How to wean bottle refusing baby off evening breastfeed?

[Armo24]

A weaning question! I breastfeed my one year old twice a day - first thing in the morning and then between teatime and bedtime at 6.30-ish (nursery try to give her formula in a cup at 2pm and occasionally succeed). The morning one is fine but the evening one is getting tricky now I’ve just started back at work and occasionally need to stay after - not something I want to make a habit of so soon but just for important occasions like for my closest colleague’s leaving drinks this week, for example. She’s always rejected bottles so we never really managed to share the (milk) feeding. Last night we tried a cup of milk (nursery have some haphazard success with this) instead which she wasn’t really interested in. Have also tried just not offering but it’s part of the routine so she gets antsy and won’t settle to sleep after her bath, and is grumpy in the bath. Does anyone have any tips?

With a 10 month old I was able to "trick" the baby into trying a bottle by holding a bottle with a very boob-like teat (I think it was called suvinex or something like that) in my armpit so that the bottle was in the "right" position for breastfeeding. The baby had totally refused bottles before but I realised that the "holding a baby to feed a bottle" position was completely different to the "holding a baby to breastfeed" position and it made a huge difference. Once used to the bottle, I didn't need to use such contortions.

Have you tried not offering when you're not there? Our 18 month old fully expects a pre-bath feed when DP is there to do it, but if she goes away for work he just has his tea and bath and goes to bed. I've offered expressed milk in a sippy cup and he just takes a couple of token glugs and then ignores it.

If you are still happy to do the evening feed you should be fine to continue when you are there! Little ones become good at having a different routine with different people, so whoever putting her to bed when you're out can try milk in a cup but you may find she doesn't want it and gets used to it bring a little different with them.

You won't need to pump or anything when you miss that evening feed by the way! And at 1 years old formula isn't necessary so DD will be able to just have milk at nursery now (I'm a trained breastfeeding supporter!)

There is no reason to introduce a bottle at 1 year old. Choose a cup or beaker, and start offering milk (full fat cows milk). Try different temperatures. Children over 1 don’t need formula (which stinks btw). Move on to cows milk, have you tried a cup with a straw?

You don’t need to introduce a bottle to a 1 year old

just go out, the caregiver can offer cow’s milk in a sippy cup exactly like nursery is offering formula

Thank you so much for your tips everyone! Tonight (as practice for tomorrow when I’m staying out) we just gave her a warm sippy cup of cow’s milk on all your advice and she took a few sips while she was playing with her toys - not that interested but had a bit. I didn’t offer to do a feed just to see how it went and she was fine! Hopefully no night wake ups but even if there are at least it means my partner can do the whole routine without me being there. Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it!

PS. I’d like to try a straw cup but she doesn’t seem to know what you do with a straw. She just chews on it or blows it. I don’t know what else to do other than demonstrate!

Just wanted to say thanks for all your advice - she seems fine with a little bit of cows milk in a cup when I’m not there! I was able to stay out til when I needed to, and Sprinklesandsprinkles was right, there was no need to pump either. Also good to know I can feed her when I am there if I want to too. No night wakes last night so hoping for the same tonight. Maybe I was the one more attached to the routine than she was! Thanks again everyone!