breast to bottle to return to work

[pamimumtobe31]

hi despite the name my dd1 is 10 weeks now i have to return to work when she is 4 months i dont want to but no choice and m-i-l is caring for dd1 however she just will not take bottle have tried all tips help!!!

really silly idea but might work. if it's the smell of you, then sleep with a muslin clothe and then place it over the bottle, with only a tiny hole so the teat comes out, baby should smell you, but taste milk. btw, baby more likely to take bottle from another family member then you... She's got her sights set on proper mummy grub not bottles if she's in your arms. hope it works. Steph

I also went back to work when DD was that age (DH was looking after her). The first day I worked 4 hours and she just fasted. When I got home she was starving and breastfed for ages. Then the next day I also just worked four hours and she then did take the bottle. Then the day after that I had a day off (I was working 20 hours a week, as two full days and one half day and at the beginning I also used some holiday to ease us into it). I found it really helped me that if I had to work one day, I had the next day at home with her (to recover from my own separation anxiety!). But, as I say, with my DD she soon learnt that from now on it was the bottle when I wasn't there...
I couldn't have done it though without my lactation consultant. Try to find a good one - they can REALLY help. She just calmed me down, gave me a lot of moral support and I pumped milk and breastfed successfully until 10months when both of us were happy to stop.

My DD is four months and I will be returning to work when she is six months. I plan to start the process of weaning to formula shortly.

I introduced one 4 oz bottle in evening from 5 weeks with no problem. Don't know if it helps but I used Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles which are supposed to be good for combination feeding with Sma First Infant Milk.

My DD totally refused all bottles. I must have tried every type. In the end I got her a tip it up cup (I think they are by tomee tippee) which has a soft spout but not like a teat. She will happily take milk from that with my DH and also with a sitter. Hope that helps.

My dd1 also refused all bottles but would take ebm from a sippy cup. Other mums I know dealt with bottle refusal by offering only a bottle every lunch time for 2 weeks and in the end the baby took it. I plan to do the same with my next LO.
Hope something works for you.

DS refused bottles and went straight on to sippy cup, but he was eight months when I returned to work and it was hard work - taking milk from a teaspoon at nursery (fantastic nursery nurse) and then breastfeeding all night....

Think you should contact a breastfeeding adviser.

When I needed breastfeeding support my local La Leche group was amazing. Might be worth a go for the moral support you need. Best of luck!