How to move baby to a bottle

[Wills]

Help - I have been advised to start giving dd2 (5.5 months) water. So far she has been breast only as my continuing problems with thrush has left me reluctant to express and store. Two problems, she flatly refuses to suck from the bottle just chews until she decides she's hungry at which point she screeches for me. How on earth have people managed to get their bf babies water when they were weaned? Secondly am I likely to have equal difficulty with nipples and soft cup trainers - in which case wouldn't I be better off putting her straight onto the cup trainers - the soft ones from Avent that are from 3 months? Yes/NO? Any ideas.

Unfortunately I still have thrush and am facing the horrible realisation that I may have to move dd2 onto formula so I really do need to get dd2 taking liquid from a bottle. Heeeelllpp please

Why does she need to have water Wills? I wold try and ghet her to take a spout/cup rather than bottle at this stage for drinks.
If you do need to move to formula feeding I would introduce the formula in a bottle before putting her totally off with water IYKWIM? Lots of babies take a long time to like water.

Forgot to say sorry that the thrush is still a problem. I have never heard of such a long standing problem before. Have you seen a nutricianist for you Wills?

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If your DD takes a dummy, try giving that to her and then quickly swapping it for a bottle. It might take a couple of attempts but it worked on mine.

IMO I would use a cup for water etc and just stick with the bottle for milk. Hope you get everything sorted out soon though, good luck!

Hi mears, I'm off to see a specialist on Friday. At the moment I've given up bread, wine, vinegar and cut down on sugar. I'm currently on the highest levels of Fluconazol and reading the potential side affects is frightening and I'm not prepared to continue much longer for the sake of dd2's health. I continually wish my gp had treated it properly at the beginning but if wishes were money I'd be extremely rich.

I've been told to give her water because she's now having pureed veg at lunch time and my hv tells me she may become constipated and its time to introduce the water now.

As an aside I will give the bf another 1 to 2 weeks thereby giving the specialist clinic a chance and also because giving up bfing leaves me tearful as although it has been a slog I feel so proud that I managed it.

sorry twigletmum/lydiamum paths crossed. She doesn't use a dummy. Might try the idea of expressing milk and being out as when she sees me even during a solids feed she fusses until I take over.

Do you know I never introduced a drink when I started solids until babes were taking 3 meals of 2 courses a day. Then I introduced Juice when I cut out the milk feed. I know juice isn't in vogue but it was fresh juice diluted with water. My kids do not have fillings (except one tiny one in youngest't first tooth - never to be repeated) and they are not overweight.
Breastmilk is a good drink and will counterbalance constipation problem. You may well need to introduce water if you have to move to formula feeds. I don't think you should give yourself the hassle just now by giving water.

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You have done a really good job, Wills. I'm not sure I would continue in your situation, either (and this comes from a fully-signed up paid for member of the Militant Breastfeeding Cult.)
I put my babies onto soft spouts & cups, skipping teats & bottles altogether (we almost made bottles work with DD, but soft spout was SO MUCH easier), can't see any reason not to if your DD takes the trainer cup better.

thanks for the support guys, am a little blue over this thrush business as I really thought I'd beat it! Your words over the water sound more like what I'd heard - think I will stick to expressed milk only using the soft cup teats - am about to order them - thanks

Just to add, I know what Mears & twiglet (& probably tiktok will chime in, too) is accepted wisdom, but my 2nd baby did have painful dry bowel movements as soon as she started on solids. Years later it's still an issue getting her to drink enough fluids. So I know 'constipation' can indeed for a fact happen to fully breastfed babies.

But, if the majority experience is that babies just starting on solids don't seem to need water, then M&tw are right; don't bother unless the need actually becomes obvious.

I think Zebra it is more about increasing fluids if constipation becomes a problem rather than assuming it definately will be a problem IYKWIM? Not all babies will get constipated but obviously some will, even when breastfed as you experienced.

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Another voice to say how brilliantly I think you've done, Wills - I couldn't have coped. You should be really proud of yourself.
Certainly dd has been reluctant to use any teats and is only drinking from an obsolete ancient Avent soft spout. She doesn't like the new-style Magic ones. She also won't take formula, so I am expressing. As this means she is only getting 10oz of milk during the day nursery and we are offering water with meals but she's not drinking much and we're not pressing it.
I hope your dd2 is less fussy and that your transition goes well. Five months with chronic thrush is a magnificent achievement!

Wills - can I echo what the others have said. I too am full of admiration for what you have achieved breastfeeding throughout this terrible thrush problem. If you do not have success with your next attempt to get rid of it then I think you should have no regrets moving to formula. You will have done all you possibly can. When breastfeeding can no longer continue for whatever reason, we should be thankful that we have formula milk available.
You are a STAR