BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Bottle Feeding => Topic started by: Noelle on June 21, 2005, 18:51:29 pm
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Here's a link with some great advice for helping your bf baby to take a b o t t l e
:D
http://www.index.php?topic=64926.0
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i wanted to introduce bottle at around 5 months. i thought it would be easy as she had supplementary bottles in the 1st month. But no she screamd every time i came near her . so i tried when she was hungry , when she was full , tried my partner but she still screamed. After a week of trying i finally found out that if i gave her breast till she was almost asleeep but with eyes closed i could then sneak a teat in while i was breatfeeding . if she opened her eyes she would still freak but after persevering every feed ,after 3 days she would take the bottle . :D
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Hi :)
Try this...
http://www.index.php/topic,9215.0.html
If that doesn't work, you can go to the breastfeeding forum. It is a sticky on the top of there as well.
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Hi,
I am new to the site and I hope you can help. My DS is 9 Months old and is BF but also takes a sippy cup with formula or water around mealtimes. My dilemma is that I would like to stop breastfeeding but he does not seem to get the same "relaxed" feeling from the sippy cup as he does the breast. I do BF at naps but he does not fall asleep, but is relaxed enough to put in bed awake. Is it to late to introduce a bottle, and how do I go about it. Do I just stop altogether. I only BF 4 times a day now.
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Jam on the teat ;)
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I'd been trying for months to get DS to take a bottle and everyone kept saying to try different nipples and bottles. Finally found the right one after 6 different types! Just keep trying!
Tip: if your baby take a paci then try to find the nipple that looks like the end of that.
For me: Paci was AVENT and the matching nipple was Playtex orthodontic latex-( the kind that go in the bottle with liners: the "old fashioned 1970's" ones).
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Elphyrafire, Thanks so much for your post...I'll try that tonight I bought that kind of nipple my 3 mo old DD won't take a bottle and I've been back at work since Monday. The longest I'm gone is 2 hours so far, but I can't MAKE her eat before I leave, so she has just cried until my return the last 2 days. Poor girl. :'(
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Yikes! Poor lo and poor mom! I hope you find the right bottle! I think my DS liked those orthodontic ones b/c the Avent pacis are the same basic "flat" shape and he "knew" what to do with it more than the "nipple" types, kwim?
Oh also.... another thing that helped us: make sure the nipple part is warm, too. And DS also likes the milk very very warm.
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It took me three weeks of trying everyday (and lots of tears) but it finally worked! My LO was taking a bottle once a week since birth then flatly refused at 3 months. She would scream bloody murder if anyone came near her with a bottle. Finally I took some advice and suggestions from this site and it worked.
What worked for us:
Put her in the bouncy chair, sat on the floor beside her.
She could still turn her head away and didn't feel trapped like when she was sitting on my lap.
Tried a bottle of EMB everyday. Only 1 ounce at a time. Threw gallons away, sniff.
Did it in the afternoon after her second nap. (Now she takes it anytime.)
Rubbed a drop of maple syrup on the nipple after warming it up with very hot water. (Honey is not recommended because of botulism, corn syrup could work too)
Used Playtex slow flow silicone nipples on a four ounce feeder with disposible liners.
Put my face close to hers and the back of my free hand against her cheek.
No talking or she smiles and wants to play.
Re-warmed the milk and nipple every few minutes.
After every attempt I showered her with kisses and tickles. She began to associate the bottle with fun rather than torture.
I wouldn't breastfeed her after a failed attempt for at least 20 minutes. I did a diaper change, or played a bit or walked outside to distract her.
Keep trying! A lot of babies seem to go through this phase of rebellious independence. It's like they suddenly grew the brain cell that distinguishes boob from fake-boob. I hope this helps someone out there...
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Thanks for the maple syrup idea, is that okay for a 3 mo old?
I'm thawing out a new bag of BMilk in the fridge for tomorrows efforts. I'm very sad too, about how much has been wasted, all those hours of feeling like a cow, litterally!!
I've only just wised up to the idea of only putting 5 ounces in a bottle to offer her, instead of wasting a whole pump!! We learn as we go, huh? ::)
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Thanks for the maple syrup idea, is that okay for a 3 mo old?
I'm thawing out a new bag of BMilk in the fridge for tomorrows efforts. I'm very sad too, about how much has been wasted, all those hours of feeling like a cow, litterally!!
I've only just wised up to the idea of only putting 5 ounces in a bottle to offer her, instead of wasting a whole pump!! We learn as we go, huh? ::)
Jules is Cute:
Someone told me about freezing BM in an icecube tray and then transfering to a Ziploc. Each icecube is 1 oz. They defrost quickly under warm water. I would only waste one cube at a time. EBM is precious!
