I am a bit overdue with this post, but wanted to share an update on our little two month old Claire!
Two months has definitely been a sweet spot for Claire, she has become a bit more laid back & is a pretty happy baby for the most part! She is smiling, making all sorts of sweet little baby sounds & loves tummy time. She weighed over 12 lbs. at her two month checkup. Claire is in the 75th percentile for both height & weight. This is just about where Eloise was if I remember correctly, Harper was 99th percentile at this point, that sweet little chubby thing!
Sleepwise, Claire is all over the place, but for the most part is a good sleeper. She is noisy, and while still in our room, means we don’t sleep very soundly as she is squirming, grunting, and cooing in her sleep. Most nights, she goes to bed at 7:30 and sleeps until about 3:30 am, eats and then goes back to sleep until about 6:45am. But once or twice a week, she will still wake to eat by 1:00 am, or wake multiple times early in the morning between 4:00-5. I just keep telling myself it could be worse. And at least there aren’t two crazy toddlers begging for attention while I am feeding her at those times! 😉
Nursing has been going surprisingly well for us, we had all of the normal struggles (latching, pain, milk supply, etc.) for the first few weeks, but it truthfully got much easier after that six week milestone. I supplemented occasionally with a bit with formula, and she had no issues with that, until about three weeks ago when she started completely refusing a bottle. I have tried probably ten bottles, different nipples, formula vs. pumped milk, warm vs. room temp, me feeding her vs. someone else feeding her, and they’re all a no-go. I need her to take a bottle, mostly for an upcoming road trip that I am dreading attempting to pull over every 3-4 hours to nurse for 30 minutes. Not to mention the fact that I currently cannot leave her for more than two hours. Any tips? Advice?
She loves her big sisters, the sound of their voices always make her eyes light up. She loves to be outside, loves to be held & snuggled. She loves the mamaRoo, it was really great when she was a newborn & then for a while she wasn’t a fan of it, but now it’s one of her favorite places to be again, as long as it is turned on a higher setting so she can rock with enough motion. I also love the loud white noise settings on it which helps drown out a lot of the other noise in our house so she can take some cat naps during the day throughout the commotion. During tummy time, she loves looking at these Black & White Art Cards
, we actually have these from when Harper was a newborn, they have always been a favorite for all of our girls! Bath time is her favorite, especially if Harper & Eloise are in the tub with her. We love it too, there is something so sweet about having all of your babies in the tub together.
, we actually have these from when Harper was a newborn, they have always been a favorite for all of our girls! Bath time is her favorite, especially if Harper & Eloise are in the tub with her. We love it too, there is something so sweet about having all of your babies in the tub together.
We still think she is looking more and more like Harper each day, what do you think?
Quite the little trio, these girls! 😉 Happy two (and a half) months to our little Claire Vivien!! XO
Follow us on Instagram @jlgarvin for more photos & updates!
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I had the same issue with my baby girl refusing to take the bottle! I think when they are a little bit older, they know what they want and can wait a little bit longer to eat, so they can decide to not take the bottle! I gave one bottle at 2 months and she was fine, and then at 3 months, she would not take it anymore! We tried multiple times, waited one more month, and decided it was enough and she had to take the bottle (with pumped milk). The battle lasted 1h30, but she finally took it. After that, I gave her one bottle a day for a few weeks, even if I didn't have to, just to get her used to. And then, she was fine. I breastfed until 13 months, while giving her a bottle when I needed a glass of wine ^^
I have no advice on the bottle front, but I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain. I nursed my son exclusively and he NEVER took a bottle. Ever. I was forced to just kind of ride it out, but I totally understand where you're coming from. Thankfully, my son was/is a relatively quick nurser and I had a quick output so it was never 30 minutes.
She is precious! And yes- looks so much like Harper! I wish I had some advice for you on the bottles… but neither of mine would really ever take them (especially not from me!). Good luck!
Sweet girls. 🙂
I have no advice on the bottle issue, and hope that you find a solution (and share with us when you do!) My first baby took a bottle a few times and then would refuse, so she was only nursed, which meant I never got a break, and it was difficult when I needed to leave for a longer period of time. I keep telling myself I did something wrong and am going to get my 2nd baby (due in a couple months) to take a bottle, but I'm a little worried that some babies just don't like them! So again, please share if/when you find a solution!
