6m old won't take bottle/ cup and going back to work. Help!

[cherub59]

Any advice?

Pretty please?

Pretty pink please with a cherry on top?

( only got 1 reply previously)

[downpipe]

Is it possible to let someone else give DC the bottle whilst you're in the other room?
Will DC drink anything from the cup/bottle at all?
When switching from breast to bottle it took ages for DS to drink anything other than a small amount but he did eventually.
I'll be watching this because I also need to do the same thing with my second one!

[Pootles2010]

You'll probably be fine. My ds was refusing point blank to take a bottle from anyone whilst I was still on leave (he was 7 months), I was so worried.

First time nursery tried it, he drank a whole bottle in one go.

Honestly, it's amazing what they'll do for nursery staff that they won't for you.

[cherub59]

Thanks for the replies!
No he won't do it for anyone else even when out with someone else and I'm nit there. Just gets hysterical!!
Bought a born free cup which he has at least allowed in his mouth but no sucking action going on. He just bites it! That's why I stopped trying when he was younger as he then started biting me. He has 6 teeth now!

[Pootles2010]

No i know my ds was the same. Even when dp and I went out for the evening, he wouldn't take a bottle for my mil. But at nursery - hey presto! Strange but true.

[lilham]

Try a free flow cup. Tommee tippee does a very cheap one you can buy from supermarkets. I think most bf babies have no idea you need to suck a plastic spout to get drinks out.

[1catherine1]

Cherub .... I'm sure you know how much I have been worrying about this with my DD as I have had plenty of moans about it on the March thread (must pop in soon but so busy at work).

I've been back at work now for 2 weeks and she seems to now take the bottle happily and without a fuss. I got the breastflow bottles and was sure that she was just chewing them while I offered them to her but while I was not working I was giving it to her when she wasn't hungry just to let her get used to it and play with it. The first day I was back at work she took 2 oz all day, the second day 3 oz and by the 5th day she drank a whole 6oz from the bottle.

This week though she seems to have rebelled. She is down to only taking 2 oz a day (problem I came on here to ask about tbh) and I'm not sure if she is reverse cycling or if my OH is just not offering her the bottle enough and is filling her with solids instead .

One thing I have learnt though... I never offer her the bottle when she is really hungry - she gets angry and refuses it and screams hysterically until she gets the boob. For this reason I always say to anyone looking after her that they should offer her the bottle every hour at least just to keep her topped up so she doesn't get hungry. Seems to work.

Another thing. Are you offering EBM or formula? Anya would never take formula - even to play with. This makes my day 2 hours longer but I think I might gradually introduce formula for the day feed in a few weeks time.

HTH Cherub x

[lilham]

Catherine, I'm interested in what you say about playing. How old is your DD? Can she hold a breastflow bottle in her hands? Because my DD also just chews on the bottles, and not sucking. She can hold a TT free flow cup and get water from it, but I don't want to have milk ending up all over the floor.

[CointreauVersial]

I had exactly the same problem.

Just....keep trying!! Try several different designs of cup/bottle (too old for teats I'd say), and consider using water so you don't have to worry about the mess. Try before every feed, and hopefully the penny will eventually drop.

DS mastered it about two days before the deadline!

[cherub59]

Hi Catherine yes I have followed your situation on our post natal thread.
ThNks for your advice. Previously tried bm but didn't take it so now trying formula. He just chewed the breastflow bottles so trying sippy cups. Have got the tt one already and also the born free cup.
He won't really take solids either- just cries! Complete opposite of ds1 and ds2!

[1catherine1]

lilham - Tommee tippee do an intermidiate bottle/sucky cup that can be used from 4 months that have removable handles that fit the breast flow bottle (with a little force). My DD will feed herself with it. It is quite nice to watch. My DD is 6mo next week.

[lilham]

catherine, have you got the smaller breastflow bottle? I've got the large 9oz one, and it looks huge with the handle! But because of your post, I found that the TT sippy cup actually fits the TT variflow teats I've got! I'm sure everyone and their dog knows except me! I'm going to try the cup with the variflow teat!

[MrsBloomingTroll]

Just to say that my DD wouldn't take the bottle when I went back to work at 6 months.

Her nursery persevered but it was around 9 months before she gave in and started taking more than an ounce from the bottle. Then we had problems weaning her off the bottle!

How we coped was that I would give her a big bf before dropping her off, and a big feed as soon as I picked her up at night. Nursery then tried a bottle a few times a day in between.

We figured that if she were hungry, she'd take it.

Her weight didn't drop off and we got there in the end. Try to push the task of getting him to take the bottle on to your childcare provider - they are being paid to look after your DS after all!

Good luck. It's very hard.

[1catherine1]

Yes lilham - we have the small breastflow bottle. As she never takes more than an ounce or 2 at a time it makes more sense for us for hygiene reasons. Also easier for her to hold.

[lonesomeBiscuit]

I'm in a similar position, so also watching this for tips - I return to work on Monday (eek!) and my 10 month old DS refuses to eat solids and won't take milk from bottle or cup. On one occasion in the past he waited wait 7-8 hours for my return rather than give in while I was out. Since I'm going to have to be apart from him for 12 hours each day, I'm rather worried about how he'll cope.

With him it is a matter of won't rather than can't. He caught onto the idea of drinking water from a cup very quickly (2-3 days), and will drink water from any type of cup whatsoever, but somehow the idea of milk from anything other than the breast just does not compute.

I am however (cross fingers) hoping that I may just be making some progress on milk. It occurred to me last week that he associates milk with snuggles, comfort and above all me. I have therefore started offering him a valved cup or bottle at bedtime (to minimise leakage) - I follow his usual ritual, we snuggle up in our chair, however I keep my top pulled down and when he goes for the breast I push the bottle in his mouth instead. The first night he took about 20ml in 40 minutes. We are now on night three and he has taken 60ml and tonight he didn't try to push it away, although he didn't drink properly from it either, just chewing and occasional sips.

The advantage of this method is that whereas he would usually get upset and push the bottle away after a couple of tries, at bedtime he is relaxed and primed for milk and I can persevere much longer with him. I have kept our usual eye contact and have quietly reassured him that mummy's milk is here. Once he gets too tired/upset, I switch to the breast.