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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Going back to work and baby not drinking enough milk from bottle

10 replies

dinksdoes · 21/12/2011 21:02

My dd is now 6 1/2 months. I am going back to work for two days a week starting in Jan ( two weeks to go :( ) I am a bit worried as she just wont drink milk from a bottle or cup, ( I am still BF her but need her to take bottle for the times I am at work) the most she has taken from a bottle is 2 oz.
At the moment she is having solids so I have been trying to get milk into her that way. She loves her food and is still having around 5 BF a day too.
But when I am at work I am worried she is going to get dehydrated and miss out on the all important milk she needs as she just wont drink very much.
I cant seem to express much milk off so have been trying her with formula, I think the formula milk is quite horrid, so in a way Im not supprised she doesnt like it - I wouldnt drink it, but I know that babies her age still need milk as the main thing - any suggestions please

OP posts:

Mampig · 21/12/2011 21:08

Hi- similar boat here and don't have a lot of time, but have a look at reverse cycling on kellymom or google it, things will work themselves out, as long as she is taking even a little during the day, she will make up for it at night hth!

SmileItsSeasonal · 21/12/2011 21:31

Watching with interest here...

Original poster

dinksdoes · 21/12/2011 21:41

Shes not reverse cycling as not feeding at night...her BF are at roughly 6am, 8am, 12pm, 3pm, 6.30pm, sometimes she has a little suckle inbetween these times but takes good feeds at the times mentioned. so when I go back to work she will miss 3 BF.

OP posts:

canyou · 21/12/2011 21:46

Who is giving her the bottle and where? I am babysitting my DN wh was a bottle refuser and a nightmare only wants her Mum, but today she has taken bottles no problems we are away from Mum and in my house, which I think has helped as Mum is not there she is not looking for hereI am also feeding her 30 min earlier then Mum would so she is not stressed and too hungry.
Hope you get is sorted soon

ZhenTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 21/12/2011 21:47

I went back to work 3 days a week when DD was 7 months. She had hardly had a bottle before that and refused from me or if I was around.

When she had no alternative and was hungry she did take one to two bottles from DH whilst I was at work, plus got some of what she needed through yoghurt, cheese in food.

She changed her pattern to feeding 3 hourly at night though on those days.

Try not to worry too much babies adapt.

If you can try to go away from her over a feed time between now and when you start to see how she reacts when you are not there. Are you expressing breastmilk for the bottles?

Original poster

dinksdoes · 21/12/2011 22:10

Thanks canyou and Zhen, My partner has been trying to give her the bottle and now he is back at work its me, so yes maybe I should get my mum to do it at her house ( my mums going to be looking after her between mine and her house) I know I must try not to worry as the HV has also said that babies are very adaptable and as Zhen said I can give her yogurt/cheese etc, im just worred she will get dehydrated. I really dont want her to feed in the night, I have only just cracked her terrible 2 hourly night waking and with going back to work I really hope she wont to do this!
I have tride expreassed milk in the bottle and formula, i just cant express much off ( 2oz at most) so its going to have to be a mix of both, the formula is so horrid tasting that im seriously thinking about putting a bit of banana's puree in it to see if that will work.
Its the indent in her fontanel that scares me as when she was 12 weeks she was poorly and didnt feed and she got dehydrated and it went really dipped in. I dont want her to get dehydated or get ill through lack of milk feeds

OP posts:

canyou · 21/12/2011 22:18

My DN never had formula until today [Apamil] {sp?} and drank it no problem so don't worry about the taste to much

Original poster

dinksdoes · 21/12/2011 22:27

we have tried all the different formulas to see if there is one she will take, sma was the only one she drank 2 oz of one time so i brought the powder version but this tates even worse and she has refused it!

OP posts:

canyou · 21/12/2011 22:31

DN is only taking 3 oz at a time as I think it is heavy in her stomach compared to BM so your DD may not need more then 2oz

lilham · 21/12/2011 22:46

The powder is horrid. My DD will only drink the ready made stuff and I know other EBF babies are the same. I went back to work when DD was 7mo. She used to take some formula twice during the day (around 20-30ml). She is nearly 9mo now and she's dropped the milk feeds the last couple of days. She just eats lots and lots of solids. And drink water. She has 3 meals and 2 snacks between 8-5! (that's the nursery schedule). In the evenings she has 2 feeds before bed, a dream feed, 1-2 overnight and one when we wake up.

Your LO will be 7mo in jan and I think she will survive with reverse cycling at worst. Her solids intake will go up dramatically if she continues to refuse solids.

Don't worry.

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