Thanks for sharing your lives with us!
-Lindsey in CA
I don't want to scare you, because I truly hope you have better luck than I did, but my now 17 month old started refusing a bottle around 3 months and wouldn't take one again until 10 months. We tried EV.ERY.THING. It was no fun, for anybody. Keep trying, hopefully she changes her mind!
You have such a gorgeous family! Glad everything is getting better and easier.
Hi! I had the exact same problem with Olivia taking a bottle and then deciding not to take it. I wrote about it here: http://www.myplotofsunshine.com/baby-bottle-bootcamp-101/ And I highly recommend the Pigeon bottle that finally worked for us.
No big tips on the bottle thing other than it sucks. We are there too. Our babe is 5.5 months old and we recently began working with an occupational therapist to get her to take a sippy cup with a straw. It's a slow process but it's working… It's been a long 5 months though. Good luck!
Good morning! Have you had your husband try to feed her? I've heard that sometimes babies don't like to take a bottle from their mom if they are used to nursing. Just a thought. Best wishes on your road trip! I too find those stressful in regards to feeding a baby.
Hey Jessica! My breastfed baby had trouble taking a bottle too. I had to get someone else give her the bottle, but I also had to leave. They say your baby can smell you and know if you're near. I had to take her to my mom's and leave (she had more patience than my hubby). It took her a good 30 min or so refusing the bottle, but eventually she gave up and took it. I did this only a few times and she started taking the bottle. Then she went to day care and had no choice, but did well. Soon after, she started to take a bottle from me too. I used pumped milk in Dr. Brown bottles. Hope this helps!
I'm so happy nursing is going so well for you and Claire! My first daughter took a bottle early on like Claire when we were having some issues and I was pumping and then she never took one for the 16 months I nursed her! I tried every bottle, nipple, temperature, just like you. I swore my second would take a bottle and here we are 6 months later to no avail! I think it has to do with me staying home and they know they can it from the source whenever they want it! Maybe by the the time your trip comes, she will be sleeping longer periods or maybe the car will keep her asleep?! Good luck!
She is growing up so fast and your girls are all beautiful. My boy also refused bottles for quite a while but keep trying and hope that it will get better with time.
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I think she doesn't look much like either (I've been following since you were pregnant with Harper). She has a good mixture of both girls but I thought Harper and Eloise looked more similar. Either way they are obviously all so beautiful. Congratulations on the housing news, can't wait to see what your plans will look like. We have a pretty good size back yard and it was for sure the selling feature for us too. Anyways, no advice for nursing and bottles, both my boys always refused one, we too tried every bottle. Pray it gets easier and I always was comforted once they started solids and drinking water from a NUK sippy. Every baby is so different so maybe she will surprise you one day soon. Keep up the great work on the blog.
You have the most beautiful girls! I wish I could help you on the no bottle situation but I too am struggling with my little one on that! So I'll be stocking these comments hoping someone has an answer!
The only bottle my son would take was the tommee tippee, The smaller 4oz one. I would definitely recommend it if you have not tried it! I now use the Dr. Brown bottles because we went through quite a fussy stage when I switched from pumped milk to formula and he takes those without a problem now as well. Good luck!
they are SO cute…all of them!
She's just so precious and really does look like Harper!
I feel you with the bottle though – my daughter is 8 months old and refuses refuses formula. She'll take pumped milk from time-to-time, but it's definitely limiting. I just got back from a cross country flight with her and I felt like I was trying to discretely nurse her in the teeny airplane seat for like 3 of the 5 hours we were in the air…
No advice with the bottles, as neither of my two would take one either! For road trips, we just planned to stop every 2-3 hours (which was needed anyways since someone was always crying or needing to pee after that amount of time.) As far as leaving them goes, until they are eating solids I generally take my babies EVERYWHERE. But in the grand scheme of things, that's not that long. It kind of forces you to slow down a bit. Babies don't keep! Your girls are so beautiful!
