If I stop breastfeeding my 18mo do I need to introduce a bottle?

[strawberrycheesecake1989]

Just that really…

Not sure he gets enough food in the day so wondering whether he should be having some milk too.

Typical day:

Breakfast : porridge with chia seeds, but butter and a few berries

Lunch: pasta

Snack: cracker/fruit/handful of melty puffs + a yoghurt pouch

Dinner tends to me some kind of risotto type dish, potato and salmon, pizza, pasta etc (he’s become quite fussy recently)

He won’t accept milk on a sippy cup

Worried that if I stop breastfeeding he’s not going to be getting enough milk / calories.

I’m stopping because I’ve really just had enough. Really think I’m developing breastfeeding aversion at this point. He just yanks on my top all night and all day, bites etc. Just want my boobs to be left alone

Thanks in advance x

I wouldn't give a bottle. If he won't drink milk then 2 or 3 portions of dairy should give the same nutrients e.g. milk in cereal, yoghurt, cheese, etc

No. If he’s having plenty of dairy otherwise. You might find he will have milk in a sippy cup once breastfeeding is done though.

I’d just go to an open cup, or a free flow lidded cup, at that age.

No need for Milk at that age, just up some dairy

Don't give a bottle now!

Dairy doesn't have to be milk. Calcium doesnt have to come from dairy. DS1 was dairy free, but drank milk substitutes from a cup from 13 months. DS2 ditched practically every milk product except cheese and ice-cream (bit like me!) and is still a very minimal dairy consumer.

I stopped at 17 months and 16 months for my two and neither had bottles. First one self weaned but I stopped the second after she wasn't able to master feeding without leaving teeth marks round my nipples, which hurt!

Is the problem with your son not taking a sippy cup of milk the milk or the cup? My youngest could manage a straw at 18 months. Would he take milk through a bottle with a straw?

Otherwise, I'd just offer extra cheese if he'll take it.

Nope, don't introduce a bottle now.

No don't!
I introduced a bottle to my eldest at 12 months when I went back to work because of similar worries over milk intake. It took me ages to get her to accept it and then getting rid of it was a nightmare.
My younger 2 never had bottles at all. It was harder short term but saved a lot of grief longer term.
Try an open cup or a straw and boost non dairy sources of calcium as well as dairy in his diet.

You might find that his food consumption goes up when you stop feeding, it's easy to forget how high calorie (in a good way!) breastfeeding is. I stopped feeding DS at a similar age and although he was a good eater beforehand the quantity definitely increased also he never drank cows milk so I just made sure he had cheese, yogurts, green veg, etc

I stopped breast feeding at 19 months and by then dd was already used to a sippy cup, but she preferred drinking out of a normal cup like a big girl. Why on earth would you give a bottle at this age?

@MaizeAmaze

Don't give a bottle now!

Dairy doesn't have to be milk. Calcium doesnt have to come from dairy. DS1 was dairy free, but drank milk substitutes from a cup from 13 months. DS2 ditched practically every milk product except cheese and ice-cream (bit like me!) and is still a very minimal dairy consumer.

Are there any specific milk substitutes you’d recommend?

@RenegadeMrs

I stopped at 17 months and 16 months for my two and neither had bottles. First one self weaned but I stopped the second after she wasn't able to master feeding without leaving teeth marks round my nipples, which hurt!

Is the problem with your son not taking a sippy cup of milk the milk or the cup? My youngest could manage a straw at 18 months. Would he take milk through a bottle with a straw?

Otherwise, I'd just offer extra cheese if he'll take it.

If I put milk inside of a sippy cup or 360 cup he immediately spits it out as if I’ve just given him something absolutely disgusting.

He’ll only accept water in a sippy cup. I did buy one of those toddler cups with the straw but you need to suck really hard to get anything out and they’re a total faff to clean. Maybe I need to explore just an open cup

I stopped bf at 12 months when the biting with those razor sharp teeth started 😖. He didn't have a bottle very often and not at all after 10ish months, he had either breastmilk or full fat cows milk in a free flow sippy cup instead, until old enough not to spill an open cup.

We had to play about with temperatures before he would drink out the sippy cup. He appeared to recognise they were different drinks, preferred breastmilk lukewarm and cows milk cooler. If the cows milk was too warm he would refuse it.

My ebf bottle refuser never drank out of anything but me until 12 months, she went straight to a straw. She probably wasnt ready to stop bf but after 3 years of being pregnant and/or (and both) breastfeeding, I was definitely ready. She also was a proficient frube eater!

No no bottles needed. We transitioned to a nuk soft sippy cup for drinks easy peasy, from that then to other sippy cups

We had one special milk cup- with a straw - you might need to play about with the mechanism so it s not so difficult to suck it until they get the knack but once sorted you won't loook back.

Take him to the dentist, they’ll give a different perspective. Ours counted teeth and asked what we were using. Said bottles ruin teeth because of the way liquid immerses teeth. The 360 lidded cups don’t teach required mouth skills for open cups. Said straw is best as bypasses teeth. We use 360 for water and straw for milk.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/munchkin-click-lock-tip---sip-cup

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/munchkin-miracle-360-sippy-cup

Under care of dietitian (never even bottle fed didn’t take to non dairy formula), they said if eating calcium fortified yoghurt, milk, cheese then it’s fine.

When she was breastfeeding lots DD would totally reject milk substitutes (she’s allergic to dairy so we give oat milk rather than cow milk) but once I got pregnant and she was breastfeeding less because my supply dropped she was much happier to accept it.
She asks for milk in a cup now at 20 months.

@BakeOffRewatch

Take him to the dentist, they’ll give a different perspective. Ours counted teeth and asked what we were using. Said bottles ruin teeth because of the way liquid immerses teeth. The 360 lidded cups don’t teach required mouth skills for open cups. Said straw is best as bypasses teeth. We use 360 for water and straw for milk.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/munchkin-click-lock-tip---sip-cup

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/munchkin-miracle-360-sippy-cup

Under care of dietitian (never even bottle fed didn’t take to non dairy formula), they said if eating calcium fortified yoghurt, milk, cheese then it’s fine.

I have both of these cups. Don’t you find that the straw one just requires you to suck SO hard in order to get anything out??

Ds was breastfed until 18 months.
For milk he now uses a straw cup like this. It’s not a non spill, so easy to drink from and clean.

www.liewood.com/products/ellis-sippy-cup-tableware-dino-whale-blue

He also now (22months), can drink quite well from an open cup. I bought these little clean cups so I can see the liquid to help him at first and they are toddler hand size

www.donebydeer.com/collection/product/yummy-mini-glass-3-pcs-sea-friends-mustard-grey

I haven’t tried it myself, baby took to it well I bought it when 10 months and first on oat milk.

Really don’t mean this in a patronising way - did you take the sticker off the weight? I know someone who handed it over to childminder neither had taken it off and baby showed dehydrated symptoms because wasn’t able to get water but childminder said drinking all the time (didn’t notice amount staying the same inside!?). Took a couple of months for mum to take it home and realise.