Bottles - shall I just not bother?

[Creamtea1]

Nearly 9 week old dd is ebf and doing well, 95th centile. Have tried a bottle a few times with expressed milk and bit of aptamil another time. basic refusal of all of it, also never had a dummy. None of this bothers me too much and I am quite lazy in that I find the expressing, washing, sterilising etc a right pain. I am going back to work when she will be nearly 10 mths old. So shall I just not bother with trying bottles (mainly just so there is another feeding method if needed) and just start with cups etc when she starts on solids?
Anyone else done this or had any probs on return to work around 10 mths?

[Enb76]

I'd not bother, what a faff if you don't need it. I went back to work at 9 months and found that child would happily take a bottle if I was at least 5 miles away.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

I had similar and got DS to have a sippy cup with milk from about 7-8 months. You have loads of time, don't worry until she's started on solids.

[mrsmartin1984]

don't bother. If there is no need for it then cut out the middle man. By 10 months they will be ok with a sippy cup or be fed through a normal cup. And there is a good chance by then that they will only feed morning and at night.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I'm going to say the opposit and probably get flamed but here goes.

By ten months they will be fine with a cup BUT I don't personally think it's a bad idea to get a baby to take a bottle of expressed milk (or formula if that doesn't bother you) purely for being able to leave with dad or a friend should you need a dentist or drs appointment or there's some kind of emergency which you might be gone over a feed time. Think friend broken down needing a lift or your mum needs taking to a drs appointment.

Up to u though obviously :)

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Oh and it doesn't have to be a faff. We used mam bottles which you can buy singularly (or you could). They are self sterilising. So all you do is wash with your normal washing up. Then on the odd time you need it you just unscrew the bottom and put the top on the base then put the bottle back together. Then just use the lid to measure out 30ml of water place lid over the top and zapp. No sterilisers or anything needed. :)

[leedy]

Didn't bother with DS2, he wasn't interested in bottles when I tried him so didn't really push it, then tried a Doidy cup at 4.5 months and he got the hang of it straight away. Now drinks EBM from a sippy cup. Fine if they take to it immediately (my DS1 done) but I know far too many people who've gone through massive amounts of stress and distress because they feel their baby ought to be able to "take a bottle" even if there's no immediate need for it.

[leedy]

"my DS1 done"?? Hmm, I blame the children.

[Creamtea1]

Thanks all, I think it's like leedy says and I feel like am supposed to get her to take a bottle, but really there is no immediate need for it. I think I will concentrate on introducing a cup then in a couple of months or so. Good to hear it hasn't been a problem for other people

[Jiltedjohnsjulie]

I returned to work when mine were 10 and 9 months. Neither would ever take a bottle. They were bf morning, on pick up, before bed and once or twice in the night and just had solids and a cup with full fat cows milk in the day not that they were at all interested in it.

Once I'd made the decision to stop trying bottles and expressing I found bfing so much more enjoyable.

[chocolatemartini]

I went back to work after 10 months and expressed a bit then. By that point DS would drink from anything. He hadn't had any bottles before 7 months though, and it didn't cause a problem. Keep life simple and just feed directly I'd say.

[catellington]

My dd never took a bottle, she is now nearly 9 months, I started work at 4.5 months but went to feed her when required (I now work for myself) and feeds gradually cut back from every two hrs to just one at lunchtime then after about a month of regularly offering ebm in a cup (basic free flow tommee tippee) she suddenly got the hang of that at about 8 months so was able to just bf morning (7.30) and when I pick her up (4.30) then all night long I agree with JJJ I found life suddenly relaxing when I decided to ditch trying the bottles - I had amassed quite a collection!

[Creamtea1]

Oh yes I have an array of bottles - avent, tommy tippee, nuk, nuby - all of those! Plus a once used steriliser, bottle warmer etc - must be nearly £100 worth in my cupboard!
At least I have 'all the gear' but no idea

[LouiseD29]

Like someone said upthread, my DD (13 weeks) will only take a bottle if I'm far far away. If I'm in the same building I swear she can smell me and protests for the real thing. DH has managed quite successfully with a bottle when I've been properly out, but even so he took a little while to get the technique.

[GiraffesAndButterflies]

If I could have DD (9mo) over again, the thing I would do differently is persevere with a bottle early on. She still won't drink milk from anything but me, which is now less of a pleasure and more of a pita.

That said, it sounds like you've tried pretty much everything- there's no point killing yourself trying. Some babies just won't have it I guess.