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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Advice on giving a bf baby a cup, please!

27 replies

anka7 · 02/10/2006 14:39

Hi,

DD is 5 months and I'm trying to introduce her a cup to take ebm from it as I'm going back to work in 8 weeks time.
She used to take bottles of ebm when she was about 2months but then I left it for couple of weeks and when I tried again, she refused. Tried for a month or so, nothing worked, so I dropped it.
Now I was advised to give her a cup instead of bottle because she's old enough to drink from there.
I'm bit afraid of doing this because last time it was such a nightmare (lot of crying and screaming), this time just want to make it as easy for her as possible. I just don't have any idea where to start now! Have some questions:

When should I do it? First thing in the morning when I know she's hungry or in the evening before bedtime?

Should I give her ebm from it or start with water?

Anybody who's been successful with this I would love to hear how did you manage to do it!

OP posts:
throckenholt · 02/10/2006 14:41

probably not the best person to comment (I never got my DS1 to drink ebm from anything !).

However, the common advise is to get someone else to do it when you are not there. Is that a possibility ?

Original poster
anka7 · 02/10/2006 14:45

Yes, DH could do it over the weekend.
When we tried bottles I left him home with DD, returned 8 hours later and she hadn't had any of her milk! So DH is bit insecure about it but I guess it's worth trying.
Thanks!

OP posts:
loomer · 02/10/2006 15:04

I also failed to get my DD to take EBM from anything. But she did go onto a Tommy Tippee cup very happily (with formula unfortunately) after weeks of screaming refusals with bottle. IIRC she took it from DH one evening whilst I was hiding in the kitchen. She wasn't desperately hungry, but we warmed it up nicely and DH sat very quietly with her, she didn't bat an eyelid.

Good luck!

Original poster
anka7 · 02/10/2006 15:09

Thanks loomer!
DD needs to take formula from the cup in the end, will stop bf as I go back to work full time. So maybe I should try with formula already?

OP posts:
charleymouse · 02/10/2006 15:51

Hi Anka7
Try a doidy cup as this is what they recommend for BF babies. My DD only uses a spouted cup at nursery and when at other peoples houses (I don't mind a little spillage but would be mortified if she did it elsewhere).

I would not try water yet as you do not want to fill her up on water as it has no nutritinoal benefits. Try EBM, let her feed from you, then before she is full but when she still has a thirst/hunger try her with some body temp EBM in a cup. I would choose the time of day whe she is happiest most relaxed.
HTH

dizzybint · 02/10/2006 20:00

doidy works for me too. dd 4 months. just as you described, she used to take bottle of ebm no problem, stopped for a while then she refused it. she'll only chew teats, spouts etc. got her a dummy in an effort to get her used to something other than a boob. well she loves the dummy, but only for a good chew. sooo, got her a couple of doidy cups and she loves them. she grabs the handles and tips it towards her and everything. obviously there was quite a bit of spillage at first, but now fine. just don't put much in at first.

GetInTheBackOfTheVan · 02/10/2006 20:26

Hi there
My LO is 15weeks! Had trouble getting her to take EBM from anything fir ages but found she takes anything better off anyone rather than me!
Have just started using the boots weaning equipment things and she starting have EBM from a spoon and their first stage cups and tries her with a bottle today (from her daddy tho!) and she took it no fuss at all!?

Coolmama · 03/10/2006 08:51

I moved DS straight from breast and bottle to a normal plastic cup - ie no doidy, spout or any other type of cup (really don't like them, but that's another thread!) I used the cup as another way to introduce liquid rather than just a botle so while DS had a bottle I would give him a few sips from a cup - obviously he was too young at 6 months to take all his feed from a cup and we still do a bed time bottle (DS is 19 months old) but he now takes liquid from all sorts of things like regualr water bottles, cups etc and I never have to faff with sippy cups -
So maybe go a little at a time - as I think to expect baby to take a full feed from a cup at 5 months is a little ambitious, but do try to introduce it - by 8 months old - DS could drink from a cup with very little mess.

Original poster
anka7 · 03/10/2006 18:15

Lots of good advice, thanks everybody! Doidy cup sounds like a good idea but very messy(), I thought I'll try spouted cup first and see how it goes.

Today I gave DD spouted cup but poor thing didn't have any idea what to do with it! She just chewed it and nothing else, probably thought she had a new toy
Later tried to give her a cup again while I was bfeeding her and she sucked it once! I think it is quite good for a first day Will persevere with that one at the moment and see how she'll do tomorrow! Thanks again!!

OP posts:
dizzybint · 03/10/2006 19:12

its honestly not that messy. the way the cups made means it doesnt spill much. and it works better than anything with a spout cos your baby feels the liquid on their lips so starts to lap it up. with a spout it just seems like another chewy toy. good luck!

mammaduck · 03/10/2006 19:24

I found Doidy cup only messy the first few weeks - now it's fine.

