Struggling to get 7.5mth DD on the bottle - help please!

[TartyMcFarty]

Having exclusively breastfed DD to 6 months I had to return to work part-time, so it became essential to wean her of daytime BFs. I'm trying to switch to full FF now, the main reason being that it took 3 years to conceive DD. As we're well into our thirties we want to start TTC again as soon as possible to maximise the chances.

Trouble is she's not keen on the formula feeds. I've tried C&G and SMA (barf!) At first I could get maybe 10oz a day into her, but now we're down to just 1 or 2 whether I use a bottle or a beaker. The crafty little minx seems to be delaying her milk feeds until night time, when she knows I can't be arsed with preparing a bottle stick her on the boob, and she wakes 3-5 times a night (a nightmare when I have to work the next day).

Any ideas? I'm tempted to try her with cow's milk because I just find the taste of formula revolting and can't blame her for turning her nose up really.

A friend of mine tasted several formula milks herself until she found one that she didn't hate the taste of. Seemed to work for her and her baby. Cow's milk isn't suitable under a year though. I wouldn't get into too much of a panic about ttc. Having a first child seems to kickstart fertility for most women. Give your body time to recover from the first baby. Good luck.

i had a similar problem with DD3. i exculsively BF for 5 months then decided i wanted to stop, but she wouldnt take a bottle. i took a deep breath and went cold turkey, ie, no more boob. i last BF her at 10pm ish then whenever she woke in then night i settled her with cuddles and a dummy (which she never normally takes) the next day i offered her a bottle every 2 hrs and she refused each time. i thought it would be an awful day, but actually she wasnt very upset. then at bedtime she took 6oz down in one!

if there is milk offered a baby will not starve themselves. you've got to be really ready to stop BF though, dont give in!

only difference i can think of with you is how much solids is she having in the day? if shes filling herself up with purees she might go for longer with no milk.

BTW i think actimel is the least yukky formula, and as for teats, whatever make they are abit of strange plastic that she wont like at first, so i went for cheap tescos ones.

I thought Actimel and C&G were the same? After that there's only Hipp Organic that I haven't tried, and that looks a bit - well - worthy, like it might taste of cardboard.

It's half term next week so I'm sort of steeling myself for cold turkey. The problem is that she's just such a rubbish sleeper anyway, and we live in a terraced house with thin walls. The neighbours are going to hate us!

If she's 7.5 why not try a cup. Or else you'll be weaning onto a bottle and then weaning off it again in a couple of months.

There has been some sucess with Tomee Tippee cups with some babies.

Sorry - see you've tried a beaker and that perhaps it is the formula.

Have you tried expressing and then mixing it in with formula. Reducing it until eventually all formula? Just an idea - never tried it myself but has worked for friends.

Don't go cold turkey. You will be practically inviting mastitis to get you from every direction.

Have you tried EBM mixed with formula, then reduce gradually the amount of EBM that is in it? Its recommended on here quite a lot.

Oh, and avoid cows milk too - its not just allergies, but the fact that it is not calorific enough for young babies.

Cold turkey is a bit of an exaggeration. I've already cut the daytime feeds. I was intending to feed her in the morning and at bedtime but she hasn't been interested before I go to work - probably because she's been grazing all night!

I do have some EBM left in the freezer so I like that idea ...

The calorific value is my big concern. She eats three meals a day and I think she's slowly gaining weight, but she's barely getting anything from the pitiful amount of formula she takes.

If you're concerned about her weight, then I wouldn't stop breastfeeding yet. Keep trying her with the formula / mix of formula and EBM, but until you're sure she is taking enough, keep at it.

Its only exclusive breastfeeding which is supposed to have an impact on conceiving, by the way, though I see where you're coming from :)

But I don't have any sign of a period yet -is that normal?

My periods came back about a week after my post-birth bleeding stopped, and DS was feeding almost constantly at that stage. Some people don't have a period for the entire time they breastfeed. Some people stop breastfeeding and don't have periods for six months after. Some people continue breastfeeding, don't have a period, and still conceive!

It really depends on your body. I know that's not much help, but its true. Maybe speak to your doctor if you're concerned, but really; I wouldn't be.

Especially if she is eating quite well (solids wise), then the effect of putting your cycle on hold that exclusive breastfeeding has will be greatly reduced.

(Sorry if this is unreadable, my brain is not functioning at all tonight ).

No, that makes sense, thanks. Right, EBM it is.

Hows it going? Any joy?

Hi

My DD was EBF until 6 months and I then weaned her onto formula (bottle). No issue from her with the bottle as I used to express and DH would give her an evening bottle while I cooked (had cup of tea, ate choccies...).

Rather then put her on the bottle, why don't you go straight to a cup (sippy, free flow)??

