E-book First aid for bottle refusal

An in-depth e-book on bottle aversion in babies – for parents who want to bring calm back to stressful feeding times.

Does your baby refuse a bottle? Does your little one turn their head away, cry at the sight of the bottle, or does every feeding seem like a struggle? Many parents call this bottle refusal . In healthcare, we often call it bottle aversion : a stress reaction surrounding feeding.

This e-book will help you understand what's going on and what you can do. Written by Daniëlle Kempers , a neonatal nurse and baby coach with years of experience supporting babies with feeding difficulties.

What is bottle refusal in babies?

Bottle refusal occurs when a baby refuses the bottle (partially or completely) even though there often appears to be nothing physically wrong. The baby may become angry, stiff, cry, or completely block feeding.

Bottle refusal almost always has a negative association with food . This can be caused by reflux, pain, pressure during feeding, or previous stressful experiences.

When do we speak of bottle aversion?

Bottle aversion is the underlying cause of bottle refusal. It's not "stubbornness," but a protective mechanism of the nervous system. The baby avoids feeding to avoid tension or pain.

In this e-book, you'll learn to recognize the difference between temporary bottle refusal and structural bottle aversion — and why the wrong approach can inadvertently exacerbate the problem.

Causes of bottle refusal

• Reflux or silent reflux
• Pain or discomfort during or after feeding
• Overstimulation or an overactive nervous system
• Too much pressure or expectations surrounding nutrition
• Previous negative feeding moments

What will you learn in this eBook?

• How to recognize if your baby has bottle refusal or bottle aversion
• What you should and shouldn't do when experiencing food-related stress
• How to make feeding safe and predictable for your baby again
• How you as a parent can respond more calmly and confidently
• When Professional Help Is Needed – And When Not

An alternative to a consultation process

This e-book has been developed as a stand-alone resource and can replace an individual consultation or coaching process for many parents.

If you later choose personal guidance, the purchase price of this e-book will be fully deducted from a coaching program.

An accessible first step, without being immediately committed to an intensive programme.

What parents say

These responses come from parents who received personal guidance. The e-book uses the same approach and explanation, but is designed for independent work.

"Great tips for the problems we're experiencing with bottle feeding; she took all the time for us. Highly recommended; you can ask her anything!"

One of my sons developed a massive bottle aversion after nine months of tube feeding. After trying everything, we stumbled upon this method. Thanks to Daniëlle, my son overcame his bottle aversion within two days. Giving him a bottle or practice snacks is now a huge joy for all of us!

Daniëlle is an incredibly skilled and excellent coach for infant feeding difficulties. We heard from others how good she is at her work and contacted her because our baby wasn't feeding and was spitting up a lot. She listened carefully and offered useful tips. We were able to come in quickly and had a good conversation. Shortly after, we received a treatment plan, and we saw results within a few days, which has changed our lives. We feel like she's the only one with experience working with babies with feeding difficulties. She acted faster than the doctors we'd previously seen at various hospitals. We felt heard and supported by her. Daniëlle is engaged and stayed in touch to discuss how our baby was doing.

"Excellent support, professional plan to work with. This helped our daughter overcome her bottle aversion, which she developed due to severe reflux and premature birth."

We struggled with this for months, spent a lot of time in the hospital, and ended up going home with a feeding tube. Educators, pediatricians, pre-verbal speech therapists: no one had the right information. We were desperate. Finally, we found Daniëlle through Instagram. We were skeptical at first, as we'd already seen so many caregivers. But after a phone call, we were excited about the plan. She's also incredibly knowledgeable about premature babies. I recommend Daniëlle's coaching to anyone with children who struggle with drinking. It's truly worthwhile!

A while ago, my wife contacted you about overcoming our youngest son's bottle aversion. We didn't know he had a bottle aversion for months and let it go for far too long. We noticed how little is known about it, both among parents and doctors. We've had several consultations in the Netherlands, Belgium, and even one in England. My wife has also read Rowena's book several times. But we were most impressed with the plan you gave us. It provided us with a lot of helpful information in a relatively simple way.

Practical information

• Directly downloadable as PDF
• Suitable for parents of babies from 0–12 months
• Also valuable for healthcare professionals
• Price: €59.95

About the author

Daniëlle Kempers is a neonatal nurse and baby coach, specializing in feeding problems in babies, including bottle refusal and bottle aversion.

She guided thousands of babies and parents, provided training to healthcare professionals and was regularly called upon by child health clinics when additional expertise was required.

Her approach is warm, expert and always attuned to the child's pace.