Do I really need to get DD used to the bottle....?

[Ineedmorechocolatenow]

My DD is 16 weeks and has been exclusively breast fed since birth. I'm obviously thrilled as BFing with DS was a complete disaster (long story) and I resorted to the bottle after 10 days . I hope to BF her for at least a year, if possible.

Anyway, I haven't yet introduced DD to the bottle as I can't bear to express (mainly because I can't be arsed and with a toddler can't seem to find the time to do it).

So many people have told me that it'll be really hard to get her used to the bottle unless I start soon and the longer I leave it, the harder it'll be. I only really want to do it so that I can leave her for an evening with some EBM.

Should I just bite the bullet and get motivated to express? I've heard that once you start, you have to give them a bottle regularly so they get used to it...

Also how much should I be expressing for a feed?

ime (which is admittedly limited ) it might be a tad too late to introduce a bottle now. You'd probably be better off with a doidy cup, then you can continue to use that when you start weaning her (for water I mean !)

Friends who tried intro'ing a bottle at 4 months really struggled. Re leaving her for the evening, you may find she goes down with a big feed and will just wait until you get home to have another feed if needed rather than needing ebm. Well done for feeding her for so long though !

Not sure I've been much help

Thanks puffy. I've also had friends who struggled. She's tried the bottle twice when she was a few weeks old with little success. Not sure whether to bother at all. I do think I ought to express a few bottles' worth in case of emergencies... Anyone have any idea how much she'd drink in a feed at 16 weeks?

Really honestly don't bother, especially as it doesn't sound like you really want to. It's so much hassle and probably a waste of time. I didn't want to bother but felt pressure to try it as people said I should be getting out without the baby.

He took a bottle twice I think, before resolutely refusing (when I was out for the evening). Queue phone call from distraught dh with hysterical baby in the background.

Also, expressing is a major faff and pretty uncomfortable, or at least it was for me.

And I'm not sure I believe in that "it's too late" rubbish as every baby is different. I know one Gina Ford disciple who expressed EVERY MORNING and her dh gave the baby a bottle EVERY NIGHT pretty much from week one, and then at about three months old her dd just suddenly decided she wasn't ever having another bottle. All that faff, day in day out, for nothing!

I know going out for the evening is the holy grail but honestly the months will fly by and before you know it you'll be putting the baby to bed at seven and heading out for a curry with your friends. I wasn't able to do that until my ds was fifteen-months-old but even when he was still up all evening I used to bf him then go to the pub for one or two hours before I was needed for another bf. It's only a really short bit of your life (I know it's easy for me to say as I'm out the other side now)

It's 210 ml at 6 months so for a 4month old I think about 180? Not sure...My DD is bf but she had maybe 3 or 4 bottles when I went out in her first 3 months. Then, when she was 5 mo I tried giving her a bottle and she refused. Looked quite indignant that I would even consider feeding her that way. Anyway, I gave up on the bottle and got her a cup which she uses with some skill now at 7 and a half months. Try the cup, it will save you having to wean her off the bottle to cup. Bottle isn't really necessary at all.

you don't have to use bottles at all. IF you WANT to express and leave her EBM she could be spoon fed, finger fed ( dip clean finger in milk, then in baby's mouth) Cup fed ( open beaker or lidded sippy cup ( less messy option)) or use a baby medicine dose syringe.

Rather depends how long you plan to be away for, she won't starve for not having any milk in 4 hours, may be whiny for who ever is caring for her if she is awake, but she won't suffer long term.

Plenty of us have never owned or used a bottle at all.

re expressing for emergencies... JUST what kind emergency is it worth doing this for. If you get hit by a bus and are hospitalised... there will be other things on people minds besides finding your EBM and defrosting it. My DH speculated that in the above emergency senario.. he would take baby round to a breastfeeding friends house and ask her to both look after and fed him for first day or so, then bite bullet and go for formula if he had too.

Use a tommee tippee (no valve) sippy cup. Don't bother with bottles now.

I'm in pretty much the same situation as you Ineedmorechocolatenow, except DS will be away from me for one day a week from December. Eeeek. I'm watching this with interest

I found that DD never took more than 150 mls of EBM at a feed, even at 10 months (which was about when I stopped expressing). I'm pretty sure I've heard others saying similar on here. I think she used to take 90-125mls at 4 months.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'll pop out and buy a Tommee Tippee cup today... I think I've got a doidy cup somewhere in the loft.

I'll do a bit of expressing to put my mind at ease to know there are a few feeds in the freezer, but not worry about bottles.

So many people ask when I'm going to start on bottles.... I've got an answer now (other than 'no idea')

My ds is the same age as your dd and took a bottle very reluctntly when a few weeks old, then refused, at least in part because we weren't doing it regularly enough. A Tommee Tippee was sort of okay, but very slow and he took in a lot of air. An open topped cup works best - I must get a doidy - and, as someone pointed out to me, I won't have to worry about 'getting him off a bottle'.
good luck.