problemes going form breast to bottle

[jewels38]

Hi There, firstly please forgive me if I get all the abreviations wrong ! I wonder if any one can give me some advice? My lo is 6 months next week and has been ebf apart from the last few weeks when she has been having a bottle of formula at 10pm which my husband gives her ( only about 4 onz and she is very sleepy). I want to start getting her onto formula but Im not having much luck! I have tried giving her a bottle at lunch time which she took once but has since refused and have tried in the morning again she refused it. My cousin suggested not giving her the breast but just keep offering her the bottle? Ihave also just started offering her solids which is a bit hit or miss! I tried with a beaker but the milk either came out to quickly or not fast enough, we are giving her aptimil and I know perhaps I could experiment with different formula and teats( avent ones at the mo ) but it does come down to money as they are not cheap. My son was bottlefed, slept through the night at 10 weeks old and only had bottles during the day so this experince is very different. I guess im hoping someone can give me advice on how to get her on the bottle/ beaker and any routines that might help? I have also tried expressing but she wont take that from a bottle either, I would love it if someone could give me any advice on what has worked for them ? xx

She's probably associated the bottle with your DH, and most likely will only take a bottle from him. (Or someone other than you). It's very very common for a bf baby to refuse a bottle, see this article from Dr Jack Newman (the first bullet point). Even if they've taken one, they can learn to refuse it. You were lucky in that she didn't grew to hate one!

You can probably starve her into taking a bottle, but do you want to? (I know something who did it and it took 7 wks). She's already 6mo. She will be taking more and more solids. But as you know it depends on the baby. Some loves solids and will be eating heaps by 7mo. (Or some sleep through the night from 2mo, others won't till 2yo)! My DD loves the boob, but since I went back to work FT, she was forced the issue of choosing a bottle or solids. She picked solids, and basically dropped all her bottles at 8mo. Can you handle just 3-4 bf a day? If so you can wait for the solids to be established and push for 3 meals (and possibly snack) fast? If you want to go full ff, then it might also be kinder if you can wait till she has more solids, so you have less feeds to wean?

Ultimately it's your choice what to do.

As for cups, I don't think they can drink enough to be used as a main feed. My DD can sip a cup herself at 10mo, but it's very small volume, like 25-30ml. But that's ok for water.

Is there a reasion why you want to stop?

As Op says' he'll be taking more solids soon and needing less milk so if they is no rush to stop then go with replacing feeds with milk. Remeber milk still needs to be there main source of nutritian under one.

You could try cups I have knowen baby's who can manage a cup better then a bottle at this age so it is worth a try, but often sticking with one type of cup and letting him expreiment and play with it is a good way to go. You could try this with a bottle as well if you wanted.

Hi

Just wanted to say I'm really interested in this. Felt a bit down about bfing recently and tried to give baby a bottle to give myself a break. She gets one once a day from DP but just like you jewels, she wont take one from me. I think I'll try experimenting with a cup to see if the different experience will encourage her to drink. I hope you have some success soon.

Thanks everyone for your comments, im now thinking perhaps to try a different teat! I go back to work in 8 weeks time so I feel like I have to sort something out as she is going to nursery and I want to stop breastfeeding ( selfish some may think) but I think I have done ok to do it for 6 months! So I guess I will have to keep on trying x

Hi
Not sure I can help much but I am watching this with interest as am in a similar situation. DD is 6 months old, I am going back to work at the start of April and I have been trying for a few weeks to get her to take a bottle of formula or expressed milk. She refuses both, whether it is me or DH who tries offering it. We have spent a small fortune on about 5 types of bottles/teats! And sippy cups. But no progress so far. I am wimpy though and cave fairly fast if she cries.
So you have my full sympathy!

Thanks Fran, I know what you mean its hard to leave them crying! I am trying to be brave today though, I bf her this morning when she woke at about 6.30, then we had our breakfast ( she just had some baby rice) then at about 9.45 I put her down for a nap and when she woke I gave her a bottle of formula ( I am now trying tommee tippee closer to nature) she took 3oz out of the 5 so not to bad. I am now just about to give her her lunch ( sweet potato) and see if she will finish off the rest of the bottle? Then im going to give her another bottle at about 3pm and later bath and bf around 7pm then put her to bed. Fingers cross it works x

That sounds like some success, jewels - good luck!

Hi again, Well I have had some success! She is now off the breast and only on formula in a bottle. It was hard going but I just kept offering her the bottle a.nd she eventually took it( there were times when I could of easily given in and offered her breast),Then this week I dropped her last breast feed of the day and gave her a bottle, which was quite sad but I feel I have done ok by doing it for 6months. Our routine now is wake around 7ish and she has anything between 4- 5 oz then around 8ish she has some breakfast( she isnt a great eater but we are getting there, although its hard because my son ate anything I made for him but I think she a litlle fussier), then I put her down for a nap around 9.45 and when she wakes from that I offer her some water in a beaker. then its lunch time ( again a bit hit or miss) then another bottle. We havent quite got a afternoon nap in place as it depends what we are doing, then around 3ish another bottle then tea about 4.30. Bath a bit later and final bottle around 7pm. As I said before she doesnt drink loads and now Im wondering if anyone has any advice on getting her to sleep through the night as she is waking up and Im exhausted especially having a 3 year old as well. I have tried just giving her water in the night but she just cries and then I find it easier to give in and give her a bottle. I got her weighed this week she is 26 weeks and 14lb 15 oz ( she was 9lb at birth) The HV didnt say much but said she was still following the same line and perhaps she will just always be tiny. I think im finding it hard because my son was just formula fed and slept through the night from 10 weeks old and had a great feeding routine . I do appreciate every babies different but any advice would be so great xx

If she is crying when you offer water, she is obviously hungry. There is no magic I found that stops them waking up despite people raving about night weaning!

This is just my experience. But my 10mo bf DD has effectively night weaned herself. She would not have settled for a cuddle at 6mo through the night, wanting a feed every 3-4 hours. Now she will bite me if I shove a boob in her face if she doesn't want it. And for the last week she has been going 11-6 without bf. But she woke twice last night at 2 and 3 for a quick cuddle. The night before was horrid. She cried the house down between 11 and 1 and only DH could settle her eventually.

I'd say just offer milk if she will not settle for cuddles or water because she is probably hungry. They will tell you what they want