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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

How to get 8 month old to take ebm from bottle / cup?

11 replies

themothership · 06/02/2006 18:53

Hello

Desperately need some advice. I am still fully breastfeeding my 8 month old dd and intend to continue for as long as I can. However I'm currently doing a part-time course which requires me to be away for the weekend (during the day) about once a month. My dd used to take a dreamfeed from a bottle, but we stopped when she was about 5.5 months and now she refuses to take ebm from anything. She'll happily drink water / cammomille tea from a cup, but totally freaks out when we offer her milk (ebm, formula).

I was on my first training weekend this weekend, and my dh said that when she realised it was ebm in the cup, she started crying and looking at the door waiting for me to come in. During the day all weekend, she refused to have any milk, which really worries me (though she very much made up for it in the night!).

I've got another weekend workshop in 4 weeks time and we need to sort this out by then. Any advice?

OP posts:

Original poster

themothership · 07/02/2006 13:05

BUMP

Please help... I know there are lots of threads already on introducing a bf baby to a cup / bottle, but our problem isn't that dd doesn't know how to use a cup (which she does for water etc) - it's that she specifically thinks milk should only come from mummy and will reject the cup as soon as she realises it contains milk.

OP posts:

JuliaAndJohn · 07/02/2006 13:15

I have posted about my 7 month old. I would like to wean ds3 off the breast and just feed him morning and night.

Only thing I would say - with ds2 when I went back to work, and he went to nursery he would not take formula for ages. So in the day he was eating more yoghurts, cheese to make up for his non-existent milk intake. (I bf him morning and night) He was never really a fan of formula, but did drink some cow's milk at about a year. I am sure one weekend every so often without milk will do your daughter no harm - as long as she is drinking water and eating other calcium-rich foods.

chocolateshoes · 07/02/2006 13:26

Sorry Themothership - I'm in the same position as you. My bf DS (7 mths) is not interested in taking milk from a cup either. Lets hope there are some tips from Mnetters out there! Please!

sharklet · 07/02/2006 14:20

Not usre if it would work but you could try one of those breast shaped bottles. I've not tried them so I couldn't say how good they are- but it might be a thought. You could also try being out of the room and getting say daddy to offer it. It might help her be less angry that mummy is not offering her the breast.

Original poster

themothership · 07/02/2006 14:29

Hi there

Thanks for your messages. At least it's good to know I'm not the only one - just really frustrating and upsetting though, since she used to happily take a bottle until we stopped dream feeding.

Julia&John - I agree that it probably is ok nutritionally to go without day feeds for a weekend every once in a while, but she ended up making up for it in the night by feeding three times between 11pm and 5am. Also, she was absolutely furious with me, and when I first got home in the evening, she refused to feed and just bit me whenever I tried even though she'd gone without milk all day. I am just as concerned about the emotional impact of depriving her of milk / me when she's hungry (guess it doesn't help that my course is in child psychotherapy - making me hugely paranoid about these things!).

Sharklet - will give breast shaped bottles a go. DH has already been trying (for over a week) to get her to take a feed from a cup /bottle, and obviously I was out all day this weekend, but she still refused to have any milk. DH said that the one time he managed to get her to have a taste of milk out of a cup, she started crying as soon as she realised what it was and looking round at the door waiting for me to walk in. So it does seem to be about the strong association she has with milk and me.

OP posts:

Mfer · 07/02/2006 14:32

Look at some of my previous posts - am BG counsellor and recommend the Playex system - designed to support breastfeeding - get the one with the soft latex natural latch teat - we have had a 90% success rate moving baby from breast to bottle and back again and if baby is refusing cup its a good solution. You can express into presterilised bags and drop them in the bottle when you want to use them. They have a helpline in the UK 01954 719899 and a website www.infantcaredirect.co.uk

Tinker · 07/02/2006 14:43

I went back to work full-time 3 weeks ago, 8 month old still breastfed morning, tea time, bed time (and a couple of times durig the night!). Won't take any/much from a bottle/cup/spoon but don't think it's too big a problem. She'll be fine for a few days per month, don't stress.

Original poster

themothership · 07/02/2006 16:54

Hi Mfer

I have read your other posts about the playtex system, and did pop into my local chemists today who do happen to stock playtext... Could you tell me whether you'd recommend the nautralatch nipples over the orthodontic nipples, and which is more likely to work - silicone or latex?

Thanks!

OP posts:

Original poster

themothership · 07/02/2006 21:34

Also, anyone got any tips on how to tackle the psychological association between the taste of milk and me?

OP posts:

AggiePanther · 07/02/2006 22:29

Perhaps it is confusion rather than distress, and if your DH continues to be calm and reassuring whilst feeding her she may settle ...just a thought but I was wondering whether perhaps he may now feel a little unsure that she'll take the feed and she may pick up on this?

Mfer · 09/02/2006 12:48

Dear the mother ship

In answer to your question I would always go for the Naturalatch latex teat to start off with. Latex is much softer than silicone although the playtex silicone teat is very soft compared to others on the market. I know Clare Byam Cook recommends the Platex Orthodontic teat too so its really just baby's preference but as I said I have most success with the basic natural latch. you could ring playtex on 01954 719899 for more advice I am sure they will be able to help.

Good luck

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