I had the same problem with baby #2 where he refused bottles. It was hard when I went back to work part time and he would sometimes go for 6-8 hours without taking much. He was 5 months at the time. We tried a million different bottles, nipples, different temps, etc but nothing worked! Stressful but he was very happy until someone tried to put a bottle in his mouth, lol. He made up for not eating much during the day by nursing alot in the evening/night 😉 eventually he started to take the platex nurser bottle but only if he was really hungry. Just keep trying! Your girls are so adorable, love your blog! 🙂
What a cutie! We took our son on a 12hr road trip when he was 2 months old and I was exclusively breast feeding. We decided to drive through the night and it worked like a charm! We left around 5PM and drove through and arrived there at around 5AM. I fed him every time we gassed up and it worked great. He slept the rest of the time because it was so late! Definitely reccommend if you guys can stay awake too :). Good luck!
Your littles are so beautiful!
Okay to help Claire take a bottle you need to have Brandon give her the bottle and you leave the house. Babies are super smart and know when you're nearby and will often refuse the bottle cause they prefer their milk straight from the tap. Go out and get some alone time. Claire will not starve. She'll eventually give in to the bottle. Maybe try using a faster flowing nipple so she doesn't have to work so hard for it. Just don't give up. 🙂
Your girls are adorable and I love their names. I do think that Claire is looking quite a lot like Harper, now that you mention it. 😉
The first post I ever saw of yours was I believe Eloise's one month post, I can't believe she has grown so much since then & that now you have little Claire! It doesn't even seem like that long ago when I discovered your blog, and yet it seems like I've been following along for ages. Time is tricky like that.
She looks a lot like Harper!
How are you feeling after a c section?
I am glad that the nursing is working out for you guys.
Do you use other baby carriers besides the Solly Wrap? If so, which ones?
Can you share some other products your family uses around the house? Thanks!
Love the blog as always! Keep it up.
Definitely more Harpie. So cute. 🙂
Wow! I can not believe how much Harper looks like your husband in this picture!!! She is getting so big. I love her dress. Mustard is one of my favorites for fall. Where is it from? And that Cat. I am planning on getting it for my daughter for Christmas. My daughter's name is Alanna Colette and since the cat's name is Colette (and so so cute) I want to get it for her. Is it really soft? As far as the nursing and not being able to leave baby longer than 2 hours…I exclusively nursed my 2nd & 3rd babies and they would never take a bottle. No one else ever fed them or got up with them in the night. I never could leave for longer than 2 hours until they were around 8 months old. But I don't think I even left my 2nd at all until he was around 10 months. I left my 3rd when she was 6 months for the first time. I am planning on trying to use a bottle with my 4th (I'm due in October) after he turns about 2 weeks old because I think I waited too long to try a bottle with the other two and that's why they wouldn't ever take one. I would like to be able to have the option of a bottle for when we do rode trips and if hubby and I want to go on a date. Even if we take the baby, sometimes I think it would be nice to have the option of a bottle when we are out at a restaurant. But since I haven't used a bottle since my oldest (who is 8) I have no clue what bottle to try for a nursing newborn. When you find one that works, let us know 🙂 Anyways…love your blog & read it every day!
http://www.livingwithhisjoy.blogspot.com
Def looks like Harper!!
She is LITERALLY Harpers Twin! It is crazzzy!!!!
I think the only thing that helped our daughter go back and forth between nursing and a bottle, was that for about a week I used a nipple shield. If you haven't tried it yet, medela makes a good one! Perhaps that will help her transition 🙂 the girls are all such beauties and growing so fast!
Have you tried the Munchkin Latch bottle or the Medela Calma nipple? They are both supposed to be great for BF babies.
My daughter went on a nursing strike (and was refusing a bottle) at about 12 weeks, but when I would set her in her mamaroo or pack n play, and she would take it then. Very strange but it seemed to help. I have some friends who also let their baby go a little past when they would normally eat until they were really hungry (and had to deal with a screaming baby :-/) but they eventually took the bottle! Good luck!!
You have such a beautiful family. I'm not sure how you manage or stand it!
She is quite the cutie! So happy you are finally finding your groove. As for nursing…My little one had trouble taking the bottle for the first 3 months & as I prepped to go back to work all I could think was: SHE WILL STARVE!! These little ones are all different (just to be difficult) but what finally worked was quite the ridiculous combo of things. A fast flow nipple, my sister feeding her as I was far, far away & standing while slightly bouncing & patting her on the booty…The things you will try. Good luck lady!
