Breastfed baby refusing bottle at nursery

[LouWhit1]

Hello! Wondered if anyone had any advice. DS is 10 months old and exclusively breastfed. Usually would feed for 10 mins or so around 9am before morning nap, then 10 mins just before lunchtime nap then a longer feed in the middle of his wake window at 3 and then just another 10 min nurse at around 6.30 before his bedtime. So he's started nursery (which in itself has been a nightmare as he's started struggling with separation anxiety!) but he's just not taking any milk there at all. They're just rocking him down to sleep before both naps and he refuses the bottle then, and then they're just giving him a solids snack at 3 because he's refusing a bottle then also. So- he's not getting any milk until bedtime all day long, and that's only a ten minute nurse before he falls asleep! Is that okay- is he just naturally weaning off milk?! Or might be actually be missing out on vital calories for his age on those days? He's only in nursery two days a week. And breastfeeds as usual on all other days! Many thanks in advance 😊

Was he taking a bottle before starting nursery?

Will he take your milk from a cup rather than bottle? Sometimes works with bottle refusers.

I presume you have tried giving him a bottle at home? YABVU expecting your 10mo to take a bottle from nursery staff for the first time when he is exclusively BF otherwise??

Did you start giving him a bottle in advance of starting nursery?

My dc were a similar age when I went back to work and we had a similar situation.

I used to bf before I went to work, as soon as I got home and then before bed.

The rest of the time they had water, normal food and wetter foods like yogurt, porridge, fruit purée and cereal.

He'll be fine on solid snacks, just up his feeds at other times. Could you fit a morning feed in before he goes, then one on pickup and another at bed? Also make sure he has plenty of cheese/yogurt snacks, so he gets dairy from other sources.

Thank you all!! He used to take a bottle from my husband if I needed to be out and about every so often so I thought he'd be okay with it. He hadn't had one for about two or three weeks before nursery starting though- he'd had a few bouts of illnesses so I'd stayed very close for comfort. Bad timing, I guess.
That's really helpful to know they can get by okay just with solids if they have a feed first thing and in the evening though. I'll try to stick with that on nursery days! And more calcium - heavy food 🧀. Any other insights absolutely welcome, thank you x

My DD self weaned from the boob at 10mths and never took a bottle. I just added more milk into her diet. It's amazing how much milk a weetabix will absorb if left for a bit plus yoghurt, cheese etc. You may find your DC starts taking a bottle once they feel a little more settled at nursery.

I wouldn't be pushing a bottle if he isn't keen and your would be weaning him off it in 8 weeks anyway.

Is he drinking enough water from a cup when he is there? I would try milk in a different cup (yours then cows as he gets bigger).

My breastfed babies wouldn’t take a bottle. I started them on a beaker instead and they would drink ok from that. I didn’t really offer breast milk in it though, cows milk and water. At 10mths your baby will be ok on those two days so long as they are eating solids and drinking something. Your milk supply may take a hit though those days.