Failing to get DD off the breast and onto the bottle

10 replies

Dollar · 01/04/2011 11:41

I am breastfeeding my 4 month old and have had no problems with this. However, I need to get her onto the bottle soon as I return to work in 2 months. We have tried everything we can think of since she was 6 weeks old - every variety of bottle and teat, expressed milk and all types of forumula, feeding her naked, fully clothed, lying down, sitting up, starving, full, half asleep, me feeding her, my husband feeding her, me in the room, me out of the house, us bare chested, in the dark, strangers and family trying, hot milk, cold milk - even (out of desperation) trying sugar on the teat. Nothing seems to work and her screaming upsets us and our two year old so much, we eventually give in. Does anyone have any tips we haven't yet tried, or do we just have to wait until I am back at work and she has no choice? This wouldn't be the end of the world, but I feel for my stay-at-home husband and worry that the screaming will turn our 2 year old son (who has so far been so accepting and good with her) against the baby - he actually put himself to bed last night to escape the noise, which is certainly not normal for him!

OP posts:

CMOTdibbler · 01/04/2011 11:48

I'd leave it for now. In 2 months she'll be a totally different baby - no need to stress all of you

Albrecht · 01/04/2011 12:32

Gosh you really have tried a lot! Maybe everyone needs a little break for now as CMOT suggests.

There is another thread on here about skipping bottles and using a cup - maybe you could try this once she is older and has a bit more neck control in a few months.

HipHopopotomus · 01/04/2011 14:30

2 months is loads of time - I too would suggest leaving it for now and trying the week or so before. Might be easier for your DH to do it while you pop out with 2yo during the day for a bit - baby will know there is a boob around if you are there. (I'm guessing you will still BF when you are around - you just need alternative for the day feeds while you are at work?)

You could try a sippy cup (we used basic Tommee Tippee model) - DD never had a bottle, she just had boob & sippy cup.

Kentmummy · 01/04/2011 22:09

I am just 2 weeks on from you! I was exclusively breast feeding until 4.5 months but needed to DD to take a bottle. We had tried from 6 weeks with no joy. Just screaming whenever she saw a bottle. I spoke to the health visitor who said there are no babies that will not take a bottle. It just takes a lot of patience and some time.
I was not convinced but feltbi had to give it ago. HV said not to give a cup as babies that young still need to suckle. I had incidentally tried a sippy cup with no joy.
I was advised that NUK were a good make for breast fed babies and to offer a bottle at every single feed without fail. If she cried,give her boob.
I was not still not convinced and DD had proved fairly wilful so far.
In short, I bought the NUK bottles and offered her every single feed. I didn't offer boob at the first whimper but after 3 very long, trying days of total persistance, she gave in! She now takes a bottle with no fuss... In actual fact when she sees the bottle she starts pouting her lips in readiness!!!
I honestly couldn't believevshe would ever do it... I carried on with a few feeds from me but have totally stopped now, 2 weeks after the first ever attempt. Feel I've got my life back!
The HV said people feel they have tried everything but it's more about introducing the bottle every single time until it becomes familiar to them.
Good luck!
HTH

ElisabethCarson · 01/04/2011 22:40

HipHopopotomus - how old was your little one when you went from boob to sippy cup? I have breastfed Maddy for the last 8 months but shortly headed back to work (boo) so trying to get her off the boob completely. She hasn't taken a bottle since she was about 2 months old. And did you use formula or express?

Thanks

Original poster

Dollar · 02/04/2011 07:53

Thanks to all, particularly Kentmummy - you have given me hope! We have not been consistant with offering the bottle each time, so will give that a go and just steel ourselves for a few tough days (I have NUK bottles in my extensive collection!). We have a two week holiday with my parents just before I go back to work and would be great if we had it cracked by then - would be lovely if we could a night or two out together while we're away xx

OP posts:

HarrietJones · 02/04/2011 08:36

Dd3 is almost 6 months & has had a doidy cup for about a month. This is mo good for bedtime when she wants to suck but gets milk into her in the day.

washnomore · 02/04/2011 08:45

When I was in your position I introduced a cup for daytime feeds and just breastfed the rest of the time. He slowly got better with the cup and I expressed just enough to give him a feed during the day and accepted a bit of extra night feeding for a bit (we coslept anyway). So for me that was really great, I got to keep the breastfeeding going, minimal expressing and no struggle to wean him off a bottle further down the line.

DD is also a bottle refuser but I'm not worried at all this time, just making sure she gets a cup of water to play with and try out at every mealtime.

HipHopopotomus · 06/04/2011 17:17

elisabeth it must have been about 8 months as that is when I returned to work. I still BF when we were together, but not Mon-Friday 8 - 6pm.

I did express milk at work but she didn't really want to drink it much - preferred water when I wasn't around (she never wanted formula & I didn't give her goats milk until she was 1). But she still BF when we were together. Best of luck.

thisisyesterday · 06/04/2011 17:19

why don't you just carry on breastfeeding her when you go back to work? she can have breastfeed morning, after nursery, and evening and then just food/water/formula/EBM during the day?

Flip