I had to exclusively pump for my son because he preferred the bottle over the breast. Isn't it so strange that there are obstacles either way, every which way? I sometimes wonder about the old days, women in log cabins with newborns. No pumps, no bottles, no shields, no formula…my goodness! My friend had luck getting her EBF baby to take a bottle when his uncle came to town. Someone new to him and mom ran a few errands. You'll get it don't worry!
My newest boy, Nash, did the same thing right around 8-9 weeks…..I was panicked to say the least! We tried everything, different bottles, people, positions….it was a NO-GO. I waited a week and tried again, but I started 30 minutes before he would normally start fussing to eat, and it worked(insert happy dance here). So start before she gets HANGRY and try not to stress, momma. She won't let herself starve 🙂
They are adorbs! Claire looks JUST like Harper! I think you just need to keep having your hubby give her the bottle at least once a day..(and leave the room lol) she will take it eventually.. 🙂 We started the bottle with our 3rd at 3 weeks and she would ONLY take it from my hubby… 🙂 Good Luck!
Your little girls are adorable. I love reading your blog. I had to same issue with my son who is just about 1 year old now. Right around 2-3 months old he refused to take a bottle at all. I tried all types of different nipples, bottles, and people but nothing worked for us. Finally after almost giving up and thinking I would like the life of a hermit, I read about babies skipping straight to a sippy cup. I used the Avent trainer cups and he finally took milk from there. I had to hold it for him for a while but as soon as he was sitting up, he preferred to feed himself. I dont know if it would work for you but as I remember, I was willing to try almost anything.
My 3rd baby girl took the bottle for the first 2 months and then refused it between 2.5 months and 5 months! She only wanted to nurse. We tried 1 bottle every single day for 2.5 months before she finally drank it. Just stick to 1 bottle/nipple to avoid confusion and have Brandon try every evening. I was surprised when she finally took it!! It will happen, just keep trying. Even when I would go out for a few hours she would only drink maybe a 1/2 oz to satisfy herself and wait time I got home. Claire will take it, don't lose hope! These babies can be stubborn!
My fourth wouldn't take a bottle either for the longest time. I was leaving her at home for half a day while I went to a Taylor Swift concert and I was SO stressed out. Huge weight off my shoulders when dad texted to say she took the bottle like a champ! We figured if she was hungry, she would eat. Thankfully though she just took it. Maybe you'll have the same luck with sweet Claire.
And I do see a lot of Harper in Claire! Such sweet girls 🙂
you're right.. she looks so much like Harper as a babe!
My daughter took a bottle until she was 9 weeks old, and then a week before I went back to work, she started refusing. It was awful! She wouldn't eat her first week at daycare. Eventually, we got her to take a few ounces by bottle when the person feeding her wore one of my shirts and faced her away. I was the only one who could do night feedings, which were frequent because she reverse cycled and fed all night. Wish I could help, but I can tell you the pediatrician told me it was a sign of intelligence that she couldn't be fooled.
I used baby grape juice to unconstipate my daughter and she loved the bottle after that!
Hey Girl! Have you attempted nursing in a carrier yet? Like a Tula or something? It's bliss.. especially with toddlers running around. You will find yourself more capable to multitask. I often tried feeding my daughter a bottle while in the carrier as well (as it was a position she was used to breast feeding in) and she did surprisingly well!! We use the COMOTOMO bottle and honestly it's the most natural replica of a boob lol the babies use the same sucking technique and our daughter barely noticed a difference!! It's a struggle for sure but she will grow into it.. if not you might have to do what we all do on road trips.. lean over her and breastfeed while traveling 😉
I had the same problem. The new lansinoh bottles are perfect..the nipple is SO soft it copies the real thing pretty well.
Have you thought of doing a dream feed just before you go to sleep? That might eliminate her 1:00 am wake ups and might push her 3:00 am wake up back farther. Just a thought.
I'm an OB/Labor and Delivery nurse. Don't give up on offering a bottle, she may change her mind before you know it. For now, try offering milk or formula out of a cup, just tip it to her mouth and let her lap it up like a little baby bird 🙂 it's cute and it may help her get more comfortable without the boob!
