are used to the bottle may refuse one that has a problem---perhaps the hole is clogged or the hole is larger than usual, providing her with a different bottle experience.

    Teething

    • According to Dr. Spock, well-known expert in the field of child and baby care, some babies between 4 and 7 months of age "act queerly" at feeding time, due to teething. Dr. Spock goes on to say that for some babies, more than others, "suction engorges his painful gums and makes them tingle unbearably." At this age, many babies prefer solid foods---introduced at 4 months of age---to nursing. Teething could very well be the reason a 5 month-old refuses to take her bottle.

    Feeding Strategies

    • Some ways to help a baby take the bottle include trying to find the right nipple for her individual sucking satisfaction. If she uses a pacifier, find a similar nipple. If a breastfed baby is being introduced to formula, putting a bit of breast milk on the nipple may help her begin to take the bottle. Even allowing her to chew on the nipple or play with it can lead to eating. Giving her the bottle while she's in a semi-upright position (car seat; swing) may do the trick as well. Make sure there's nothing wrong with the bottle or its contents.

    Strategies During Teething

    • Dr. Spock recommends that a teething baby be given solids more regularly. To get her to take a bottle, consider making the hole in the nipple a bit wider so that she sucks more breast milk or formula down in a shorter period of time, limiting the possibility that the action will agitate her. Remember that babies' appetites change as they grow, sometimes greatly increasing and sometimes diminishing.

    Some Babies Never Take Bottles

    • While there are several reasons a baby may refuse the bottle for a short period of time, or may indeed prefer her mother's breast, there are some babies who simply refuse to take bottles at any time, according to Baby Center's panel of experts. They go on to say that although common advice dictates that a baby will finally eat when she's hungry, there shouldn't be a contest of wills between a parent and a 5 month-old. If all feeding strategies otherwise fail and breastfeeding isn't an option, try giving her water and breast milk or formula in a child-size cup.

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