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ooh, good idea ;)
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About the maple syrup, I only put one drop and rubbed it all over the nipple. I don't think it's any worse than jam, juice or sugarwater. I only put the syrup on three times until she took the bottle easier. For some reason, my LO won't take frozen-thawed EMB. My friend suggested storing it in glass jars rather than plastic freeze bags (I have the Medela pump freezer bags). The ice-cube tray thing is a good idea - I was planning on using one for pureed-solid foods later.
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I'll give it a try, but I don't know why she'd be more likely to suck on it because it's sweet...she mouths the nipple now, and only cries if I keep offering it, I'm getting her used to seeing it and that milk comes out by offering it when she's not really hungry.
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When my lo came out of special care she took a bottle once a day quite happily. I was really pleased with this as it had taken at least 3 weeks to get her to breast feed properly (she had a gavant tube) and she seemed to not mind bottles at all. A couple of months after she cam home though she started refusing bottles and even when totally starving she would take 1 oz at best. So we kept trying but eventually it was too stressful for all of us so I accepted that she would have to be exclusively breast fed.
Then it go to a month before I was due to go back to work and Megan was taking over an hour to complete a bf so I decided we had to sort the bottle problem out once and for all. I tried every teat on the market but in the end we had success with the NUK teats.Walking around with her in my arms while feeding was good too. I stopped bf from 5pm onwards so if she refused her 5pm bottle she would be really hungry after her bath so more likely to take the bottle. We had a really tough few weeks but eventually she started to take some milk without too much fuss. However I was still not happy with her total intake and I suspected she was starting to make up for it with longer bf in the morning and middle of the night. I stopped the late morning and early afternoon bf and replaced them with bottle feeds. This made quite a big difference and she suddenly got the hang of it. My boobs calmed down quickly too so I dropped the early morning bf too. Then she started waking up twicw a night for feeds (still bf for convenience) so I stopped these too. She still only took 4 oz max until 3 weeks ago then I introduced the size 4 fast teat. Now she has 5-7oz which is fab. We have switched back to avent mainly because we had lots of their bottles that came with our steriliser and breast pumps. Its so worth just going cold turkey to wean off the breast I think it is probably the only way megan would have given up her boobie time!!!
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oh I forgot the best bit!! After 3-4 weeks exclusively bottle fed she now sleeps through.Fantastic!! With the next baby i hope to use a bottle and formula for the df and breast feed the rest of the time.
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Thanks for the advice, I have to say she is still not taking EBM from any device, a bottle, a sippy cup, a soft spoon haberman feeder, a cup. She wants it from the source and she's a stubborn little thing too.
I had a small victory though. She has been taking water (I offer her about 2 ounces with her solids) She drinks from a variety of bottles, and from her advent sippy cup (loves it in fact, cries if I take it away) and will even sip from a regular cup. So it's not that she doesn't know how to suck a bottle. Well I tricked her and had 2 sippy cups, one with water and one with EBM. I kept swtiching it up, and she'd take the EBM and seemed fine. But this was at a meal time. I was so happy.
Then the other day I left for work during a nap and couldn't return until it had been 4.5 hours since her last feed. My MIL tried to offer her a bottle of formula - it was a total no-go. She was a mess when I got home, poor girl. We'll keep trying and see how it goes.
However, I am not willing to wean her just to get her to take a bottle. Breast feeding is very important to me and I enjoy it immensely. I will happily give up 2 years of my freedom to keep doing it. But with my next baby, if there is one, I will be certain to introduce a bottle sooner and hope that he/she doesn't decide to reject it like yours did.
~Patty 8)
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This post has been cropped and updated to include the new link to "Tips for getting your breastfed baby to take a bottle" found in the Breastfeeding FAQ section https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64926.0
Feel free to continue sharing your own experiences :D
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Hello ladies-I am new here. Just wanted to let you know that the maple syrup thing worked for me! My now four month old daughter who had previously taken the bottle great-went on a hunger strike when I worked a shift a few weeks back. She went 9 hours without eating! We weren't faithful with giving her a bottle-it is such a pain to pump and clean everything. But it is worth it to not go through the stress of worrying about hunger. ANYWAY-just wanted to let you know that maple syrup thing worked like a charm-instantly! She downed 3 1/2 ounces the first time, and then 5 ounces the second time-with a different bottle and nipple!!!
I am so happy I found this website/thread!
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That's awesome!! Jules will now take a few swigs of EBM from a bottle or sippy cup while she's eating solids. I started her with warm water then cool water, then I stitched it to cool EBM. She's not as enthusiastic about it as she is about the water (she loves water!!) But she's sip it and that is a huge improvement.
I tried the maple syrup thing, she just made a funny face and let the milk dribble down her chin, but that was a while ago. Maybe I'll try it again now that she's used to having different flavors in her mouth.
Take care.
