Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Please put my mind at rest- my breastfed baby won't take a bottle and I'm going back to work.

32 replies

catlikefi · 22/07/2018 19:05

Just that really, I'm going back to work on Wednesday and I'm stressing about the fact that my (very stubborn when he wants to be) breastfed baby son won't drink from a cup or bottle. It's boob all the way for him. We are getting him started on solid food but it's slow going so he's really not get much apart from milk. My work are being super flexible which is great and I'm going back part-time and reduced hours for the first couple of weeks to see how things go.

I should add that my DH is able to provide the childcare due to his shift patterns but I'm still worrying. Does anyone have some positive stories to help put my mind at rest??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

OneEpisode · 22/07/2018 19:07

How old?

Original poster

catlikefi · 22/07/2018 19:07

He's just turned 9 months.

OP posts:

boobymilkmachine · 22/07/2018 19:15

I went back to work when my DS was 9 months & a bottle refuser - he'd sip a tiny bit from a cup but there's no way he'd take a bottle. I was really stressed about it but he was fine - ate lots of yoghurt & cheese during the day to make up for it & then had big feeds in the morning / evening. I'm sure you'll be fine but it is daunting!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

moreismore · 22/07/2018 19:19

I had the same worries, my son started at 8 months. He drank much better from a cup when I wasn’t around and also for a long time was happy to try almost anything food wise at nursery but totally refused at home.

Allow time to feed just before you drop off and immediately on collection if you can (especially the latter). You may find that he feeds more overnight for a while. He’ll get used to it really quickly though, don’t worry.

Original poster

catlikefi · 22/07/2018 19:20

Thank you boobymilkmachine. I know loads of mums have got through it with no problems but it is worrying me. I'm actually considering making some little breast milk ice lollies with those Ikea lolly moulds so at least he might get a little bit through the day!

OP posts:

BendingSpoons · 22/07/2018 19:21

DD was 8.5 months when I returned. She never took a bottle although did eat quite well. I breastfed her before leaving and on getting home as well as night time. In the day she had small sips of water from an open doidy cup and food. Can you try things like porridge or even milk on a spoon? Plus an open cup? Going back for short times will help as it won't be such a long stretch to start with.

Kraggle · 22/07/2018 19:21

I went back to work when breast fed dd2 was 10mo. She’d never had a bottle, never had formula and hadn’t figured out sippy cups quite yet. She was fine. Nursery kept trying her with the sippy cup and formula (I was never any good at expressing) and she got the hang of it quite quickly.

MrsBertBibby · 22/07/2018 19:21

Exactly the same story here. Eventually an exasperated nursery nurse gave him a bottle straight from the fridge and he knocked it back instantly. Weirdo!

He'll work it out.

Original poster

catlikefi · 22/07/2018 19:21

Thank you moreismore. I am wondering if he'll do better with his cup if I'm not around.

OP posts:

lozengeoflove · 22/07/2018 19:23

Hi OP. Both of mine were breastfed and wouldn’t take the bottle and both were 8 months old when I went back to work. They adjusted pretty quickly to being breastfed around the clock when I wasn’t at work and took well to having the sippy cup when I was at work.

I remember being really worried about it, but it was absolutely fine. My boobs adjusted really quickly too, and that was another worry of mine. Honestly, it will all fall into place, just takes time to get your head around the big change. Good luck

MrsBertBibby · 22/07/2018 19:23

Yep, I think mum being there with those nice milky bosoms makes bottles and cups unfathomable to them,

LtGreggs · 22/07/2018 19:27

I went through the same at 7 months - luckily I was part time hours at first. First week or two he had a massive breastfeed the minute I picked him up. Then he gradually got the hang of the sippy cup.

You could try lukewarm water in cup instead of milk??

Racecardriver · 22/07/2018 19:29

Both of mine were ebf. I couldn't get my eldest to take a bottle under any circumstances until he was one and a bit. With the younger one we tried the newborn starter kits you can buy from the supermarket that come with ready mixed formula and a sterilised teat. This worked really well so long as I wasn't in the room and he wasn't at home (I'd he was at home he thought I was around somewhere I think). I would reccomend just tying lots of different bottles and formulas until you find one he likes. If that doesn't work he can surely survive off juice, yoghurt, muslei bars, banabas etc until you get home? If he is struggling with weaning try boiled rice in stock. Worked brilliantly for both of my children.