Defintely worth a go for a BF baby.

yorkshirepud · 03/10/2006 23:03

Sorry to be thick but what's a doidy cup? I am also trying to get my bf babe (8 months) to take a cup so I can hand him over sometimes. Advice so far very useful, ta.

Original poster
anka7 · 04/10/2006 09:51

doidy cup

OP posts:
charleymouse · 04/10/2006 09:54

Hi
the link below shows you what a doidy cup is and how to buy one, you can also get an order form inside bickiepegs from boots.

I bought one at an NCT sale (I think they also sell them online - yes they do just found this link)
\link{http://www.nctms.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=750&cat=231&scat=290&parent=231}
and one from the dental nurse through the HV.

They are ideal for BF babies who are making the move to cups and get rid of the need for spouted cups.

HTH

\link{http://www.babyzoop.co.uk/doidy.htm}

Original poster
anka7 · 04/10/2006 09:57

dizzybint - I ordered doidy cup today to have a go! But I want to give up bf in couple of months time, I'm not sure how to handle the night feeds then? At the moment DD has a 'night' feed around 5-6am and then goes to sleep until 9am. That's the main reason why I decided to go with a spouted cup...

OP posts:
Bramshott · 04/10/2006 10:23

Sorry, haven't read whole thread, but had a similar prob with DD. In the end I abandoned trying bottles, and introduced water first in a spouted cup (one of those Avent magic ones), with weaning at about 5/6 months, then after a while, introduced follow-on milk in the same cup, and was fine.

charleymouse · 04/10/2006 10:45

Can anyone tell me what I did wrong with my links?

Anka I know you have tried getting DH to feed DD, you might just need to persevere, your baby will not starve herself, the only thing is she associates your smell with BF so if you swap to someone else giving her the EBM then she might not associate the comfort thing with them in quite the same way.

Not meaning to be too nosey but why are you stopping if you think DD will still need night feeds. BF is the quickest and easiest way to get her fed and all of you back to sleep rather than faffing with sterilising and warming bottles etc. Sorry if this is none of my business but just wondered.

Good luck

Original poster
anka7 · 04/10/2006 11:10

charleymouse - you're not being nosey at all!
Bf has gone really well, never had any problems but I never enjoyed it, to be honest. This is my personal thing, I really admire women who bf and enjoy it, I just don't. And also, now DD is getting older, she's very alert and needs to see what's going around her - so bf in 'public places' - can't remeber when I last did it, she just won't eat when out and about! And we both can't stand feeding rooms! Now it's gone so bad that even when I have people around in my house, she won't eat, have to go and hide in bedroom. Anyway, made the desicion to stop (felt bit guilty, tbh), just want to do it slowly and without upsetting DD.

OP posts:
charleymouse · 04/10/2006 11:24

Well done for keeping going as long as you have Anka, especially as you don't anjoy it. You have given DD the best start and have nothing to feel guilty about.

I know what you mean about the distractions though, there are some days when DD starts one side then says "which one - this one" and swaps over then as soon as I have got the other out she says "which one - this one" and swaps over again I feel she is just taking the mickey out of me.

A costume necklace might be worth a try whilst you are cutting down as she could play with it/look at it round your neck whilst she is feeding. At least this would mean you do not have to go uopstairs when you have guests.

Original poster
anka7 · 04/10/2006 11:38

She does play with my top or nekclace but as soon as somebody talks to me, she needs to turn around and have a look who it was. It is funny but when she does it tens of times in one feed, I have to leave the room in the end to finish feeding in quiet place.

I do feel bit proud of myself that managed to get so far with bf, I think if DD had taken a bottle months ago I would have stopped (so DD def knows whats best for her)

OP posts:
BlueberryPancake · 04/10/2006 14:20

My boy also got on really well with a standard Tommy Tippee cup, with the spout that lifts up (there is a type of Tommy Tippee cup where the baby has to bite to get the liquid out, don't get that one because baby nmight bite you when BF next time. Happened to em, outch!!)

He refused bottles, cried a lot, but I just left the Tommy Tippee cup with formula on his highchair tray and he picked it up himself and played with it and eventually drank from it really well!

Coolmama · 04/10/2006 14:58

anka 7 - your links aren't linking because you need to close them out with a \ (or backslash) before the closing bracket.

charleymouse · 04/10/2006 16:44

Thanks Coolmama
just trying again to make sure I get it right next time.

charleymouse · 04/10/2006 16:46

Okay so it didn't even appear this time Ho Hum!
Will give up now and try again another day.

dizzybint · 04/10/2006 17:23

anka- glad you're giving the doidy cups a go. i was amazed at how easily dd took to it, after so much hassle and screaming at bottles. i do only give her a cup feed maybe once a day, with a view to getting her ready for nursery in another few months. it also means i can confidently leave her with dh or mil for a few hours. however she just tends to wait til i get home tbh. i do still bf her to sleep, and bf her back to sleep when she wakes at night. i can't be faffed with bottles or cups at that hour!

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