To have done it all wrong?

[Elizadoingverylittle]

My DS is 7 months old and I'm due to go back to work in a month.
He's EBF on demand and whilst there were some difficulties in the early weeks I'm really lucky that he feeds well.
Over the past month I've been trying him with bottles (and latterly cups) in preparation for his transition to nursery I've been doing the offering as we don't really have any family or friends about. Unsurprisingly I've tried nearly every bottle and cup but he refuses to take breast milk or formula from them, he just wants the boob.
We also began weaning when he was six months, he refused spoon feeding but was happy to grab things off of plates so we have gone down the BLW route. Although he will have a tentative lick or gum he eats very little and also refuses a cup of water.
I am so worried that he's going to end up not drinking or eating in nursery. I'll be away from 7.30-5, 5 days a week.
Today my DM said I'd done it all wrong and it's my fault as I've breastfed for so long and that he should be spoon fed as BLW is 'nonsense'. I got really upset at this as I've tried to do everything for the best.
Any advice welcomed.

We had this. I went back to work at about 7 months with her not taking any milk from a bottle. On the first day she went on hunger strike but after halfway through the day drank all the expressed milk and ate solids. Never had an issue again.

Also, try serving the milk a bit warmer.

Nah you haven't at all!my baby is 6 months and he also only wants a boob. I'm Gona slowly try and phase in cups. Basically I think everything just takes time and the more you get him to try, the better he will be.
Nothing wrong with spoon feeding or BLW. My battle is also listening to other people's advice. Just do what you want to do! And also, I'm sure when he is at nursery he will take a bottle :)

No parenting expert but I thought food was for fun until they were one. So I guess he will eat more when he is ready. I BLW, had good days and bad days.

Didn't BF but from what I've read he will just catch up when you come home. X

Food isn't just for fun until they are one. They need certain nutrition they can't get from BM or formula after six months..

You haven't done anything wrong at all My DS was EBF (and is still BF at 16 months) so I panicked as well in the run up to him starting nursery, also tried bottles and my milk from a silly cup but he refused. As it turned out he was totally fine with food and water from his sippy cup when at nursery then he just BF more in the evening for a while. Your DC will adjust!

I breastfed my daughter until she was one- she never took a bottle. But she was eating other food from about four months and did after some time use a sippy cup. Frankly if they're hungry they will eat/drink. They will also do what they see other kids doing.

We did just BLW too. My daughter is 11m. Some days she really doesn’t eat much, other days she eats more. Certainly at 7m she was eating very very little. Our childminder has tried spoon feeding her and she mostly just spits the food out so even spoon feeding is no guarantee of getting food in. Spoke to my HV about this very recently and she wasn’t concerned at all - she said as long as she is Playing with and trying different foods it’s fine, her weight gain is also fine.

How could you possibly have done something wrong by BF for ‘so long’ when the WHO recommendation is to carry on a lot longer?! As above, you may well find he will have milk off someone else more easily.

I remember our lovely childminder sorting things out with my daughter when she was about that age - agree with everyone else that things will work out when he goes to nursery. Don't panic and continue to follow your instincts and your baby. Above all, do what you need to do to make your own life work!

Thank you all for your comments, I'm trying hard not to panic and am hoping the nursery will have seen it all before.
He doesn't settle with other people and I know he's going to find it pretty difficult to begin with (as will I). As long as I know he's drinking/eating something I'll feel much less worried.

Nursery staff are magic, try not to worry. My 2 were exactly the same but just understood quickly that BM wasn’t available in the normal way so they’d have to like it or lump it. My oldest was also a nightmare for naps, but on one of the settling in days I went to collect him and the nursery person casually said “he was tired so we put him down for a nap...” as if it was the easiest thing in the world! Magic, I tell you!

They need certain nutrition they can't get from BM or formula after six months..
That is nonsense. They get most of their nutrition from milk for much longer than 6 months. At first babies only take very small amounts.
BLW is fine all 3 of my GC were weaned this way and all are healthy and I did something very similar 39+yeara ago its just that we called it finger food!
Dont let your mother tell you that you atr doing it wrong. You sound as though you are doing well. Just keep trying with the cup and give it time.

I used to work in a nursery and it’s very, very, very unusual for a child to refuse food and milk at nursery. They see all the others eating and drinking and go along with it. I agree with the PP that he will probably BF a lot more in the evenings and at night.

Google reverse cycling - it’s a killer for you in terms of disturbed sleep (unless you’re happy to co-sleep) but it will work for baby, he’ll just have milk (and, just as importantly, mummy cuddles) at night instead of during the day.

And babies are clever - he will clock very quickly that at nursery he uses a cup and at home he has you!

@Nonnymum what are you talking about? It's not nonsense so don't say that and maybe do some research.
Here for example from UNICEF or any NHS site...
Honestly. maybe do some research before writing something off as "research". Of course they take small amounts because they need to learn how to eat and gave tiny tummies. That doesn't mean that solid food is just for fun or that milk is all they need.

Oh nonnymum i see you had a baby 39 years ago so clearly up to speed on new research ffs.