Bringing a tiny human being into the world is no easy task. Nine months of being a baby’s all-inclusive 5-star hotel suite with a private amniotic fluid pool and five meals per day. But once the child is finally done with their stay in the belly, the real fun begins, with each day bringing something new.
You get used to one change, and then another happens just as quickly as the last one did. One thing that remains constant is the need to eat. Many mothers opt for breastfeeding their babies, building a nice bond between them that becomes a challenge to break when the mom needs to be somewhere else for more than 15 minutes.
This grandfather discovered a loophole to trick his grandson into being bottle-fed without any fuss or yelling or crying, and let’s be fair, isn’t that always the goal? Now, let’s delve into the story!
Is your baby not liking milk from a bottle? Well, this grandfather has a trick for you!
A recent viral video was shared by Wendy Rangel on TikTok, showcasing her dad’s clever solution to the baby bottle issue. He inserted the baby bottle through a hole in his t-shirt, ensuring that the clear nipple of the bottle protruded. Carefully positioning it on his chest to prevent any movement or dropping, he tapped around it to secure it in place.
He then bent down to see if the milk would flow through, with Wendy laughing in the background. The caption of the video read, “My godson won’t take the bottle, so my dad tried something.”
Then came the moment of truth – would the baby drink from it? The man cradled the child in his arms, carefully positioning him to sip from the bottle while doing his best not to spill anything on the floor.
At first, the boy appeared quite confused, as if wondering, ‘What on earth is happening?’ But then, the baby boy spotted the nipple and instinctively latched onto it, regardless of whether it belonged to his mom or grandad.
This scene sent Wendy into fits of laughter, her contagious amusement filling the room, while her proud dad gently rocked up and down with the baby happily gulping down the milk.
The video concludes with a close-up of the hole in the man’s t-shirt, revealing his own nipple sticking out, along with a wet patch indicating what remained of the milk. He then rubs around it, sighing as if expressing his fatigue from the effort he had just put in.
Originally posted towards the end of 2020, the video has since garnered an impressive 8.8 million views and nearly 2 million likes. It was dedicated “to all the dads out there who struggle with their little ones not taking the bottle.”
Oh boy, I delved into a rabbit hole to discover all the reasons for babies refusing the bottle. You bet I’m going to share my findings! This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, so feel free to skip ahead to the full video below. But for those who are as curious as I was, please continue.
According to Mamamade, typical signs that a child is averse to the bottle include skipping meals without showing signs of distress, appearing hungry but refusing to eat, becoming tense, crying, or screaming during mealtime.
They also tend to consume very small amounts of milk before protesting, avert their gazes, and physically turn away from the bottle. Persistent behavior like this is not only distressing for the baby but for the parents as well.
You’d think it’s the same thing, the nipple on the bottle imitating the mother’s, and often the milk coming from the mother herself, so the flavor should be similar – definitely more similar than formula! The question ‘why?’ plagues most parents, which is a good thing in the sense that it means you’re not alone, and a solution must be somewhere out there.
From medical issues to an off temperature in the milk, there are dozens of reasons why babies refuse the bottle with a passion.
Healthline has provided a detailed list of the top seven reasons why babies may outright refuse the bottle. These include a preference for continuing breastfeeding, not being hungry enough, feeling unwell or sick to feed, being held in an uncomfortable position, disliking the temperature, flavor, or texture of the milk or bottle, and having had a negative previous experience with bottle feeding such as associating it with reflux, gagging, vomiting, or an inferior milk compared to what they’re used to.
The main thing is not to panic. Babies cry and act fussy sometimes because they don’t know any better. It is your responsibility as a parent to interpret their cryptic signs and find the best solution for all of you, especially the baby. They won’t be cooking omelets anytime soon, you know. So, what can you do to make the baby love the bottle?
Here are some suggestions from WebMD that unfortunately don’t include the “fake the boob” trick the grandad pulled. First, check the bottle and the milk itself. The temperature of the milk should be around 37 degrees Celsius or 98.6 Fahrenheit, and avoid reheating the milk in the microwave to prevent inconsistencies in temperature.
Also, don’t be afraid to taste the milk. If it has a strange, rancid, or soapy taste that makes you gag, chances are your baby won’t like it either. Lastly, check whether the milk can come out of the nipple easily as there might be a blockage or the hole isn’t large enough for the baby’s needs.
If it’s not the bottle or the milk, it could be the baby itself that’s the cause of the issue. They might not want food to begin with! Their little minds could be focusing on something a lot more exciting, such as the television, especially if The Witcher is on. Henry Cavill could distract anyone, like me getting distracted from the point of this paragraph. Worth it.
Anyway, if the baby has started enjoying solid foods, maybe they don’t want the bottle anymore and are happy to be using their little baby teeth.
But, of course, the most important thing is to monitor the baby’s health. A cold, an ear infection, or a sore throat might make the feeding process too painful or uncomfortable for the child, in which case they should be taken to a doctor.
The same applies if the baby is losing weight quickly due to a lack of nutrition. Also, notice if the baby is constantly crying or losing fluids through vomiting and diarrhea; all red flags that signal a visit to the doctor’s office. But, of course, if it’s a one-off occurrence, again, don’t panic.
And finally, don’t rush it! Although babies tend to learn quickly, it can be a strange experience requiring a lot of patience and calmness. Even with all these reasons and solutions mentioned, there are plenty more out there that will best apply to your child.
Now we can enjoy some pictures of the sleepy baby in its complete adorableness.
As adorable as they are, babies can be frustrating when they’re not cooperating with what’s best for them. And yes, sometimes the last resort might be cutting a hole in your shirt and faking it!
The grandpa seems to have become the master of the bottle. However, I do not want to see any comments about this picture, saying the child is being taught bad habits, kids should not be in the presence of alcohol, etc. The kid is fine. There’s nothing in that bottle. He’s just having quality time with his grandpa and loving every second of it.
You can watch the hilarious video here.
Leave all your beautiful thoughts and comments below, give the writer a follow for all their hard work (wink wink, cheeky me), and I shall bid you a wonderful, wonderful day!
People have shared their own experiences, sending praise to the grandpa. Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