Congrats on 2 months of breastfeeding and happy 2 months to Claire! My son just turned 2 months on the 10th! Both my babies liked born free bottles, I've also heard good things about these
https:// http://www.amazon.com/The-First-Years-Breastflow-Bottle/dp/B001R1SOSG. Kellymom.come is an excellent resource for nursing mothers, also look up pace feeding on youtube. Good luck!
Such a sweet trio! Unfortunately I have no advice..my 2nd would not take a bottle AT ALL until he was at least 6 months old. I had to have my gall bladder removed when he was 12 weeks old and the stubborn little guy literally didn't eat from the time they took me back until about 2 hours after I got out of recovery – refused a bottle the whole time! He finally started taking a como tomo on occasion I think between 6 and 7 months. He's almost 1 now and still prefers the real deal but he doesn't fight a bottle anymore.
How about the old lean over the car seat trick to feed her?? Don't judge!
The best advice i have for the bottle problem is if she starts taking one give her one every day. My first son took a bottle for a few weeks when he was 2 months or so and then I stopped giving one and just BF and then he never took one again! My second son just always refused. Keep trying, everyone tells me that they will eventually take one.
Your girls are absolutely adorable. I have been reading your blog religiously since Harper was in the womb. Your Chalkboards are what drew me in. I have recently started my own blogging website. Would you mind heading over and checking it out. http://www.jesslovesmakeup.net Love you and your family so much. Keep your post coming. I never get tired of them.
XoX.
Jess
We also struggled with the bottle! I was so nervous I thought I may have to quit my job! We finally found sitting outside and/or holding up the iPhone with a video or song playing was enough distraction for her to take the bottle.then she realized "hey, I like this stuff in here…" Haha! Hope this help!
Oh also, now that she's in her own room I turn the baby monitor up and then my white noise on but the monitor is just slightly louder so I can hear her wake up haha. Oh the tricks we learn!
What a little sweetheart! I have one daughter and your little trio makes me want more! Have you thought about getting a white noise machine for your room so then it blocks out her little noises? I started using white noise when I was pregnant to sleep better, then when Arianna slept next to me we both heard it and now that she's in her own room we each have our own. You would still be able to hear her cry if she woke up though.
We had the same bottle issue in July when I went back to work. She was taking the bottle fine and then one day decided she only wanted me. We started giving her a bottle at bedtime in her bathtub and sure enough within a day or two she was more receptive to the bottle and started to not scream when my husband fed her. I think the tub caught her off guard and its something she loves so it was a good distraction.
I'm a neonatal nurse, and to have breastfed babes take the bottle, we side-lie them (positioned as they though they were breastfeeding). Warm, pumped breastmilk usually works best for us, but every baby is different 🙂 Best of luck!
I've been reading your blog for a few years, love all of your adventures and stories! You have a beautiful family.
Ugh! We're having the same issue with our daughter who is a month older than Claire. I've been reading these other posts for new tips as I feel like we've tried it all as well. She's been in "bottle boot camp" for the past week. I've had people graciously offer to have her for a few hours and work with her. Not much progress. We're set to leave her on a long date day that we've had planned for over a month and I'm so nervous!
Does she take a pacifier? My daughter would take a paci, but not the bottle. One day when she was sucking on the paci, I immediately took the paci out and quickly switched it to the bottle. It literally took like 0.5 seconds for the switch. That was the only way I was able to get her to take the bottle. It just seemed like she didn't know how to "latch" to the bottle. We did that a few times and she eventually figured it out. Good luck!
My baby girl (almost 4 months) was refusing a bottle forever as well. It was awful. We tried a million bottles and a million methods of feeding as well and what finally worked was a cheapo bottle from the drug store called MAM. It has a different nipple with a little texture to it and hey advertise that 94% of babies take it. She took that one on the first try from my MIL while I was standing right there! Once we got her going on that one we switched to Dr. Browns and she's been great with those. I also forced a pacifier on her to get her used to having something other than my boobs in her mouth 🙂 I think that helped a bit too. Good luck!!
Awww your girls are SO cute!!! You sure do have your hands full though 😉
Mine two little girls are 3 and 2! Very busy over here, too, but I recently took a FT job so they have switched to FT daycare. It's been good for all of us, but I do miss my little ladies while I'm at work.