At 7.5 months your DD should be able to drink easily from a cup and with 3 to 4 milk feeds per day that should be no issue.

It will simply save you from having to wean her onto a cup in a couple of months time.

When my DD was about 8 months I used to give her milk out a cup when she was teething as it was easier for her to drink it like that as sucking was sore on her gums.
And here was my mistake! I didn't switch her over to cup at that point. I should have as she was willing and able to drink entire milk feed (250ml) from a free flow cup.

I stated using the bottle again once she got her top front teeth and was no longer sore. Weeeeell, she is now 15 months and refusing to drink milk from any other receptical than a bottle. I've tried cold turkey and I caved after 4 days as it was hot weather and she was starting to refuse water too (she's only ever had water out of a cup).

Hence I would strongly recommend the cup as your DD should be able to drink a milk feed out of a cup.

As for type of formula, can I recommend
Hipp Organic! My DD spat out Cow &Gate and SMA and refused to drink it and cried.

She would drink Aptamil but it was very slow and with a scowl (at least it seemed like a scowl).

She wolfed down the Hipp Organic and absolutely loved it.

Having tasted all of them I found Hipp the least vile (they are all pretty vile but babies do like it).

On your question about cows milk. Your DD is too young as other posters have stated.
Cows is not high enough in fat and carbohydrate and far too high in protien for babies on under 12 months to have as their milk.

Milk is the most important part of the diet for babies under 12 months.

As I'm sure other poster will tell you, many babies don't eat much until they get to 9 months and beyond. Others get into solids straight away and chomp down huge portions early on. They are just all different.

Hope its all going well for you.

She will take a cup - she gulps water from it but rejects the formula. Interesting that Hipp was popular with your DD skandi1, perhaps I'll give it a go.

Tonight: she miraculously drank 4oz of C&G then had a bit of boob. We're at mum's and she cried when I put her down. Wouldn't settle for me without nursing so I got DH to go in. She went off eventually. Same the second time around: neither of us know what he does that's any different, but she does eventually settle for him.

It's made me wonder if I'm too quick to feed her for the sake of some sleep. I'm going to try comforting her without picking her up tonight. I've got an opportunity to catch up on some sleep tomorrow and no neighbours to worry about, so it seems that now's as good a time as any.

Fingers crossed!

He doesn't smell of milk :)

True, whereas I've been exploding with the bloody stuff overnight!!

Keep an eye out for blocked ducts etc if you're cutting down on the feeds. And sleep with a muslin in your bra

glad she drank some formula.

my dd loved to lie around on the boob. just for comfort. She also loved settling to naps/sleep this way.

Always easy for me to tell the difference between hunger and wanting comfort. For hunger she would be greedily drinking away for at least 10mins or so and the suction would feel like my boob was going to disappear down her gullet. For comfort, she would suck a little (1 or 2 mins) just to get let down and then sight, close her eyes and snuggle her face into the boob (very cute actually).

Let face it, if every time you woke up in the night or stirred a bit, someone was at your bedside with a nice warm cup of tea and giving you a cuddle while you drank it, then I think we'd all wake reguarly and probably complain quite a lot if it stopped...

Lots of my friends weaned onto Aptamil and really rated it and their babies loved it. So possibly worth a try too.

I stepped down BFing over 4 weeks and tbh my boobs were still pretty sore. They say it takes 6 weeks to establish a supply so perhaps it takes a similar amount of time to wind down?

So am I wrong in thinking that C&G and Aptamil are identical?

By the way, she's dropping back off to sleep fairly easily without BFing. Still not taking much formula, but early days yet ...

Damn right, if someone wanted to give me a cuppa and a cuddle every couple of hours I'd be happy to be awake to

Do you have mummy friends you can borrow/steal different cups from? I tried DD1 on 15 different cups before I finally figured she would only drink out of a fruit shoot bottle. Children seem to like different containers so its worth trying different cups.
And a work of reassurance on concieving - I was excusively breastfeeding DD1 when I concived DD2 and I didn't have a period inbetween them. So your fertility isn't necessarly impared by breastfeeding.

I do have a few different cups and she'll drink a bit out of any of them. She sips at milk from a cup though,in much the same way as she does with water. It just means that she's not taking it in any quantity.

Last night I just fed her once overnight - she's got the teething runs and I wanted to keep her fluids up! I think I'll stick with a little BFing to settle her before bed and first thing for a while, esp given the hopeful TTC stories.

Thanks ladies.

Neither of my children would take a bottle. Son would take a cup, daughter won't drink any milk except mine. If necessary feed only morning and night and put as much dairy in her diet. Post 6 month bfing is the period when it becomes quick and easy - 5 minutes. If it's not there yet it will be soon. And you won't swell up either.