to think that going from boob to bottle is like waterboarding and should it be so tough?

[muminko]

trying to wean my 7 and a half DS from breast to bottle. He cries so much refusing to drink no matter if milk or formula is in, and no matter what type of bottle or teat I use. Its such a hard work but he needs to learn to use a bottle, as he has now got 4 teeth and the top ones hurt me.... My HV said to keep carry on even if it upsets him, but I feel like I am torturing him. Being BLW creature he is use to making choice as to what goes in.

Have you tried him with a toddler cup, or an ordinary cup if you can keep him from shaking it while you hold it? I didn't use any bottles with mine. I don't know what BLW means though.

Have you tried tommee tippee's closer to nature bottles. They are expensive but me and sister both weaned ours onto them (at 10mo and 6mo respectively) with no problems at all.

We both expressed milk to put in them to start with, then once DCs understood how to drink we switched to formula (slowly, part milk, part formula then building up amount of formula).

Bonus is, because you wean off slowly and express when you want, no sore boobies!

I hear you ... DD is 7.5 mo too and trying to get her to use a cup at the moment (she has never taken a bottle - tried TT and Breastflow) and getting nowhere. Also BLWed and has had two days of us trying (and failing!) to get foul medicine into her so she's highly suspicious of me trying to put anything in her mouth. We have a doidy cup in the post to us - maybe worth a go? Or I think this looks very clever, though no idea if it works!

Thank you for all the posts.
l39 & Dita: we have tried cups, and a sippy cup too. The doidy cup was the best but after while he got bored of it and now he rinses his hands in it. I have problem trying to get him to take water too (offered with every meal).

If it's just the teeth that make you want to stop - he will get used to having them and then it won't hurt while b/feeding anymore

Pizazz: TTs nipple teats and Nuk orthodontic is what I am using. He seems to prefer TTs over Nuk. I am currently using variable flow.If I cuddle him to me trying to make him take the bottle he just screams his head off big crocodile tears and all...(neighbours possibly calling social services...). If I offer him bottle as a part of play he puts it to his mouth and chews on the teat. As soon as the milk hits his mouth he pulls out.

Just wanted to second what emkana said really - totally up to you and of course you can stop bf if you want to, but if you don't want to, just feel you have to, there are other options. Have you tried using nipple shields to protect your breasts while he gets used to the movement needed to bf with teeth?

DitaVonCheese:we have that 360 cup too. That is even more of an alien concept to him. In fact it took me some time to work it out.....he probably takes after me lol.... when it comes to gadgets I could probably open shop with all the baby drinking clutter we are accumulating

emkana and CherryChoc: I have managed to teach him not to bite me when he sprouted his bottom 2 teeth (a week of my pain and firm NOs did the trick). The top teeth are the problem. More he sucks deeper they go in. I am worried about using nipple shields as DS grates his teeth on anything made out of plastic or wood, so dont want to confuse him. Don't need to stop BF at the moment but also worried that he needs to be drinking fluids at mealtimes (doctor says). Worrying about dehydrating....

I feel your pain - DS is almost 9 months and still a boob-man - and he's biting -

I was about to say what emkana said WRT to teeth. I get a couple of days of painful feeding when he's cutting a new tooth and then it's all fine again.

Have you tried sitting at the table with him and you and DH having a drink of something with him to see if he then shows an interest in his cup? DS is always very pleased with himself when he drinks his water by himself, especially from the doidy cup.