19 weeks won't take bottle or go down in cot!

[CakeandFineWine]

Hi all

I've not posted for ages!! and now desperatly need some help!

My DD is now 19 weeks (well tomorrow)
and I'm really concerned about the above as I'm due back to work in April and the clock is ticking!

My first problem is she is BF and refuses point blank to take milk from anything other than me!! I've tried every bottle/teat/sippy cup going, expressed milk, formula milk etc! Really annoying now too as I can't even venture very far from her either just in case..........any thoughts?

Also (I'm thinking she may be a problem child here!) she can only get to sleep by suckling on me!!!!! HELP!! and even when shes unlatched and appears to be zonked she ways up and howls the second she hits the crib......
She will nod off in the car/pushchair but has an amazing ability to wake up the second we get back through the door......
My house is truely a tip now I really need some time so all suggestion greatly appreciated..Thanks in anticipation

[prettyone]

Have you tried getting someone else to feed her from bottle/cup, when you are out of sight? If she is hungry enough she will feed!
Is she on solids yet?

When she is sleepy put her in the crib, and walk away, if she cries leave her for a few minutes,, if still crying after 5, go back, gently pat on back and leave again, repeat again and again and again and again!!! Dont pick her up. This is very hard to do, but does work in the end!! Hopfully she will fall asleep in the end. It may take over an hour!! Good luck!

[prettyone]

Better still, dont go back to work in April!!!!

[DancingThroughLife]

Don't panic, April is still ages away - almost your DD's life again.

My DD stopped feeding to sleep at around 19ish weeks, might have been a bit later than that. But she stopped, and that opened up a whole new can of worms I did what prettyone said, but intervals of 2 mins. Went in, set the mobile off, rubbed her tummy (clockwise, to keep the bubbles down), left the room. Repeat until sleep

WRT to feeding, she'll have it from a bottle if she really wants it. If she realises you're not there, she'll either wait until you get back and be hungry or she'll take a bottle. You might have better luck with someone trying when you're not around. And I mean out of the building, not just out of the room where you're likely to be tempted to rush back in if she's crying. Keep trying though, eventually she will get that the milk can come from a bottle too

I'm back at work now and I have to force myself to not think about what's happening in her day, but I know she won't starve. I have complete faith in whoever is looking after her.

Good luck.

[CakeandFineWine]

Thanks prettyone and dancing, yep someone else has tried feeding her, I even went out for an hour whe her feed was due and came back to an inconsolable babe and stressed out DH!
We've just started solids (baby rice with breastmilk) but as government are changing their minds re:weaning I've bought some organic fruit and veg to puree today!

As for not going back to work, I wish! I really have no choice (financially!)

Re: sleeping we've left her but she SCREAMS!! and I mean screams and as our other DD has started school now she really does need her sleep talk about catch 22!

We'll get there, its just going so quick this time and my older DD took expressed milk from a bottle no bother, we did controlled crying with her at 6 months think we may do this with her!

[japhrimel]

There are lots of good ideas in 'the no-cry sleep solution' - it's an alternative to live with it or cry it out.