Back to work in a month and baby won't take a bottle or cup- help!

[LouH20]

Hi- I'm having a nightmare trying to get my 6.5 month old onto a bottle. I'm back at work in under a month and for the past 6 days I've been breast feeding her last thing, in the night and first thing as advised by the HV and then only offering her the bottle during the day. Every single day she went 10 hours without any liquid and just held out for me in the evenings. We ended up in A&E on NY's Day as I was so worried about her hydration levels. She'll just about have the teat in her mouth but won't suck.
We tried for her first 3 months with a bottle of expressed milk every day and she took it twice and took 2 bottles of formula but then never again. I gave up as I found it so distressing and was convinced that once weaning started the variety would encourage her to take a bottle. Well she's been on solids for 6 weeks now and still won't accept a bottle.
We've also tried every cup and she'll take a few sips of water but that's it. I've put juice in her water, makes no difference. The only one I've not tried is a doidy cup that I'm getting tomorrow. I did want to try and combine feed but a doc friend said it seems like our stubborn wee thing will have to go cold turkey and I'll have to give up breast feeding so she doesn't have a choice and doesn't just hold out for me. Not what I wanted at all and I hate that it's become a battle of wills. With cold turkey how long can a baby go without liquids? I should also mention that in protest she's also stopped taking solids and so isn't getting moisture from food either. Also she is dairy intolerant so has been prescribed a revolting non dairy formula which doesn't help.
I've actually put her back on the boob today as she is full of cold and has a temp and my instinct is to get fluids into her but we have to restart this battle when she's better. I'm so stressed out by it all and can't see how I'm ever going to be able to go back to work. Has anyone gone through this and come out the other side? Any advice? We have tried every bottle, cup and diff people feeding her, diff temps of milk, distractions etc, everything. Just feel at the end of my tether....
Lou

Yes, it is a nightmare! I agree with you about the ebm/formula issue - I want to get him on to formula, as expressing wont really be an option for me when I go back to work. If someone had told me when I was pregnant that I still wouldn't have had a night off when he was 6.5months old, I would have never believed it! I know it sounds selfish but I am desperate to let one of the Grannies take him, crack open a bootle of wine, and have some "me" time! I tried him with the bottle again last night (he was hungry at the time) but he was having none of it and getting really upset. I am now considering the "cold turkey" option, and maybe trying to get as much formula in to his foods as possible. I will let you know how it all goes. I hope your wee one is getting better and I really do wish you all the best for the battle ahead!

Hi, Have you tried the 'Breast flow' bottles (mothercare sell them)? My DD is nearly 7.5 mo and we have been battling since 6 wks to get her to take bottle. It's still a fight but she will sometimes relent with the Breastflow bottle - DH has to feed her and endure some screaming. Once she tires herself out she seems to give in. No good if she's not tired though, or if I try to give her bottle. She has water from doidy cup at mealtimes ok, but it's so messy is no good for a full milk feed. I had hoped we could get to a stage where we could easily combine breast and bottle (as we did eventually with DS), but think it will have to be one or the other with her, so really trying now to get her to accept bottle so that I can stop bfeeding. I sympathise with you having the stress of going back to work soon and hope you have some success soon.

I actually havent tried breastflow bottles, although think I have tried every other one - the one he seems less offended by is Nuk. May give them a try. I am also contemplating going cold turkey and just trying to get formula in to his food, and with the cup. Thanks for the advice, and good luck with your wee one!