No idea what to put here but really stuck

[hannahpan]

My little girl is 5 months old and is such a happy little thing, when she's with me. If I leave her with anyone at all she just screams until I'm back and as soon as I walk into the room she's all smiles and laughs. She's breastfed and is so clingy.

Her dad (my partner) doesn't seem to have any confidence when it comes to her and is so quick to just hand her over to me. He's done a handful of baths and very very rarely changes her or even plays with her. This isn't a massive issue but he seems to think she needs to take a bottle (I kind of agree, it would be nice to be able to go out for an hour or two and just be me) but won't do anything to help. As soon as she spits it out or fusses he just calls me and says she needs boob.

Does anyone have any tips on encouraging baby to take a bottle? Or just be a little less clingy.

I'm really struggling be the only one that can deal with her and seeing how frustrated he's getting and just everything.

[SuperSange]

It is tricky. H was quite keen to help out with feeds and stuff (DS was mix fed from birth). He'd only take a bottle from H if I went out of the house. Is that possible? Your H isn't going to learn if you're there to call on,. So leave some milk and go out. They'll be fine.

[Missgraeme]

Give dh a bottle and run the bath. Lock the door and relax. He will more likely manage if he has to-and baby is more likely to take the bottle without boobie juice nearby! And no offence but without u looking over his shoulder! I did this with my last baby. Was dh's first and he didn't have a clue. I showed him the ropes then left him to it! They have the best bond ever!

[YorkieDorkie]

My 6mo will absolutely not take a bottle and no amount of me locking myself in the bathroom and having a soak would change that. Is your baby on any solids yet?

[hannahpan]

Yeah, we started weaning her a couple of weeks ago (naughty I know!) because she was still wanting boob literally every half hour/hour and I physically couldn't keep up. She's taken to it really well and will happily go 3/4 hours in the day now.

I've tried going out and leaving him to it, I managed an hour getting my hair done but he just panics and rings. I even tried getting my mother in law to 'have a go' on Friday and she rang me panicking after 45 of an hour because she just wouldn't stop screaming.

Do you think it's just a case of keeping on trying?

[SuperSange]

Tbh, yes. If he calls, don't answer. He has to learn.

[YorkieDorkie]

I couldn't not answer the phone...

You're basically describing my DD. She's not a screamer though, just the lack of bottle and attachment to me. I started solids at 4 months because she just seemed starving all the time. She took to it no problem. I've tried a million bottles and she just chews them all and doesn't get any milk/water. So I've just resigned to the fact that I'll be BFing her for the foreseeable future until she can take a sippy cup or something.

[hannahpan]

I feel horrible not answering the phone though and I know I'm not helping at all with my massive anxiety and the fact I'm generally a worrier. When she went to be last night (luckily she's happy to go to bed at night and just sleep) we had a mammoth googling session between us and have decided that we are just going to persevere with trying to get her onto a bottle.

He also admitted that he cracks a lot easier than me because he can't bare to see her upset, hence the immediate need to get me back to sort her out. Not helpful

[Weddingsahoy]

My DP spent two weeks giving a bottle every night when DD was 6.5 months and just persevered through all the crying until she took it happily. Now she loves her bedtime but at 10 months is still very clingy clingy with us and cries if anyone else holds her! HV said she has a really strong bond with me and that it is common for breastfed babies to be like this with their mums!

[Weddingsahoy]

Apologies for typos.

[hannahpan]

Two weeks sounds amazing! Luckily his work is on summer shut down so we have two weeks of him at home at the moment. I think I'd cry with happiness if she would happily take one by then