~Patty 8)
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I'm been advised by my HV to get my LO to take a bottle as she is not gaining weight as she should we just BF. She is now 31/2 months and won't take it. I've tried everything and I'm worried if I don't succeed she will not gain any weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shall I start weaning early????????? Help!
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Annie
How do you feel about that? If you are not 110% sure you want to Breastfeed exclusively - we can try and help you continue BF'ing.
Lauren
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Hi Annie
A lot would depend on what kind of weight gain we are talking about and how 'serious' your HV feels the situation is.
Breastfed babies do not always put weight on at the same rate as formula fed babies and not all HVs are using the newer weight scales that recognise this. Look on the breastfeeding FAQ board for a link to the new WHO scales.
I would really recommend you talk to a helpline (I'm guessing you are in the UK?). There are numbers on the FAQ board. A trained breastfeeding counsellor can talk to you about when supplementation may be necessary and give you plenty of advice about how to increase weight gain while breastfeeding.
If you want to start using formula then people on this board could help you with that too - but you don't sound totally keen on supplementing yet which is why Calums mum has passed your message onto me.
If you don't get through to a helpline then I'd be happy to pass on the home phone number of a counsellor in your area (I have the ABM counsellor lists as I am training to be a counsellor).
HTH
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Hi me again
Calums mum just passed on a bit more. I've sent you a PM.
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It's true about your HV, even between patients a doc can have 2 different opinions based on the patient.
For example; Me and a friend have the same pediatrician and he told her not to give her LO water (he said less than 1 oz per day even when it's hot, because she's BRF - mind you she also drinks formula for 2 - 3 feeds, is nearing 7 mos, and has started solids.) Whereas I told him I was giving Jules 1-2 oz of water with her solids in a sippy cup, which she never finishes and he didn't say a word. And Jules is exclusively BRF and is 3 weeks younger...go figure!! The only thing I can think is that my friend is much more asking his advice, like "should I give her water?" and I go in more like "I'm doing this and I'm doing that"
I think if you seem really worried about something they will tell you to do whatever will solve the problem so that you don't worry sometimes.
Also, have you considered using a supplemental feeder so that she can get some formula with your breastmilk simultaneously just until she gains? I don't know how much you need her to take a bottle for future convenience and that won't help solve that problem. It doesn't get any easier getting them to take a bottle as they get older and start having more of an opinion about things.
Lastly, I am practically as militant as your local la leche league leader about BRF'ing as long as possible, so to me weaning at 3.5 mos seems so wrong, but that is an opinion.
Good luck to you and your babe though!! Keep us posted on how things go, and on if anything works to get her to take the bottle, mine will still only take a couple of swigs of EBM, then she figures out it's not water and refuses it!! Lil stinker!!
~Patty 8)
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My dd absolutely positively refuses anything coming out of a bottle. I have been trying off and on for the last several months (she is now 6 months old). It has come down to utilizing the idea from the solves ur problem book about stopping bf for 2-3 days and only give her the bottle. I'm working full time and my nanny (her cousin) can't use a finger feeder to her breast anymore... she's getting sore and bummed out that she is bf and she isn't even expressing milk and not her baby!!! (she uses a finger feeder to her breast and my dd feeds as if it's me using ebm) anyway, it has been HELL. she is the second most stubborn person I know (I'm the first). we're on day 2 and I feel like I'm torturing her. she takes the bottle off and on (mostly off). and int he last day has probably eaten only 20 oz or so. has anyone else tried this plan. does it really work. expressing q4hrs is becoming tiresome and she is totally miserable. tomorrow morning officially be day 2 (48 hrs) please let me know if anyone has tried this successfully or unsuccessfully. thanks... stacey
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https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67768.0
Stacyr here is the BTW way to go cold turkey and the success a mum had and how she did it. - I successfully went Cold Turkey from breast to bottle
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there is progress ;) she has taken the bottle for my cousin (ate about 8-10 oz while I was away at work last night for 10hrs. the problem is that I still want to bf and have her take the bottle. I'm not planning on weaning until she's over a year old (I either will let her decide or by 2 years stop). so I have bf today and I have tried offering the bottle and again she's refusing it. ugh! so, my plan is to bf today to her little heart's content, and then give her a bottle during the night. she wakes up about every 2-3 hours to feed. hopefully this will help her to cut down her desire for nightwakings to be fed and upping her desire to feed more during the day (which is a problem. she goes on a sort of hunger strike during the evenings because she knows that's most likely I will be gone and she has to do the substitute breast. - yes even a substitute breast is not as tasty as mommy's 24hr diner.) then when I go back to work on wednesday she will already be hip to the fact that bf only happens during the day. the good news is that she did take the bottle we just need to keep reinforcing this behavior. how does this plan sound? well, if there are any addendums please let me know ... I will check later today. I will update tomorrow how the plan worked.