Original poster

catlikefi · 22/07/2018 19:31

Oh you're all lovely - reading this is already helping me put my mind at rest . It's just such a massive change to face isn't it, especially after 9 months or so of looking after your baby 24/7.

OP posts:

lozengeoflove · 22/07/2018 19:36

Absolutely! I was in pieces, but realised once I started back at work that I had nothing to worry about. Baby would feed loads when I returned and both were always so happy to see me

Having a baby and going back to work made my days go by very quickly, weeks and months would just fly by. And of course it made holidays even more special.

boobymilkmachine · 22/07/2018 19:39

Glad you're feeling encouraged - and like the BM lolly idea! It's a huge change but you'll adjust really quickly & so will he. Let us know how you get on!

justforthisnow · 22/07/2018 19:43

You will both be absolutely fine, you've given him the best start and he's just loving the boob too much to try anything else. My now 9 year old was the exact same, bottle refuser, never had formula, didn't even eat solids til 9 months old. Everything was on his terms. Then I had to go to back to full time work. He wouldn't even try a cup if I was present. So dropped to crèche, and he took a cup of milk that day and also started solids that week, no issues.
He's quite proud of the fact he's never had a bottle or formula....
If I had my way again I'd have introduced a bottle at 5/6 weeks just to help ALL of us.

jhb2013 · 22/07/2018 19:46

Me too! I’m sat here expressing, again, in the hope that eventually my DD will take a bottle, sippy cup, open cup anything other than me! We’ve bought so many bottles we could open a shop. She will now tolerate it in her mouth and chew on the teat but spits out the milk! We are keeping going with the food and keeping our fingers crossed! Good luck for Wednesday!

Sparrowlegs248 · 22/07/2018 19:50

I went back when ds1 was 9 month. I worked 3 full consecutive days so was out of the house for around 12 hrs . He never took a bottle bit did eat quite well and would drink a bit of water from a free flow sippy. He was fine. I'd spent 2 months previously worrying.

DoubleHelix79 · 22/07/2018 19:53

DD was six months and really hated bottles when I returned to work. This despite us trying to introduce bottles for months beforehand.

The first two weeks were pretty hard on everyone - she only drank just enough to keep her alive whiile at the childminder and was absolutely not happy about the general situation. We did contemplate giving up at this stage. Then finally caved and was perfectly fine ever after.

Just be prepared for a bumpy settling in period and try not to worry too much.

Original poster

catlikefi · 22/07/2018 19:54

Ha....jhb2013, I can relate to being able to open a bottle shop! I even bought that expensive 'boob' shaped more natural one off Amazon that was almost guaranteed to work. Guess what....it didn't work.

It is honestly really helping to read these stories though. A lot of my mum friends had stopped breastfeeding by the return to work stage so I had no positive advice to reduce my overthinking/panic.

OP posts:

lozengeoflove · 22/07/2018 21:19

FWIW I continued to breastfeed mine until 13 and 16 months. Returning to work didn’t get in the way of continuing to breastfeed at all. It did increase all night breast milk feeds though...

jhb2013 · 22/07/2018 22:06

DoubleHelix79 When you say ‘We did contemplate giving up at this stage. Then finally caved and was perfectly fine ever after’ Do you mean that you baby caved and accepted a bottle?’ This gives me some hope!

catlikefi I bought that really expensive bottle too! My dh was not impressed when it didn’t work! 😂

Did anyone manage to get their baby to take a bottle before returning to work? I work long hours and am the sole breadwinner and the thought of multiple night feeds (which I’ve only just got down to 2!) scares me!

DoubleHelix79 · 24/07/2018 22:01

Jhb, sorry for the late reply. Yes, that's what happened. She grudgingly started drinking from the bottle and has been happily eating and drinking everything her childminder gives her ever since. She's more fussy with us, but a perfect angel for her.

Original poster

catlikefi · 25/07/2018 22:03

Hello if anyone is still following this thread. Just a wee update - survived my first day back at work!

Was lovely actually, lots different but plenty of familiar faces (I work in retail so staff change quite often). DH did a great job keeping DS occupied today and he seemed to cope better than I had expected. Had some booby milk ice lolly and a tiny bit from a bottle. Plus snacks. Went crazy as soon as I walked in though - think it was the best feed of his little life! So am feeling quite positive that while it might be tough at times it is totally doable.

I quite enjoyed the change of scenery too tbh - made that baby hug when I got home even better

OP posts:

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread