Going back to work but no solids, no bottle… no hope?

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I have an 8 month old EBF DC. I’m back at work at the end of January. DH is taking care of him until he turns 11 months then he’ll be in nursery. DC won’t take a bottle and hates solid foods. He has a very sensitive gag reflex and struggles to swallow even smooth, thin yoghurt. I’m worried he’ll be 12 months old and still refusing bottles and food! Does anyone have any success stories to boost my morale? I have PND and feel like I’m clinging on by my fingertips so please be kind.

I think baby will just eat instead. At 8months this is fine.

feed them before you leave, on return and overnight.

My Ds refused bottles also. But did eventually take a soft sippy cup type thing and then a straw cup. Both sometime between 8-12 months. So they can use similar for milk and water

Have you tried finger foods like buttered toast, banana, pancakes, pasta, cooked salmon, raspberries? Mine also gagged on baby puree on spoon but ate himself from plate with hands.

He will take a bottle when there is no other option (or a cup) or will eat.

Remember that babies are programmed to survive. They won't allow themselves to starve to death because their preferred type of milk/sustenance isn't available.

Have you seen your HV/GP about his struggle with solid foods?

Just keep trying different foods and textures and make sure you’ve not given them breast milk recently as they need to be hungry to eat. They will eat something. Likewise, try lots of straw cups and sippy cups for their liquids - they will work out one of them. I also think they will take a bottle if they get hungry enough / want milk enough - I had to “starve” my youngest into a bottle when I dropped EBF at 4 months (ie it took about 4-5 hours) and basically she accepted it once she realised she had no choice. Will help if it’s your husband giving it to her. Babies do not let themselves starve!!!

I had the same problem. I was particularly fed up because I'd spent so long expressing and freezing! He never did take a bottle, but did eventually have sippy cups. He did unfortunately make up for lack of milk in the day by feeding often at night, so I did spend the first few weeks back at work looking like something from the Walking Dead! He's a burly 12 year old now so it obviously didn't do him any harm.

DD really disliked bottles from the get go so we used a sippy cup that didn't need a suck to work - more of a drippy cup really. She happily took expressed breast milk and then later formula that way.

Re solids - some babies just take a bit longer, and it really can seem there's more on the floor than in their tummies- that's because there is more on the floor.
Continue to sit him in the highchair, with bib etc and give him finger foods just to play with really. Messy for you, but builds the routine and If any gets into his mouth that's a bonus. At some point stuff will go in his mouth. Try different foods - bread sticks, carrot sticks, banana slices, cucumber sticks. Don't try and feed him with a spoon yourself although you can give him a spoon to play with.

One thing I found about yoghurt (which DD disliked intensely and still does, she's mid 20s) it's actually got quite a strong taste. An EBF baby is accustomed to the sweet taste of breast milk, so yoghurt is going to be a bit of a shock.

I know it's difficult however be chilled about meal times. Eat alongside at every opportunity, even if your just having a mug of tea and a sandwich. And chat away - Mummy's eating her cheese sandwich, would you like a piece of cheese? Give milk after the meal, not before.

Little ones change so fast, a lot can happen in a month. Your baby will be fine. You will be fine.

edit for a missing word

Try some sweet things, like icecream, jam. You can always phase them out after LO has got the hang of eating something

They change A LOT at this age, don't worry. Also, they act differently with different caregivers.

By 9 months, I stopped giving bottles as I really hated pumping (EBF, went back to work at 6 months). I breastfed morning twice, late afternoon, evening and at night. He had food in the day. Some days he was hungrier than others. He was walking at 11 months and then he got HUNGRY. Started eating almost adult portions of food while still breastfeeding 5-6 times a day.

I really wouldn't do this. Giving a baby who isn't taking to food well ice cream and jam is a recipe for disaster. You would be making your life slightly easier now and have an absolute shit storm later.

Mine didn’t like solids until around 10 months. Would only take formula milk (sippy cup) and purées.

Thanks so much everyone. I’ve read and re-read all your replies. I’ll keep re-reading them as they are all so helpful. My first DC didn’t like bottles either but was fine with food and it just never occurred to me my youngest wouldn’t take to food, even purées! I’ll keep involving him in meals and keep hope that one day it’ll just click. We did take him to a lactation consultant who helps with weaning who recommended another bottle with a straw and basically said he’ll get better with food eventually. It’s just so hard when you’re in the thick of it to not panic. I feel like I’m failing him somehow!
Thanks again for the help 💐

Mine wouldn't take a bottle. I experimented with different sippy cups until I found one that worked. This was many years ago (she's 23 now) and im sure there is more choice now! I went back to work when she was 10 months.

Great sympathy here. Try not to panic. 8 years ago I was about to start a new role post mat leave and DS2 (8 months) was refusing all solid food. He threw it and if given on a spoon spat it out. And would not take a bottle or sippy cup (he quite liked emptying them onto the floor). We were at our wits’ ends. Childminder was fab and said ‘he won’t starve and you can feed him the moment you walk through my door’. Lo and behold, sitting in a high chair with three older DC (including DS1) was a lightbulb moment. He ate at the childminder’s like a dream. And is a healthy nearly 9 year old now who whilst he can be picky eats a good range of food. It can be as quick as that to change.

Mine did the same thing. Started nursery and copied all the other children!

I started using a sippy cup and finger food at six months and didn’t use any bottles.