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I believe the process is still the same to get your lo to take a bottle even if you still want to breastfeed. There is a support group here for mums who chose to feed their Lo with breast and formual milk.https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=68301.0
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oh yes. that is the posting string for me!! thanks!! very helpful. I'm going to repost my night ebf bottle feeding idea on that post and see if any mom's had problems/success stories. ;)
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You can post anywhere, but the ladies on the support thread have all gone through what you are now. ;)
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not sure if it will help, but my LO would also not take a bottle and at 7 months I have decided to bf first and last thing. I am using tommee tippee 'breast to bottle; wideneck bottles which seem better than the rest ive tried, as they dont let in air and dont free flow either.
I have struggled the last 4 days since i started so i have got tough. I have cut right back on solids to only 1/2 the amount she was getting and if she refuses the bottle I put it down, feign indifference (she normally wants to play with it at that point) and then bring it back out in 1/2 hours time. She used to eat every 4 hours, but yesterday went from 7am to 1:30 before she was hungry enough to take the bottle but then she downed 5 ounces. I know it would be easier to give her a bottle first thing when she is most hungry but I want to keep wake ups to a happy personal thing so still bf. I really think the key is not getting stressed and be willing to put the bottle away again until she is starving and then try again. A hungry baby is not stupid and will eventually give in! she i now on 2 bottles of formula a day and 2 bfs.
Its so hard when you have exclusively bf for a long time, but I think a time comes for every mum when they need to have a bit of time away from bf whether it is formula or ebm from a bottle so believe in what you are trying to do and dont be afraid to wait till LO is really hungry if he/she refuses at first.
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Hi, I'm going back to work in 5 weeks and have been trying to get my DS to take a bottle. He is 15 weeks on Tues. He did take the occasional bottle but now that I have set my mind to partially wean him, he is not really taking to the bottle. He usually refuses intially and if he does start sucking on it will take only about 50-75 mls (I think thats about 2-2.5 oz). So what do I do? Is it a taste thing? I'm so confused about what to do. SHould I ...
1) give him a break of a week to two weeks
2) try another teat? I am using the NUK teats which worked well with my other son. Will it be confusing to keep swapping teats around.
3) if its a taste thing, what do I do here? I've tried to express using a handheld electronic pump but can't get much out ....is there anything I else I can use?
4) Should I keep trying, see how much he takes and offer the breast after? Will this build up a negative association with the bottle (which is why I was wondering if maybe we should have a break).
Confused and stressed,
Jacqui
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Hi Jacqui
Have you seen this post;
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67768.0 - I succesfully went from breast to bottle
It has Tracys plan and a success story of it working.
You may have to try and experience with teat sizes and shapes until you find one that is a close shapre to yours (the one he is used to). What whats for one is not for another LO.
HTH
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I am currently going cold turkey from the breast with my a 9-month-old son. Similar story; due to problems with bf at beginning, topped him up with bottles and he had a bedtime bottle with expressed milk every night time for a few months, took it fine. Then he was exclusively breastfed. Over the last couple of months, have been attempting to wean him off the breast part time with not much luck. Tried every day to no avail. Then almost a week ago I have gone down the "cold turkey" route, planning to return to 2 breast feeds a day when he is happy taking a bottle (or cup, but that looks unlikely too). He went on milk strike last week for 2 whole days (so we put milk in his food as much as possible), then took a 7oz bottle....but since has been very touch and go. Took 2oz from an open cup. Doesn't seem to be a pattern to when/what/how he will drink. Don't want him to miss out on the milk he is meant to be getting for a prolonged period. Is it worth giving up and give him the breast again now (before my milk disappears as expressing is not as efficient) and try again at a later date, or stick with this?
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https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67768.0
Hiya
Here is Tracys guide from breast to bottle, to be honest you sound like your on the right lines. ;)
Have you also tried a straw cup? DS likes the 12month+ Boots own straw cup - I bought this when he was about 9months.
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I started giving my son the bottle at 4 days old...mostly breast fed, but definitely gave at least a few bottles of breast milk everyday. And gave formula as well on occasion. I also gave him a large variety of bottles/nipples. avent, playtex, gerber, nuk, dr. brown wide and standard, etc...He never seemed to mind which bottle or content it was he was getting, but when he was 10/11 months old, he started to walk and discovered that the breast was not mobile and he weaned me at that point from breast feeding (which was sooner then I was ready for...easy wean process on him because he did it himself, but sad for momma)
So I'm not convinced about nipple confusion, etc... however, each child is very different and soon we will be having baby #2, so we'll see if this baby is as flexible when it comes to bottles, breast, etc...I hope to BF this one longer, so I might keep the bottle down to 1 or 2 max per 24 hour period, just so on those rare nights that I'm a COMPLETE ZOMBIE Daddy can take on a feeding. ;) Otherwise I'm a captive prisioner and no one can give me a break ever. :-\
I think part of the problem is people don't introduce it soon enough because they are concerned about nipple confusion...they wait until 5 weeks or so and at that point the baby (IMHO) is used to a steady nipple and isn't as open to change as they might be in the very begining...hence the reason I opted to spice it up with various nipple sizes, bottles, breast, etc...
