bf baby taking a bottle

[DazedDazzledandConfused]

I have just over a week to get my 8 month old bf baby to take a bottle. is it possible.

It's difficult and it's unlikely to work that quickly to be honest -but you may be lucky. Here are my tips (I'm going to use "he/his/him" below because I don't know if your little one is he or she...:)

1. don't assume that "if he is hungry enough he will take the bottle" - he doen't know or understand these things yet and the hungrier he is the LESS likely he is to want to try something new. Let him START a feed on the breast then go for a substitution - ideally with expressed milk at blood-temperature so he doesn't notice the difference, but obviously this may not be possible.
2. be prepared to try several different bottle and teat shapes, don't buy more than one of any design till you've found one he'll take, then buy more once you have found a winner
3. MOST IMPORTANT remember that all his meals so far have been in a side-ways on position facing you - this is the position he is used to and he won't understand why you are holding him on his back for a bottle-feed position. I couldn't get my DS to take a bottle for ages till I had the idea of holding him in my normal bf position, and holding the bottle under my armpit as close to my nipple as I could get it - he then recognised that this was a mealtime and I was able to get him to suck the bottle - within a few days he understood what a bottle was for and I didnt have to contort myself so much.

Alternative idea: don't worry about bottles, use a cup.

Even more alternative idea: if you are only needing a shortish non-bf period of time , he can manage with sloppier-than-usual solids?

He'll be at nursery, He'll be having three meals plus two snacks while he's there.
I've been trying for 2 months to get him to use a cup but he'll only have little sips of water/formula.
He has 3 night feeds atm plus before bed and morning, then he'll mainly only have 1 other feed.
I don't know if he'll need any milk?

Sounds like he's already eating enough not to worry to much, he may just pick it up once he is there. But I'd just go with a cup, some baby's get on better with straw cups as they seem to be able to take more that way.

I've been using the basic tommy tippee one but he doesn't suck it he just lets it drip into his mouth.
I've been leaving it around for him to play with hoping he'll just pick it up.