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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Introducing a bottle at 13 months

19 replies

milkissue · 15/02/2019 20:56

We tried to combi feed from 4w once bf established and ds would NOT take a bottle and we tried SO many different ones/milks/expressed milk

Kept trying and no luck. Been feeling rubbish so after not trying for a couple of months I have him some toddler milk which he loved in a bottle. He has a soppy cup for water but won’t drink the milk from it. He has 5oz each day early evening
We brush his teeth after and his last feed is a bf and he still bf during night and in day

HV says it was wrong to give him a bottle but it gives me some time ! I know he can have dinner bath bottle and a play and I need that surely that makes it ok. She said toddler milk no good too but it was the only one he liked and rest of diet v healthy but I feel like she’s been Unnecessarily harsh ? I just really really need him to be able to have something other than breast milk and I really don’t mind what or how but I feel like she’s really told me off !

OP posts:
Original poster
milkissue · 15/02/2019 20:56

*sippy cup !

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GummyGoddess · 15/02/2019 20:59

You don't need to give him toddler milk. At 13 months DC1 weaned off of breastmilk himself and just drank water and still does at 2.5 which our HV said was fine.

I don't think she means to be harsh, but a bottle habit can be quite tricky to get rid of down the line from what I've seen of friends who have bottle fed. Just like weaning off of breastfeeding and dummies, it's adding an extra thing you need to deal with later.

suckmasterburstingfoam · 15/02/2019 21:00

Good grief, what an unhelpful thing for your HV to say. Congratulations on getting your child to take a bottle - sounds like a big achievement. Enjoy your time to yourself!

JiltedJohnsJulie · 15/02/2019 21:02

I think your HV is just following current NHS guidelines and that's ok really. Guidelines say there's no need for formula or toddler milk after 12 months and babies should have bottles either, but it's totally up to you if you want to follow the guidelines or not Smile

AbbieLexie · 15/02/2019 21:03

My daughter learned to use a bottle with a straw. Really important they have water. Daughter also really enjoyed cubes of cheese for snacks.

Original poster
milkissue · 15/02/2019 21:25

It was literally the only milk he would accept I tried every other option first and it was more out of desperation ! I think it’s sweeter or has vanilla in so that may be why? But he won’t drink breastmilk from the bottle

I really struggled to wean my other dc off bf so have been determined this time that I needed to start sooner but he’s been so reluctant till now. It’s not that I want to stop bf I just want him to have another option so I don’t feel so trapped which sounds like I don’t like bf.... I do it’s just it can be too much some days

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 15/02/2019 22:01

It's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed OP. Do you think that might weaning might help you get some rest? Smile

GummyGoddess · 15/02/2019 22:05

Can he not just feed a couple of times a day and drink his water in between? If you can up his fluid intake that should be enough and won't potentially cause hassle for you later. I think it took a few weeks of constantly prompting DC1 to have some water before it became habit for him.

Original poster
milkissue · 15/02/2019 22:46

He will drink water in his sippy cup just fine with meals but the rest of the time he just wants me. I don’t mind but I do feel sometimes I need there to be another option. The HV was just very anti ! But I feel I can definitely deal better with potential bottle weaning issues at some point better than extended bf weaning issues I’m hoping he will continue to like it and I can just gradually swap some bf for bottle feeds

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GummyGoddess · 15/02/2019 23:40

Have you considered eating all the things that you're not supposed to eat while breastfeeding to dry your supply up? I'm sure there's a list on the KellyMom site. Should be easier to stop feeding if there's nothing there if that's what you need to do for your own MH, as lovely as breastfeeding is, you need to be happy to be a good mum.

NannyR · 15/02/2019 23:50

Toddler milk is usually flavoured with a bit of vanilla to make it taste sweeter and more toddler appealing. If you wanted to get him onto cows milk (which is fine nutritionally) you could try adding a drop or two of vanilla essence to make it taste more familiar.

Original poster
milkissue · 16/02/2019 08:52

I don’t want to give up but I just find this stage so so hard and want to cut down but if I’m there he wants me to feed him except for the evening bottle I was surprised he let me give that to him ! Previously it was always dh trying and ds refusing this feels like a breakthrough!
Oddly enough I’ve always drink gallons of peppermint tea and read somewhere that’s meant to reduce supply but it didn’t seen to have any effect at all I will have a look for other things if I get desperate just hoping we can maybe add another bottle into the day as i think then I’d feel less ‘trapped’ that sounds odd i know but I feel like I’ve been the main source of milk for a long time and I’m exhausted the last few weeks

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Happygolucky009 · 16/02/2019 09:06

Congratulations on your lo and sustaining bf, no mean fete!

Check out the first nutritions website which advises toddler milk is not needed, I believe it is high in sugar. Keep offering water and cows milk as well as your own milk but I personally would avoid toddler milks.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 16/02/2019 09:07

He doesn't really need constant feeding in the day a this age, especially if you are feeling trapped. Could you leave him with DH for a few hours to give you a break?

Get DH to take the DC to the park and library so that you get a couple of hours break to do what you like or organise a hair appointment, shopping trip or lunch out with your friends or just take your older DC out and leave him with DH.

If he was on cows milk, he would only need 300 ml a day so he will be absolutely fine on her solids while you get some much needed times away from him.

I really would consider night weaning too as this may improve his appetite for solids in the day Smile

JiltedJohnsJulie · 16/02/2019 09:09

This article from Kellymom has some useful suggestions on BFing in the second year too OP Smile

Original poster
milkissue · 16/02/2019 11:24

I’m assuming it’s a comfort thing i have to really distract him from wanting to feed all the time ! As it’s the weekend I can ask dh to take him out or play with him, I just find it hard as if I’m there seems that’s all he wants

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Original poster
milkissue · 16/02/2019 11:25

He eats healthily too but even if he has a snack and water he still apparently has room for breast milk no matter what !

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allthatmalarkey · 16/02/2019 11:36

GP told me there is no nitritional value to BF after 12 months, after that it's just choice. And you'd be fine giving cows, goats or soya milk rather than toddler milk. There's a Philips avent bottle which has a sippy attachment which is good for making the transition. Bottles are not great for teeth (but worse things happen at sea).

allthatmalarkey · 16/02/2019 11:38

Sorry just looked again and you'd said it was the only milk he'd take. Again, it's not that bad. Do what works best for your family, life doesn't work like the text book.

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