‘EBF’ baby won’t take a bottle anymore and I’m going back to work v soon

[Pipperleen]

Hi, looking for any advice or experiences, I don’t know what to do. Please forgive all the waffling info but I just need to get it all on the page.

I am going back to work in a month and baby will be coming up to 8 months by then. I have been trying to get her to take a bottle so that her grandma and nursery can feed her in the day whilst I’m not there, but baby isn’t having any of it!

She has taken a bottle in the past - I pumped so that I could give her a few bottles over Christmas if I wanted a drink, but apart from that there’s no real need for anyone to bottle feed her.

I have been trying for about three weeks to give her a bottle in the day time but she just gets incredibly upset. She is fed after each nap (3 at the moment) plus in the morning, before bed and I am still doing a dream 10pm feed. She doesn’t take very much at all in the day time, 5 minutes on the boob maybe, but if I attempt to skip one she gets grumpy - we are very much in a routine of feed play sleep so I wonder if she is confused if there’s no milk coming when she wakes up.

She is weaning now - breakfast and lunch at the moment and I’m thinking of introducing dinner soon.

So I’m just at a loss really. Do I just give grandma/nursery the means to bottle feed her and hope for the best? Or do I do the third meal now and hope she will be able to manage without being fed in the day? I am likely to be out of the house from 730 until 4 most days which seems an awfully long time. As I said, she’s done it in the past and does have a dummy to sleep so I don’t think it’s the sensation of the teat that is bothering her. I don’t think it’s the flavour either - I’ve tried both breast milk and Kendamil formula which she will eat in porridge no problem, she just doesn’t want to drink it out of a bottle!

If anyone could help me or share any of their own experiences I would be so grateful. I am really worrying about it and I just want to make the most of the end of this maternity leave without stressing 😂

Thank you!

Mine refused bottle as well

Tbh at 8months they will be fine daytime without if needed. You feed morning and when home, and again at bedtime and overnight as needed still.
So you feed:
7am
4pm
7/8pm bedtime
10pm normal dream feed.

Granny can give milky porridge for breakfast, yogurt after lunch and offer milk and water in beaker.

@Caspianberg thank you for this - knowing it is doable is really helpful.

They may end up just reverse cycling, if not though I found to get my DC into a bottle when I switched to FF I had to whip my bra/top off and squidgy their cheek against my boob and pop the bottle in making sure the milk was 37degrees (only for the beginning now he’s more chill).

Obviously that’s no use when you’re not there but to get them into the bottle in the first place it may help.

@FTEngineerM oh that is handy to know, I’ll try that one tomorrow!

Following for ideas as we're in a similar position!

At 8 months i sent DS to nursery with expressed milk in a sippy cup - he drank it fine. Would never take a bottle though!

Have you tried getting someone to give her a bottle when you're not there / not in sight? Sometimes when mum/breast is not around babies will accept a bottle from someone else. My nephew was like this, would refuse point blank if mum was anywhere nearby, but would happily accept a bottle if she was in another room.

Two of mine were exactly the same, but when they went to nursery (at 6 months), they were more pragmatic and just took the bottle.

As PP said, you do fall into a routine quite quickly, so I fed first thing, as soon as we got back from nursery and then at bedtime, plus a bottle at nursery. That was fine for them.

Different positions can be helpful as well - I never had success giving them a bottle, which I can understand, nor could I even be in the house. Apparently their noses are much keener than we realise!! DH tried wrapping them in a T shirt that smelled of me, in a bouncer and car seat face on, sitting on a lap etc. I seem to remember one would only take it if they were upright in some sort of seat ie not in any way trying to replicate the nursing position.

Thanks everyone, you have lowered my blood pressure considerably 😅
Considering doing a dry run and having an afternoon out one day in the coming weeks.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply, much appreciated.

DC 1&2 always refused bottles but would drink expressed milk or water from a Tommee tippee basic sippy cup. I know friends had luck with a doidy cup too.

Often babies will take a bottle for someone else, so Grandma may have more luck. If not try a beaker too?

Otherwise just put her onto three meals, she won't starve in the time you are gone and will get into a routine soon enough. She may well make up for it in the evening.

Oh and definitely have a couple of dry runs before you return. Even if she refuses the milk you'll feel happier that she's had plenty of food/opportunity to feed.

I’m going back to work a not long after you but am in a similar situation and I’m worried how it’s gonna work out. But I’ve heard if baby is refusing bottle then try drinking from open cup or cup with a spout but without a valve.