Claire is definitely a mini-Harper!! 🙂
– Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
Man, are they adorable! We have had major problems in the bottle department, so much so that our baby plateaued on weight gain once I went back to work. 🙁 Just when I thought I'd have to spend all my lunch hours at daycare nursing — or move him straight to a cup like Sarah mentioned above — we tried Dr. Brown's bottles and saw some improvement. It's still not great; I would hesitate to be away from him for more than 24 hours, but we're at least back to good weight gains. Hang in there and keep trying!
Try placing her flatter on her back under a ceiling fan to take a bottle (like proped on a boppy). I know this sounds nuts but swear it has worked for several girlfriends of mine! Something about them being distracted and also flat just works. Why not try! 🙂 good luck!
We had the same problem with our second little girl and I tried about 10 bottles until she finally decided she liked the Munchkin Latch. It was a game changer. I know it's frustrating but don't give up!
I love your blog! I've been following since you were pregnant with Harper. I have 2 girls the same as as Harper and Eloise and am the middle of 3 girls. Fun times ahead for sure!
Lansinoh Natural Wave Nipple (medium flow) with Dr. Brown bottles were the ONLY thing my son would take! Good luck!
I'm sure you've gotten a million responses, but what worked for us was to pump milk and then give it to her right away, so it's at the exact temperature and freshness that she's used to. We also upped the nipple size on the bottle to a 2 or 3. We used dr Browns bottles, but I honestly think bottle brand doesn't matter. Even the super fancy mimijumi didn't work for us.
HAHA! DONE IT! No judgement here.
We had the same problem with our baby. I actually wrote a post all about it! http://www.katiedidwhat.com/an-update-on-sam-or-how-to-get-your-baby-to-take-a-bottle/
Hope this helps!
xo
Lansinoh Natural Wave Nipples (middle flow) on Dr. Brown bottles were the ONLY way my son would take a bottle. Good luck!!!
If you are able to get her to take a bottle, I suggest pumping and then feeding her in her car seat as your husband is driving. That is what I did with my son when we went to see my brother. I bought a car adapter that would allow me to pump.
Your girls are so cute!! Claire is Harper's mini me!
I agree with a previous poster that you should just stick to one type of bottle and keep trying every day. I went through 7 million different kinds of bottles with my little guy, Crew, and then finally just stuck with the Avent Natural bottles. One day he just decided to drink it all up. It was such a relief because it was right before I had to go back to work! He would take it best when it was really warm and while lying on the boppy pillow. I think when he was being held and fed he associated that with getting the booby!
Good luck!! I know how stressful it can be!
OMG! That last picture, girl blow that up and frame it! Seriously the cutest ever!
Oh my… I just fell in love with all three of them!
I would recommend not giving her the bottle. Have someone, like your hubby, give it to her. She may scream and cry for a while, but if she's going to take it again, it's going to have to be from someone who cannot nurse her. Why would she drink from a bottle from you when she can get it straight from the tap?! haha Good luck!
I know so many people ask you Jessica but I am so curious if both these photos are iPhone photos?! I feel like I need to go to verizon and get a new phone because I can tell my phone doesn't take as clear as photos as my husbands! Sucks! Maybe I've dropped it all too many times … but that last photo is so crisp and clear and I'm starting to wonder if i'm crazy!!!! p.s. had the same problem with my first on the bottle. I waited too long in between bottles and then he didn't want them. Now just had my second a few days after your claire and she loves the bottle and then won't feed well from the breast after i get home. So I can never win lol.
My daughter refused every type of bottle out there! We finally bought a MAM anti colic bottle because it had a flat nipple and she drank my breast milk out of it with no problem! I think I did more harm than good by never introducing her to a bottle until recently!
Had bottle issue with my first and while
He never really would take a bottle for me he would for others when I wasn't there which doesn't help your road trip (sorry) but I tried old school playtex drop in bottle w the brown older nipples not the clear (you can buy those separately at BRU) good luck bottle boycotting is stressful!!!
I agree with using a nipple shield. It seemed to be the only way to continue breastfeeding, but also allow me a break. The husband could feed the baby with a bottle, and I could still nurse. It really helped to be able to go back and forth. I think it's absolutely worth a shot. Good luck!
That last picture is so beautiful and flawless! Definitely a framer, but then again all of your pictures are!