7mo breastfed baby refuses cup

[TheMangoTree]

I want to introduce follow on formula in a cup for my 7 month old, but he rejects it. Screams, screams, screams. I've breastfed since birth. Tried warm and cold, various times of day etc etc. I go back to work in 3 months and want to wind up BF slowly by combi feeding from now on. He always rejected a bottle too whenever I've tried it, but in any case I now want to wean straight on to sippy cup to avoid having to wean from bottle to cup later on. He loves his food / most tastes so think it's the cup not the milk. Any ideas? Thanks.

Just thinking this through more, I actually don't know whether it is the cup or the milk that is the problem. He doesn't mind the sippy cup with water, though tends to chomp at the spout. Doesn't seem to know how to suck from it and seems to get a shock when he does get liquid from it and pulls away. So he isn't getting much water but that's another issue. He laps a little water from a doidy quite well, but I think it would be too messy to give milk feeds from doidy.

He doesn't need much water at this age if you are still feeding. it's more about getting them used to a cup. You could try expressed milk to see if it's the milk he doesn't like.

Another suggestion your baby will be 10 months when you go back to work. Depending on how long you are away, he may not actually need any milk during the day by then. Often babies will take solids and catch up on milk when you get back. plus you have got three months to get him practising with a cup, he should be a pro by then.

You say about introducing follow on formula do you know the NHS only recommends first formula for babies upto 12 months then cows milk. Follow on has more iron in it then first formula and can cause constipation in some babies. First milk would be easier on his digestion as he's been breast fed up to know.

Thanks for your thoughts. I didn't know that the NHS only recommends first milk up to a year. I'll get some of that instead and I'll just keep practising with the cup every day.

Hi. My baby is also 7 months and breastfed and I go back to work part-time when he's 11 months. He's also a bottle refuser! He loves chomping on a soft spout sippy cup and does drink some. He also loves solids but hates formula!
My plan is not to give formula at all. Like the previous poster says, by the time they're almost one, the can have breadtmilk in the morning before work and then again in the afternoon/evening. I suppose it also depends what hours you work and how late you come back home.
The thing with winding down breastfeeding is that you don't know if he's really ever going to drink formula or not... So I think I'll carry on until he's 1 1/2 or 2 as by then he should be fine without drinking milk.

wow i didn't know that about follow on milk. i bought some ready made cartons last week because im in the same situation and thought she was better having some milk rather than no milk while im at work. there was just so much choice in formula and having ebf i found the whole thing confusing!!

Yes follow on milk was developed by the manufactures so they could get around the law which bands them advertising milk products for babies under six months. It didn't exited until they brought in this law and still doesn't in countries where the ban is for babies upto 12 months or there is no ban on advertising.

There are no benefits to giving it and as it contains more iron then regular stage one formula some babies get constipated with it.

Don't worry, ds always refused bottle or milk from a cup whether it be cows milk or ebm. I went back to work when he was 9 months and he just had juice and food. Make sure you leave him plenty of food containing milk, yog, cheese etc. He will be fine and most probably take a bit extra from you to make up for it when you are home.