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I agree. I didn't start offering a bottle to Jules until 4 months (the recommended time to offer according to many) and my Lo never took a bottle, or at least not EBM from a bottle. She took water from a bottle the first time I offered it, but not EBM and certainly not formula. I gave up on the bottle after 2.5 months of trying everyday. She went straight from booby to sippy. She's still nursing and isn't showing any signs that she might be ready to wean (which is totally fine with me), but it's been a tough year not having any sort of freedom. I recommend 1 bottle/week given by daddy or other care taker from week one or 2 on.
~Patty
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I agree. I didn't start offering a bottle to Jules until 4 months (the recommended time to offer according to many) and my Lo never took a bottle, or at least not EBM from a bottle. She took water from a bottle the first time I offered it, but not EBM and certainly not formula. I gave up on the bottle after 2.5 months of trying everyday. She went straight from booby to sippy. She's still nursing and isn't showing any signs that she might be ready to wean (which is totally fine with me), but it's been a tough year not having any sort of freedom. I recommend 1 bottle/week given by daddy or other care taker from week one or 2 on.
~Patty
Yeah everyone (100%) of the people I know that waited for the bottle intro until after the first 5 or 6 weeks...had problems...the only one friend I have besides myself that had no problems also introduced it very early...for me it was in the first week and for her it was in the second week of life.
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Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site but have been reading all of the advice for weaning to a bottle and have found it very helpful. My baby is 6 1/2 mos old and he is bf but has taken a bottle since about 5 weeks. Unfortunately in the last couple months we haven't given it as much because he has been sleeping through the night more-I'll know for next time to keep it up!. Anyways, now I would like to wean to the bottle with formula and he is having none of it! I have been trying to replace a few feedings at a time and am still bf in the night but will now try the cold turkey method for 48hrs like Tracy suggests. My question is since he is not eating as much during the day he is waking at night more to eat. Should I be feeding him every time he wakes at night? What if he gets into the habit of eating at night again after we have worked so hard to eliminate night feeds? Does anyone have any advice about the night wakings? I worry that he is not eating enough during the day because will only take about 2oz at a time from the bottle. It doesn't seem to matter if I give him ebm or formula or a mixture-he reacts the same way.
Thanks for your help.
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Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site but have been reading all of the advice for weaning to a bottle and have found it very helpful. My baby is 6 1/2 mos old and he is bf but has taken a bottle since about 5 weeks. Unfortunately in the last couple months we haven't given it as much because he has been sleeping through the night more-I'll know for next time to keep it up!. Anyways, now I would like to wean to the bottle with formula and he is having none of it! I have been trying to replace a few feedings at a time and am still bf in the night but will now try the cold turkey method for 48hrs like Tracy suggests. My question is since he is not eating as much during the day he is waking at night more to eat. Should I be feeding him every time he wakes at night? What if he gets into the habit of eating at night again after we have worked so hard to eliminate night feeds? Does anyone have any advice about the night wakings? I worry that he is not eating enough during the day because will only take about 2oz at a time from the bottle. It doesn't seem to matter if I give him ebm or formula or a mixture-he reacts the same way.
Thanks for your help.
6 months is a grow spurt time frame...I personally wouldn't restrict any feedings, he might be growing so much he needs the extra fuel. As for the cold turkey approach...I never personally liked that option...so I can't comment there...sorry :(
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Hi SarahandZack, I have to agree with M2W, the cold turkey approach is one I would never consider with my babe. You should feed a hungry boy, no matter the time. Most sources I've read say no cutting the night feeds until 9 months, others say when they double their birth weight. Either way this is a hard transition for your boy and you can do away with the night feeds once you get him taking a bottle. Is there a reason you want to wean to formula right away? Maybe getting him used to the idea that he won't be nursing anymore should be your first goal. Offer EBM only in the bottle for all feeds at first. Then add the formula in small amounts after he's acclimated to that.
It sounds like you are changing too much too fast for your little guy, IMHO. The fact that he is even taking 2 oz at a time from the bottle is a great start, my little stinker wouldn't even take more than 1 suck and still won't take EBM or cow's milk from a bottle, water only. And now that she's on a sippy it's the same deal. I've never been apart from her for more than 5 hours! I'll know next time around too!
The moderators should be a lot of help on this, but I thought I'd offer a little help. Good luck to you, and welcome aboard!
