How to Get a Baby to Take a Bottle?
I wish I could tell you there’s a magic button under your baby’s ribs. Press it—and suddenly your little one would drink happily from a bottle.
If only it were that easy!
The truth is, it’s not always simple. But here’s the good news—it is possible.
If you’re here, I’m guessing you’ve already tried being extra gentle with your baby… and maybe at some point you even tried insisting—offering the bottle again and again. You’ve probably discovered that neither approach really works. And that’s why you’ve landed here—looking for a way forward that feels gentle, clear, and truly doable.
Bottle Feeding is Deeply Intimate
Here’s something many people around you may not realize: drinking from a bottle is an intimate act. The nipple goes far into the mouth, your baby has to suck with strength, and the milk flows straight into their throat. In many ways, it’s a bit like a French kiss—you only do it when you completely trust the one who’s close to you.
So what happens if the bottle once caused discomfort—choking, gagging, or even just an unpleasant surprise? Your baby remembers. And just like you wouldn’t rush back to a “friend” who once hurt you, your baby may turn away from the bottle.
Some babies will happily play with the nipple in their mouth—but refuse to actually suck. That’s their way of saying: “I don’t fully trust this yet.”
Two Possible Starting Points
Every family’s story is unique, but usually you’ll find yourself in one of two situations:
Your baby once drank from a bottle, but then stopped.
In this case, our goal is to identify what caused the refusal—then work slowly, step by step, to recognize potential triggers and reduce or resolve their effects. This cautious approach pays off, because it rebuilds trust. You’ll regain your baby’s trust in you as a sensitive and responsive feeder—someone who truly listens to their cues. And you’ll also help your baby regain trust in the bottle as a safe and comforting friend.
Your baby has never really taken a bottle.
Here, the challenge isn’t about regaining lost trust, but about building it from the start. Bottle-feeding is a brand-new skill, and every small practice session helps your baby feel safe and begin to learn. With gentle, step-by-step opportunities—always without pressure—you give your baby the chance to experiment, practice little sucking attempts, and gradually figure it out.
How we Help – 14 Days to a Bottle
In both situations—whether your baby once drank and then stopped, or has never taken a bottle—you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our 14 Days to a Bottle program gives you a clear, proven path.
First, we help you understand the possible triggers behind refusal. Then we guide you through small, playful practice sessions in different ways until you discover what works best for your baby. Step by step, your little one either regains trust or builds it for the very first time—like learning to ride a bike, or regaining confidence after a fall.
How to Get a Baby to Take a Bottle – Building Trust Step by Step
At BWB – Bottle Without Battle, we know it’s all about breaking the journey into small, simple steps that minimize triggers and give your baby a sense of success—while regaining their trust in you as a feeder, and in the bottle as a safe friend. That’s exactly how we designed our 14 Days to a Bottle course:
Short sessions that always end on a positive note.
Discovering your baby’s triggers and learning how to avoid or minimize them.
Addressing the 7 key elements of bottle feeding success: touch, taste, flow rate, temperature, and more.
Allowing playful exploration with the nipple before expecting deep sucking.
Focusing on comfort, safety, and calm—for both you and your baby.
Breaking down the practice into small sips and little sucking attempts, sometimes using different feeding tools, so your baby can celebrate small wins and build confidence from their unique starting point.
Practice gently over 14 days.
The bottle doesn’t become a trusted “friend” overnight. But when your baby experiences small successes, they begin to trust the process—and progress naturally follows.
You deserve to give yourself this gift. Replace endless guessing and discouragement with clarity, support, and a gentle, proven process that hundreds of parents have already walked through with us.
Our Promise
We know how emotional and exhausting bottle refusal can be. That’s why we offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. If our course doesn’t feel like the right fit, simply email us — and we’ll refund you, no questions asked.
Before you dive in, you can also get to know us through our free video: “10 Misconceptions About Bottle Refusal.” It’s not a step-by-step solution like the full course—but it clears up common myths, sparks fresh thinking, and gives you a genuine feel for our gentle approach.
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Final Thoughts
So, how to get a baby to take a bottle?
Not with force. Not with pressure. But with knowledge, understanding, trust-building, and gentle, step-by-step practice that, above all, leaves room to celebrate small wins and enjoy the process.
Your baby can do this.
And so can you.
