Please help, DD has forgotten how to take bottle

[fleacircus]

I've been back at work since Monday, DP is on parental leave looking after DD (6mths). She used to take bottles of EBM ok (only occasionally though, I had a lot of problems with BF so we didn't get into routine of expressing). She started on some solids about a fortnight ago, she now has a bit of baby porridge (mixed with EBM) and fruit for breakfast and some mashed vegetables for lunch, and has also been having a little water from a spouted cup. I think it's since we started with the cup, she's forgotten how to drink from the bottle and gets confused - she tends now to chew on the teat and spit it out. DP is managing to get 1-2oz into her at best, he's tried putting the EBM in the cup but can still only get her to take very small amounts. She seems ok during the day, pretty cheerful, but as soon as I get back she starts crying and then lots and lots of feeding, so she obviously is getting hungry and thirsty. Can anyone give us any advice? I'm really worried that she's going hungry and obviously DP is getting very anxious about it. Should we carry on trying with the bottle or persevere with the cup?

[MrsTiddles]

My DD is around the same age and she has started to play with the bottle in the middle of a feed or at the end of it, sort of as if she's working out how it works. But she is also drinking water from a cup and I'm wondering about when to stop the bottle and just have the cup. Sorry, that's not helpful, but I think what I'm saying is it sounds like a period of transition possibly and to maybe try the cup and return to the bottle if she's not getting enough?

[TheOldestCat]

It's hard to say. DD went on milk strike at this age when I went back to work and would only sip a little from cups; she wouldn't have anything to do with bottles. She got a bit better at drinking EBM from cups (the doidy cup particularly), but never really took much.

So I can't help on that front. Although maybe she's just feeling a little disrupted by the introduction of the water cup. Maybe stick to bottles for now and just let her play around with the cup between bottle feeds?

However, if you find she doesn't take to either then don't despair. Our nursery ended up mixing EBM into her breakfast and making sure she had sips of water to keep hydrated. then I BFed her in the morning, straight after work and at her bedtime. It worked for us.

You'll find she needs less milk as her solids increase.

But it's understandable that you're worried. I hope things improve soon.