~Patty
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Thank you so much for the advice of warming the nipple and making the milk very warm. I also used the avent bottle. I couldn't believe that it worked. I was about to give up after about 3 weeks of frustration. My little one is 6 and a half months and very high spirited. :)
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Just wanted to share what finally worked for me, after a month of trying a couple of times every day.
A few days ago I got him used to the idea of drinking formula first by giving him a little from an oral syringe (since he takes medicine from syringes anyway).
The next day I used a few drops of my lo's vitamin d supplement on the nipple to encourage him to suck on it (he seems to love the taste). Since he needs 1 ml everyday anyway, I just used part of his daily allotment to make the nipple taste better.
I hope this helps somebody...I know I sure was desperate to get Simon to take that first bottle - he's 5 months now!
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dd was a fussy bottle-taker, even though we tried from a couple of weeks, cometimes she would take 70ml, other times we would struggle with 20ml. I went back to work last week and I think we have cracked it!! She will fuss if it is not warm enough. when my MIL and next day dh heated it a bit more, she wolfed down 180ml, a PB!! She is 4months today. So try changing the temperature.
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My baby is 3 months old and was taking a bottle of breast milk when i was not around, but has for some reason stopped, i've now tried lots of different bottles..NUK, Tomme Tippee, the cheapest latex teats you can find was one recommendation, but still no joy. I'll try the maple syrup and playtex bottles and see if this works...you just have to be hard and not back down i know, but easier said than done!!! :'( :-\
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Maple syrup?? I would not recommend giving it to your lo at such a young age.
Have you tried heating the teat on the bottle to see if this makes any difference?
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Well Baby #2 has arrived (Chloe Jewell) and during those first few days when they nurse and nurse and nurse but get hardly anything (aka starving)...Chloe lost 12 ounces in 2 days...so I gave in and gave an ounce of formula in a bottle...she took it fine...now that my milk has come in, I am BFing mostly full time, but I do offer 2 ounces a day of formula in a bottle so in the case of emergency, someone else could feed her, formula wouldn't be odd to her, etc...and it helps at night during the 'tank up' time...I feed both breasts and she's still wanting more (at that time) so that is when we offer the formula. It has helped with the tank up process and just keeping her aware of bottles...I think having formula in there might also help her understand the 'difference'??? who knows...she's only a week old...so time will tell :)
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Congratulations on the birth of your DD.
Sounds like you have a good routine going. Keep us posted on how you get on.
Paula
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well we're into it about a month now and so far Chloe is able to take both breast and bottle, BM & formula...without any problems...
so from MY experience and only speaking from the two children I've had...both were introduced within the first week of life to the bottle (Weston day 4, Chloe day 2) and both have so far been able to swap breast, bottle, breast milk and formula without any problems...
if anything I think it's a blessing because there simply are times that it is nice to have the option of Daddy doing a feed...regardless of what's in the bottle. :) I try to pump more often now then give formula, but definitely keep the formula handy in the event I don't have a freshly pumped bottle handy :)
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That is great, I am pleased that things are going so well.
Worth while to keep in mind for my next one. Thanks for the tips.
Paula
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Chloe has decided that she'll take formula if she has to...but prefers BM in the bottle over formula...and of course prefers the breast best...but she will take all of the above...
Weston on the other hand took anything anyway it was offered...he was easier in that area, but both kids do it fine...
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Switching between bottle and breast for a refluxy baby???
At about 9wks Anna was taking a bottle of EBM no problem, after 2 weeks of that she just stopped taking it. At around the same time she started having a lot of problems breastfeeding. She was diagnosed with Reflux She started with Zantac and her whole world has become elevated and the feeding has improved. We stopped trying with the bottle feeds until the breastfeeding improved. She is now 17 weeks and mom is going back to work in 2 weeks and dad is trying for the last three weeks (unsuccessfully) to bottle feed again. She seems to have forgetten how to latch onto the bottle. She takes the nipple ( at least 6 different kinds) no problem but just swirls her tongue around it while milk flows down her chin. She has a very strong tongue thrust and can't seem to latch onto the bottle. She is not really fussy or upset, just not getting any milk. After about 10 min of trying she seems to finally get frustrated and starts fussing and crying. At that point we usually wait a 10 minutes and then breastfeed her. We don't really like the idea of a hunger strike, since it was a real struggle to get her to feed with her reflux. Any suggestions?
Anna's Mom and Dad
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Hi Anna's Mom and Dad,
What sort of times are you trying the bottle? Have you tried during the night feeds when she is more tired or during the DF at all?
You could also try offering it to her at her hungriest point, i.e. first thing in the morning to see how she takes it.
If you don't mind me asking - what nipples have you tried?
