Day of hell - transition to bottle

[wukter]

DP and DD (6.5 mo)are downstairs, both in tears. We are trying to get her to take a bottle in preparation for my returm to work in 3 weeks time. She is not taking the bottle under any circumstances. She had her last BF at 4 this morning, her food is "wetter" than normal today and some drops of milk fell into her mouth despite herself. I am hiding in bed (am a bit unwell anyway). What can we do? Will she take it eventually? How can I go back to work?
Please hold my hand I can't bear her cries when the bottle is introduced. Can she dehydrate?
Gah sorry for all the questions not thinking too straight.

OMG I had this too. DS2 refused to take the bottle (either filled with expressed milk or formula)after being ebf. I too was going back to work. When I took him to nursery on that first day he was still ebf as he had not allowed a bottle teat (we had also tried feeding cup)to pass his lips. The nursery were very understanding and were aware of situation. Apparantly on the first day he refused anything until after lunch time and then relented. He tried refusing the bottle back at home briefly but eventually relented. Everything was fine then and I mixed fed for a furhter couple of months (bf'd at night then ff during day). I think it worked at nursery as nurse is obviously not that emotionally invovled with the child and was able to stick with it. I tried leaving him with GPs as well as DP whilst I went out so he knew I wasn't available but it didn't work. However I have never heard of a child dehydrating and I do think she will eventually take it.

It was very upsetting but I had to go back to work so there was no option and we just had to stick at it.

He is now 5 and a half and that stubborn streak has continued!

wukter.....try a cup. There is lots in the mumsnet archives about this. Unless you are away for longer than a normal working day, she can take a cup and 'sloppy solids' at nursery and you can bf when you are with her.
It is so not worth the distress she and you are going through.

Thanks Noodle, it's great to hear of a good outcome. She's grand now, I can hear her gurgling away on the rug. (DP a different story!). But I know at next bottle time she will be hysterical again.
She is going to a childminder I hope she has the experience and patience for this.

Stubborn eh!

I have tried a cup, Tiktok, she will take a few sips of water from it at meal times. we have also tried beakers which we won't tolerate.
THe thing is my day plus commute is long, and solids are not established yet so I thought she really needs the milk during the day. She has always been a slow weight gaining baby, I have BF every 2-3 hours. It's only now, since seeing the pead on Wed, that I have the confidence to try this approach.
I'd love if it wasn't neccessary - I'll go through the archives as you suggested, Tiktok. (Thanks for taking the time to post ). At the moment she's fine, playing with DP.

OMG - she has just happily taken 4 oz from bottle so far. Hope it's not a fluke!