7mo refusing EBM at Childminders

[Cosmosis]

I started back at work yesterday, DS is 7 months, and bf with solids for about the last 5 weeks. He?s always been fine taking a bottle of EBM, in fact had 2 bottles on Sunday as I was out during the day and he was with his dad.

He?s done 2 afternoons with the CM which went fine, yesterday was his first full day. He didn?t drink any of the milk I left, but ate plenty of food and drank water. We had thought it was because the milk had maybe not survived freezing very well (although he has had frozen bm before with no problems), it had a faint whiff about it, but not off smelling. The milk I left today was what I pumped while at work yesterday, but he?s not been wanting that either apparently. He had a tiny bit from his cup rather than the bottle, but pushed it away. He?s asleep just now and the CM will try him again when he wakes up.

Just wondered if anyone had found similar? Is it likely to be just a bit of a disruption to his routine? He took milk from the CM o both of the afternoons he spent with her without any problems. If it carries on long term, will it be an issue do you think or is he old enough to cope with just feeding around me working? He?ll be at the CMs from 8.15 ? 5.45 and 3 days a week this month, 4 days next month and 5 days from June.

If it carries on long term, then no it won't be a problem. Just let him catch up when he's with you, your supply will be fine.

By June, you could get away with not feeding in the day. I did this from 10 months, there are people who did it from 6 months as their DCs were bottle refusers.

Have no idea about he CM specific issues mind. Is it a temperature or position issue. I think at age, DH had DD largely feed herself in her bouncer chair.

Hi - we had virtually the same experience as you but starting from about 8 months. Dd used sippy cup, not bottle and when I returned to work I expressed and gave bm to cm. Dd took very little of it. However she continued to feed from me morning evening & through the night. We co slept and she pretty much helped herself at night every 4 hours or so. I remember not being half as tired doing this as I expected to be.

She weaned well wth cm and ate and had water from sippy cup during the day. Tried formula with cm too and she didn't take to that either. She did drink goats milk once we stopped bf at 14 months (cows too but it made her itch so we switched to goat).

Please be assured I really don't think dd suffered from not having bm during the weekdays. I used it to make food with too and eventually was able to stop expressing but continue to feed her weekends and out of office hours without a problem.

Just to add I went back to work ft so dd was with cm 5 days per week from 8 months.

Thanks both, that makes me feel better. He fed loads last night (thank god for feeding lying down!).

He's never been fussy before, will take it at any temp so I don't think it's that. Still, on the upside, he seems to eat far better from her than from us, so at least I know he's not starving! He did end up drinking half a cup, so had something. We'll keep persevering but not stressing about it I think and see how it goes.