Paula
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Hi Anna's Mom and Dad,
Hi, thanks for the quick reply...
What sort of times are you trying the bottle?
When it was working, Dad was doing the dream feeds, to give Mom some extra sleep, since then, we have tried a variety of times, the DF, first thing in the morning, 2nd feed. When Mom goes back to work, she will be working mornings, so the feed we actually want to substitute with EBM is the 2nd feed of the day, usually around 10:00am.
Have you tried during the night feeds when she is more tired or during the DF at all? YES.
You could also try offering it to her at her hungriest point, i.e. first thing in the morning to see how she takes it. YES we have tried this...
If you don't mind me asking - what nipples have you tried?
we have tried Avent, 1, 2,3 and the variable, Gerber - Nuk, slow and fast, latex and silicone. Gerber comfort latch, slow and medium, Platex natura latch slow and medium flow.
turns out we have tried 12 different nipples.
When she was feeding sucessfully, which seems like forever ago, she was feeding on both the Avent 1 and the Gerber comfort latch slow. Mom's letdown is pretty good and we thought that we should try to match the flow. But the higher flow nipples just seems to mean more milk on her bib and onesie.
FYI - she has never taken a paci. She just spits it out, or more accurately tongue thrusts it out. but she will suck vigoursly on her own fingers, our fingers etc..
Anna's Mom and Dad
Paula
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Have you tried warming the teat before offering it to your lo? This can make the world of difference.
Also - do you offer the EBM warmed up? Again, she could just need the temperature adjusting.
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Weston had reflux and I found bottles made it worse...I think more air...even the Doc Brown and Avent bottles still give more air then breast...JMHO :)
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Has anyone tried the "2 day" method for switching from breast to bottle? I am at my wits end- have tried every nipple/bottle there is for a few weeks and no luck. We've tried emb and every formula. We've tried different times of day, positions, etc, too. I always end up bf because she gets so worked up and upset with the bottle. I am returning to work soon and MUST figure this out. Thinking about doing the nothing but bottles for 2 days like Tracey recommends, but am nervous. Any experiences would help me prepare for what I am sure will be a tough 2 days!
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Hi and welcome to the BW.
I would give it a go, and see how you lo does. They do not have the capability of starving themselves, so will take it eventually.
Have you tried getting someone else to offer your lo the bottle so that she does not smell your BM?
How old is your lo?
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Hi Cor,
First of all I hope I can make myself clear as my English is not great but I will make an effort. I know what you are you talking about. I just had the same situation with my baby (she is 4 months old), I needed her to take the bottle as I wasn't producing enough milk, I tried everything and nothing worked. I tried once to stop breastfeeding completely and wait until she was hungry enough so she could take the bottle and after 16 hours I was very concerned about her health so I breastfed her. I tried again the following weekend and the same happened. The third time I went to the pediatrician to make sure I did not put on risk her health, so he recommended me to continue with the solids as normal (breakfast and lunch) and to give her 3 ml of Pedialyte every hour with a syringe. So I did that and after 28 hrs, she was not taking the bottle so my husband tried to give her some apple juice ( specially for babies - Gerber) in another bottle and she took it right away! after 5 seconds he switched the bottle and gave her the one with the milk and she took it as well and drank 5 Oz the first time, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th time, we had to use the juice trick before the milk and from the 5th she took the bottle perfectly with out juice. Now she is taking the bottle and I am very happy that I can keep record of how much milk she is taking and very important!! she is sleeping throughout the night :D.
We used the juice as our last resort but probably it can work from the beginning. Also, for the record I gave her the juice in one bottle (Avent) and the milk in another bottle (Dr. Brown) and she did not have any problem, so at least in her case the nipple shape was not the problem!
Well this is what it worked for us, I hope it works for you too, let me know and good luck! ;)
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Has anyone tried the "2 day" method for switching from breast to bottle? I am at my wits end- have tried every nipple/bottle there is for a few weeks and no luck. We've tried emb and every formula. We've tried different times of day, positions, etc, too. I always end up bf because she gets so worked up and upset with the bottle. I am returning to work soon and MUST figure this out. Thinking about doing the nothing but bottles for 2 days like Tracey recommends, but am nervous. Any experiences would help me prepare for what I am sure will be a tough 2 days!
I have given both my children bottles and breast without any nipple comfusion...I'm not 100% sure the 2 day method is, but assuming it's bottles only for 2 days and then on the 3rd day a little of both?
I would use a VERY SLOW nipple flow, you want the child to work to get it from a bottle similar to how hard she/he has to work to get milk from your breast...if it's too fast, they might prefer it and get lazy. JMHO...
I use preemie and #1 nipples for my kids...
If you are gearing up to do this, plan to have a crabby kid for 2 days...and be prepared to rock, sooth, etc in alternative ways...and to have the patience needed for something that might become fairly stressful and frustrating.
