Bottle Refusal: Help Your Baby Take a Bottle

You've tried everything. The bottle is still on the floor.

Different bottle. Warmer milk. Different person offering it. A YouTube rabbit hole at midnight. Maybe a couple of forum posts that made you feel like you'd done something wrong.

Bottle refusal is one of the most common reasons parents reach out to me, and one of the most fixable. It just requires the right approach for your baby, and a bit of patience.

I'm Kate, an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and registered neonatal nurse based in Christchurch. I've helped hundreds of NZ families through bottle refusal, and I built this course so you don't have to book a one-on-one consult to get the answers.

 

What is bottle refusal?

Bottle refusal is when a baby who's been feeding at the breast won't take a bottle. Sometimes it's a baby who's never had one. Sometimes it's a baby who happily took one for weeks and then suddenly turned their head away like you've offered them a lemon.

Both are normal. Both are solvable. And neither is your fault.

Most bottle refusal shows up between 8 and 12 weeks, often when parents start preparing to return to work or wanting a bit of flexibility. Some babies refuse from the very first try. Others change overnight.

Why your baby is refusing the bottle?

There's no single reason, which is why generic advice from a Facebook group rarely fixes it. The most common causes are:

  • The bottle was introduced too late (or sometimes, too early)
  • Your baby doesn't know how to take the bottle
  • The flow of the bottle teat doesn't match how your baby feeds
  • The position you're offering it in feels unfamiliar
  • The old school advice like making them hungry or mum leaving them room only makes things worse
  • Underlying issues like reflux, tongue tie, or a high palate making things more complicated

The course walks through each of these so you can work out which one is showing up for your baby, and exactly what to do about it.

Triple B bottle refusal course preview, online lessons for parents

What's inside the Triple B Course

The course is broken into short, watchable videos (most are 2 to 5 minutes) so you can pick it up between feeds without committing to a 90-minute lecture.

You'll learn:

  • How to read your baby's cues and reflexes around bottle feeding
  • The pace, position, and teat choice that actually works (and what to skip)
  • How to introduce a bottle when you've never offered one
  • How to win back a baby who used to take one and now refuses
  • How to set up a feeding plan if you're heading back to work
  • What to do if it's truly not working and you need extra help

Includes 12 months of access, on-demand and self-paced. Watch in any order, as many times as you need.

 Get Instant Access, $69

Who this is for?

This course is designed for you if:

  • Your baby is around 2 months or older and refusing bottles
  • You're heading back to work or study and need bottle flexibility
  • You want to share feeds with your partner or another caregiver
  • You're tired of conflicting advice from forums and want one trusted source
  • You'd rather solve this at home than book a private consult (though if you want one, I'm here)

Not sure if it's the right fit?

Email me and i'll tell you honestly
IBCLC teaching online bottle refusal course for NZ parents

Why parents trust this course

Designed by Kate Bird, IBCLC and registered neonatal nurse with 10 years of clinical experience and 5 years working solely with feeding families. Created in New Zealand, with NZ parents in mind. No "breast is best" preaching. No shame. No magical fixes that don't account for your actual baby.

Just the same step-by-step approach I use in one-on-one consults, available for $69 instead of $250.

Is it right for me?

 Frequently asked questions

When does bottle refusal usually start?

Most often between 8 and 12 weeks, although some babies refuse from the very first attempt. The course covers both situations.

Will this work for a breastfed baby who has never taken a bottle?

Yes. There's a full module on introducing a bottle for the first time, including timing, teat choice, and which position to start in.

My baby used to take a bottle and now refuses. Can the course help?

Yes. This is one of the most common scenarios I see, and there's a dedicated section on troubleshooting a sudden refusal.

How long do I have access to the course?

You have 12 months of full access, which means you can rewatch sections whenever you need them.

Do I need to watch in order?

No. The videos are short and modular. Most parents start with the section that matches their situation, then dip back in as needed.

My baby is 6 months old. Is it too late to introduce a bottle?

It's not too late, although at 6 months you also have the choice of moving onto a sippy or open cup. The course covers when to consider this option.

I'm based outside New Zealand. Can I still take the course?

Yes. The course is online and self-paced, so it works wherever you are. The advice is universal, the price is in NZD ($69).

Ready to put the bottle stress behind you?

The course is $69. Instant access. Watch tonight, try a new approach tomorrow.

Buy the Course

What people are saying

  • Kathryn

    Had been trying for months to get my son to take a bottle, including liaising with a speech language therapist - and no luck! Kate gave good advice and steps to work on before even offering milk, after following these steps and seeing progress, in less than 2 weeks my son was confidently taking a bottle once a day.

  • Katie

    Our girl is now taking a bottle again!!! You are incredible, I feel like I can finally have a breather! Thank you

  • Courtney

    Tonight she took 50ml from the bottle, and suckles as soon as the teat is in her mouth! I’m so grateful for your course and support. The additional videos were invaluable! I thought B was never going to take the bottle, but now I can attend a wedding and sign up for tennis (I.e grab some time to myself!) with less worry. 

  • Aleisha

    I attended one of your bottle refusal workshops a couple of months ago and my nearly 12 month old has just started preschool and is now finally taking up to 100ml from a bottle from her teachers and from me! So thank you for all the tips from the workshop!

  • Ondine

    We had all but given up, and had thought that we would have to syringe feed him, especially with my return to work fast approaching!
    Crying at the sight of a bottle, to downing 120ml at a time, he's come a long way!

  • Ash

    Kate! He did it! I couldn't believe it. Everything your taught us made so much sense and was different to anything we had been told before. He is now happily taking bottles at daycare. This has taken such a big pressure off returning to work

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Triple B Course: Busting Bottle Battles

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