How the hell do I stop bf 8 month DD when she won't accept bottles or cups?

[eversoslightlytired]

I have posted before about this but am now desperate! DD was having a bottle from 4 weeks once a day. About a month or so ago she completely refused all bottles and cups despite the various amount I have bought and tried. She loves her boob - would rather have that than food even. She also loves it to go to sleep.

Problem is I go back to work in 3 weeks and ideally would like her to be off the breast feeding.

Does anyone have any tips? Should I just stop and hope that eventually she will be hungry enough to accept a bottle? I just don't know where to start!

Could you not just bf morning and evening and hope she will take formula or water from a cup during the day
to see her through

Eglu - I have thought of that but wondered if it was mean/confusing for her to be able to have it at some point but not at others?

Try not to worry about work - mine is absolutely fine just with water etc throughout the day when I'm at work. However, she was still BFing loads right up until I went back, and she still does on my non-working days. Basically, if you're not there, they will be fine but may still want the boob when you are there. I am still working on that bit...

I went back to work when DD was 10 months (full time - DH is a stay at home dad) and was still bf her. She did suddenly learn to drink water from a beaker during the day (becasue she was thirsty!) and just had bf at about 7.30am before I left and then from 6.30pm-ish when I got home. If you don't want to, you really don't need to stop bf. DD didn't find it remotely confusing.... I wasn't around so, according to DH, bf never occured to her!

Oh, and she has never accepted a bottle or had formula.

I am exactly the same boat as Peppa!!!!

Yep, they do manage!! We too had the magically developing ability to drink from a beaker... but only when I'm not there.

OP, I had the same issues when I returned to work and DS wouldn't take a bottle/cup for love nor money. It is incredibly stressful.
In my case, we managed by giving DS lots of watery foods during the day so that even if he didn't drink anything he was unlikely to get dehydrated. He loved (and still does) any kind of yoghurt, so plenty of that with some fruit, soup etc and also kept offering water/dilute juice from a cup at regular intervals until one day he miraculously started taking it.

Good luck. It will work out in the end!

Thanks everyone. She does take water from a beaker no problem. It's just the whole milk thing!! Now having a problem that she is biting me and my boobs REALLY hurt! Not sure how long I can keep doing it as the pain is unbelievable!!

Thanks for all the advice