HELP! Back to work & baby won't come off Beast

[moominmummy]

This is my first time in posting so fogive me if I do not know all of the abbrevations etc. I am in a real fix. I'm going back to work in two weeks and my daughter won't take a bottle, cup of anything that isn't me. She is on three meals a day although does not have a big appetite. I have been breastfeeding for 7 months and need some way to train my daughter to stop. I have tried stopping the daytime feeds in the hope that she would get hungry and take a cup but she holds out until the teatime feed. My only option seems now to stop breastfeeding completely and have a stand off until she will take a cup. This seems so cruel. Any advice out there would be most appreciated. I am desparate!!

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Thanks for the advice. My husband has tried to give her a cup but to no effect. Think it might be down to mum now! Do get quite worried about dehydration but I guess she will drink eventually. Just wish I had a magic wand. Feel quite fed up about it all.

Hi there, I had this same problem with my daughter who simply refused to take a bottle. I found that when I tried the orthodontic teats she took to them straight away. It could be worth a try if you have'nt already!

my baby (10 weeks) will only take a bottle with the special nipple-shaped teats. we use tommy tippee "nuby" ones that have bumps on. there are others called Playtex nursers which some people use too.

My daughter refused everything except the playtex nursing system (very 'realistic' teats, made of latex so they are soft and they move when sucked)..It is soo stressful when they refuse isn't it..I was trying different bottles for 2 months before she would take any..oh, and my daughter also wanted her milk very warm (a bit annoying since when my son was a baby he would take his at any temperature)...and sometimes warming the teat before using it helps.
Here's a link about the playtex system

Lol at the title of this thread - or is that your nickname for it?

Going through the same here with 10m old! He only has 3 feeds a day so, like others have said, could you just feed your morning and evening and try not to worry about it during the day? Wasier said than done I know (says woman who was crying yesterday because of same problem ) At least if you're not there, it won't be your problem! She may want another feed as soon as you get home and another one before bed - could you do it like that?

You can feed first thing and when you get home and at bedtime. During the day she will survive - she can have sloppy wet foods like yoghurt and once you physically aren't there and she has another carer she may well surprise you and take milk from a beaker or bottle. It's quite common for that to happen.

Are you going back full time? I think going back to work is stressful anyway and you may well find yourself getting disproportionately upset about the milk issue when really you are worried about going back to work. It will all be fine in the end!

I am going back to work full time in 2 months time, and had been successfully bottle feeding expressed milk around 2 times a week - and at 3 months she refused....panic.....but as some-one above said I tried the orthodontic rubber teets and we are back on track, I think one of the main reasons she like this one is that it is "variable flow", i.e. if she doesn't suck then no milk comes out. She did fuss the first few times, sucking a couple of mouthfuls, then srewing her face up to say she didn't like it, in the end we put this down to the temperature, a slight chill was not acceptable. I have also seen something called a haberman teet which is recommended by the "baby whisperer" could be worth a try if all else fails! Good luck

Thanks for all of the advice. It's good to hear that I am not alone. I take it from the suggestions that going straight for a cup is not a good start. I did buy a cup with a straw today and she seemed to take a bit more water than she would normally. Didn't dare try it with any milk. Might be brave tomorrow if I can stop crying!

Big hugs! try not to cry (not very good person to offer that advice I know!)Come back onm tomorrow and let us know how you're doing

My daughter was also refusing to take a bottle when I returned to work at 6 months. However she would take a little milk from the old style Avent soft spout (now replaced with a new "improved" version I am afraid.) As I recall (it was 7 years ago) I fed her in the morning and as soon as we got home in the evening. She was often so desperate for a feed that I couldn't even take my coat off first! She initially took very little milk during the day but it eventually increased. By all means try different bottles - I have just bought a Playtex one in the hopes that my third child (4 months old) will take the occasional bottle. The advantage of her never taking a bottle was not having to wean her off it later - unlike my middle child, who for a quiet life is still allowed a bottle before bed! Good luck!

Woken up a bit more with it today and positive. Going to drop the afternoon feed next week so that at least I can get back to work knowing that she will not die of starvation (forgive the dramatics but I am a drama teacher!!). She will still be having a feed from me at breakfast, tea and bedtime. Obviously she will have to come off eventually but at least I have bought myself some time without the need for short, sharp, shock tactics. Only thing I need to do now is stop all night time feeds (has at least 1 at the moment). If it's not one thing it's another. Thanks for all the support. I was feeling quite alone before I got on here.

I'm going through exactly the same thing myself! What a nightmare! I've tried every type of teat on the market and every type of formula - warm, cold - you name it, and my 5 month old simply spits it out!! I too am due back to work in a month and I'm panicking.... she is also still having one night time feed so I'm going to be exhausted as well as panicking about her feeding!! I have no solution at all - just to say that I fully empathise - and if you do come up with a solution - please let me know!!!
Best wishes.

Not read all the posts so sorry if repeating advice but have you tried giving her a drink with a straw? My youngest never had a bottle and took to a cup sporadically, however when I gave him a straw he took to it immediately. Hope this helps. Obviously she would need to be supervised with the straw at this age.

The straw did seem to be more successful than anything. I managed to buy a cup which has three different sizes of straw so you can control the flow a bit. It's made by Safety 1st. Don't know if it will work with milk but juice has been given this way. It is good too as you can squeeze the cup so a bit more juice comes out. Keep the ideas coming in. Another suggestion I had was that if I put the bottle or cup in my bra dd might take it thinking it is my nipple! Not sure about it but I will give anything a try and let you know how I get on.

Hello Moominmummy,
Hope all is going well - be sure that you don't get engorged - expressing some breastmilk during your break at work will help. You could store it and let your childcarer use it to mix in cereal or in a bottle/cup. You can still bf at weekends & evenings if you want to. Does your baby like yoghurt? - something like a natural bio yoghurt could also help bridge the transition to someone else giving her milk ( your expressed breastmilk or formula). Wishing you lots of best wishes