From breast to bottle!

[secretgirl]

Hi.
After an extremely rocky start, I have managed to breastfeed my baby for almost 5 months.
For the first 2 weeks after she was born, she didn't latch very well & I both bottle fed her & used nipple shields. Then one day she just took to my breast and it has been wonderful!
However now I am ready to change some of her feeds to bottle feeds but it has been a nightmare. I've been trying for about 3 weeks. I've tried tommee tippee size 1 & 2 and I've tried nuk bottles. And I've tried 2 different types of cup. I have also tried my nipple shields again to get her used to the feel - all to no avail she just has a complete meltdown each time. I've tried her at all different times of her day. I've tried her when she's. it gat hungry & when she's starving. Different family members have tried it!
Last week I started her on a small but of baby rice and she just loves that!
Can anyone give me any advice on where to turn now. I'm at a loss.

Have you tried a doidy cup? Might be worth a try-they are sometimes good for babies that won't take a bottle. Have you also tried letting someone else give her the bottle when you're not in the house? When you say bottle do you mean formula? You could try mixing some expressed with formula and then gradually reducing the amount of breast milk in it.

Thanks weem. I've never heard of that cup but will certainly look into it
Yes o mean formula. I didn't know you could mix formula & breastmilllk. Does that work & not make the baby ill?

Baby rice won't do her any good at all. I'd ditch that straight away.

www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2011/12/nine-good-reasons-not-to-use-baby-rice.html?m=1

She shouldn't be having anything but milk if she's only 4 months old too.

I'm pretty sure it's ok as I'm sure someone told me to do that but can't remember who! I just did it with the pre mixed cartons of formula because it was much easier than faffing with powder and expressed milk together. You could also try feeding in a different position with the bottle to your usual bf position.

Yes you can mix formula and breast milk - make up formula per the instructions then add expressed breastmilk to the bottle.

My DS refused a bottle completely and would not take milk (formula or expressed) from anything or anyone. Was torture!

Definitely no baby rice.

And if baby is under 5.5months, then no food!

I switched my dd over to formula at 6 months and she would only use lansinoh bottles. They're designed to replicate breastfeeding.

I started with a mix of formula/breastmilk and the. Just slowly started increasing the ratio of formula to breastmilk until she was completely switched over x

My eldest didn't take to bottle feeding at all, for him it was the bottle, not the contents so be prepared for that scenario. When you wean her, she will drop feeds pretty quickly. I dropped to day and night BFd and replaced day time feeds with natural yogurt and other dairy such a cheese, cream cheese and gave him a beaker with cows milk when he was a year old as he had got used to a beaker by then.

It might be worth considering as you have done the hard part and weaning is not far off. Then long term you might get away with avoiding a bottle completely and you won't have the hassle of sterilisation and weaning her from the bottle as well.