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

[catlikefi]

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??

Thank you for the update. Glad to hear.
The little ones feed patterns may shift around for a while so make sure you look after yourself. Go to bed early!

Mine was 10months, wouldn’t take a bottle and ate very little. I obviously fed him overnight and was only working 3days a week. I literally have no idea how he survived but he did and was ahead on all milestones and has a mass load of energy. It will be ok. It might not be perfect, but it really will be ok. Hugs to you, I know how stressful it is. Xx

OneEpisode I really should go to bed early! Straight back to the old routine tomorrow (DH is working overtime and is away 9am until midnight Friday!!!). I'll be wishing I was back at work .

limitedscreentime Thank you! It is so nice to hear other positive stories. I'm just doing two shifts a week so I'm sure I'll begin to enjoy that little change of scenery.

I'm in exactly the same position OP and this has been so useful and encouraging to read. Hope it continues to go ok for you.

Glad to hear you're all doing well!

catlikefi I’m so pleased it went well for you and that the baby (and daddy) were both fine! It gives me some hope. We are still battling with getting dd to take the bottle or sippy cup. Think we just need to break her really. It seems so cruel but it’s cruel to be kind I suppose 😢

I'm late to the party but just wanted to say I went through exact same thing. 9mo DS started nursery 3 weeks ago. He had had some settle in sessions before that which hadn't gone well. On his first full day the nursery called me at lunch time to say I should probably come and collect him as he was very unhappy and hadn't eaten a morsel of food or taken a drop of milk or water. I brought him home feeling very worried that he wasn't going to settle. But the next day he just did ok. Started eating a little and drinking water. But he would not take his bottle of milk. For the whole of the first week I lovingly expressed during the day and packed him off to nursery with a pouch of milk, only for the entire lot to be poured away. By the end of the week I could see he was eating solids and drinking water well enough so I decided not to stress about the milk. Now I still express during the day to relieve the pressure, and we are working on feeding him a bottle at bedtime. He is starting to take it, although still needs boob too. He does feed quite a lot at night (3 or 4 times) so I know he is getting plenty of milk. I am tired but not unmanageably so. And we are all pretty happy.

I think I was mainly worried that he wouldn't sleep at nursery without his milk as he feeds to sleep at home. But apparently that's not an issue, he's their model sleeper. They tell me they just put him in his cot and he puts himself to sleep!!