What happens if my baby refuses their bottle?
It is not uncommon for babies to refuse a bottle from time to time, particularly during periods of change, development or adjustment to childcare. When this happens, it is important to respond calmly and follow the baby's cues rather than forcing a feed.
Babies may refuse a bottle for a range of reasons, including tiredness, distraction, illness, teething or changes to their routine. A responsive approach involves observing what the baby is communicating and making gentle adjustments to support successful feeding when they are ready.
At BestStart, our teachers work closely with families to understand each baby's feeding preferences and what works best at home. If a baby refuses a bottle, we may try again later, adjust the environment or use alternative settling strategies. We keep families informed about feeding patterns and will contact you if we have any concerns or notice significant changes.
Good to know
- It can be helpful to share any successful feeding techniques feeding techniques, bottle types or settling strategies you use at home with your teachers.
- Teething, illness, tiredness and developmental changes can all affect feeding patterns from time to time.
- If feeding patterns change suddenly or continue for an extended period, it’s a good idea to discuss this with both your teachers and healthcare professionals.
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