Has anyone introduced a bottle at 6m+ for the first time and it NOT been a problem?

[CherryChoc]

I'm interested in this - it seems to be common wisdom that you "must" introduce a regular bottle to exclusively breastfed babies fairly early on or they will refuse it completely if you try later (eg if you wanted to go out or had to return to work)

I have noticed loads of threads on here about bf babies who are used to bottles suddenly refusing them, as well, so it seems that introducing a regular bottle early on isn't always an effective insurance against this happening anyway.

So I'm interested, is it a myth, or not?

bump

I introduced a bottle at 6 months, and after an initially surprised (rather than outraged) reaction, there were no problems.

We tried to introduce a bottle at about 5-ish months. He wouldn't take it, but in hindsight I think this was an objection to the contents (it had formula in) rather than the bottle as ds2 is severely allergic to cows milk.

We tried him a couple of times with ebm at around 7 weeks and he wouldn't take that either though. Some babies obviously just like boobies !

I introduced a bottle to ds at 9 months, during his settling in period at nursery. He took to it no problems at all.

I introduced a bottle to dd (on medical advice) from a few weeks old. She screamed blue murder from the start and starved herself until I finally gave up at 5 months. She did not go near a bottle again until around 2 years' old, as a toy.

we tried it at 5 months and dd wasn't having any of it. Tried again at 8 months and she took to it like a drowning man to a lifebelt.

dd2 had milk in a bottle around 10 months, she took to it with enthusiasm and abandoned bf shortly after.

dd1 completely different, refused all attempts with a bottle, never had one, went straight to a cup.

Oooh interesting question.

Will be interested to see how this goes...

(I had a bottle refuser)

Introduced bottle to DS1 at 6 weeks - he took it then refused steadfastly from 14 weeks when he figured out he preferred the boob. Got him on bottle at 6 months (couple of weeks before got to work) by me being out all day for the weekend and daddy just offering him bottles when he was hungry (not forcing the issue - if he rejected it, the bottle was taken away and play/nap time followed). I'd let him play with the bottles for a week or so before hand and it was EBM in there. Once he was used to taking bottles, I bf him morning and night then put on DH's huge jumper to give him bottles during the day so he was used to this. Then we moved to v warm formula during the day when I went to work. It was fine. He bf until around 16 months.