Good Luck...
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I have just gone from Breast to bottle at 5 1/2 months. Previously he would'nt take the bottle, cried and spat it out, But i have just tried again and decided to persivere. I discovered that after he cryed himself to sleep (i hated that bit) I popped the bottle in while he slept and hay presto he started sucking and took 5oz. I did this three times and now he taking the bottle with no problem. I tried every bottle going, but the one he finally took was a breastflo bottle...Ģ6.99 from Mothercare. Now after 3 days he'll take any!!! Good luck.
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That is fantastic news.
Congratulations. ;D
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They won't let themselves starve...I have faith that all children would eventually take any bottle when it comes down to it...but what mother wants to go through that is another question...lol ;)
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my baby is 4 mos. she was introduced to a bottle since the beginning, but i havent been giving her one the past 2 months because i was on vacation and always with my baby, and i preferred to breastfeed. however, i really need her to start taking a bottle again, or else ill never be able to leave her with a babysitter. i tried during the first feed in the morning the past 4 days. my hubby would try first, and when she got annoyed i'd try. she took a bottle the first day but hasnt since. how long am i to hold out before giving her breast? she started crying and screaming after 1/2 hr. and if she still refuses the bottle after 2 hours, do i put her to sleep without feeding her? do i play with her in the meantime? also, in her book tracy says to try the bottle only once every hour to avoid making the baby averse to bottles. but i dont have that much time...
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i also want to add that my problem is not getting her to latch on. she'll stick anything in her mouth! the problem is she pushes away the bottle, turns her head away.if i can only get her to keep it in her mouth im sure she'll drink from it.
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Hi and Welcome to the BW Boards,
What type of bottle are you using, and what size teats?
Are you warming the milk?
Have you tried warmng the teat?
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I have noticed that when Daddy feeds Chloe her bottle, she pushes it away and fiddles with the nipple, but when I feed it to her, she does the same and I am more persistant about make sure it's in there far enough to simulate a breast latch...and she typically takes it then, unless she's FULL or has a burp coming.
So double check the 'presentation' as well. :)
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Chloe definitely prefers the breast, but if hungry enough she'll take a bottle. I noticed she fiddles with it and pushes it away mostly when she's not really ready for a FULL feed...and often times BFed babies nurse more frequently, so they sort of have smaller fills then bottle fed babies...leaving them 'less hungry' come the time you are trying to experiment with the bottle...if that makes sense?
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i embarrassed - but relieved!- to admit, that as simple as it sounds, warming the milk and nipple worked! hurray! now i just have to work on her accepting formula once again.
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That is great news. Let us know how you get on with re-introducing the formula.
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last nite i tried giivng her a bottle of formula, but she refused and made a sour face. today i mixed 1 oz of formula with 3-4 oz. of breastmilk, and while i had to convince her [sing to her to distract her...] with the first bottle, she took the 2nd one w/o problem.
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Just read this!
last nite i tried giivng her a bottle of formula, but she refused and made a sour face. today i mixed 1 oz of formula with 3-4 oz. of breastmilk, and while i had to convince her [sing to her to distract her...] with the first bottle, she took the 2nd one w/o problem.
Might be a case of gradually upping the formula:breastmilk ratio and things will be good then!
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That is fantastic news. A lot of mums find this the best way to introduce formula.
Please keep us posted on how things go.
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I have gone back to work last week and my 7 months old DS is refusing the bottle, no matter what we try (different brands, different nipples, different rooms and time of day)
he is also refusing the sippy cup
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congrats on success! :)
just FYI ~ have you ever tasted your own BM vs formula??? It's amazing ANY child takes formula (mine included) Formula is GROSS tasting, where BM is sweet...I'd much rather have BM then formula anyday...I honestly almost puked once when I got a swig of Enfamil...that (IMHO) is the WORST tasting of them all and I've tried just about all of the formulas out there! ;)
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anelame - do you think your lo could be teething?
Has your lo been taking formula in a bottle before this?
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I have been back at work for 2 weeks and he wont take the bottle of EBM. we offered formula to see if it would make a difference to him but no
I think he could be teething (chews on everything) but he is also fighting solids
I am really freaking out!
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If your lo is fighting solids too, I would think that he is probably teething.
I would consider rubbing some teething gel on his gums a few minutes before a feed to see if this helps east the discomfort. If he seems to be really uncomfortable, you can always give him some pain meds to help ease the discomfort.
Hugs, I know how hard it can be, but I promise, things will get better.
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thanks. he is breastfeeding so well, I am worried he is not making the adjustment to me being at work and I dont know if this is going to get better or worse
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M2W.....what is the "best" tasting formula? I am trying to introduce formula soon....enfamil is what my DS took....thought it was the "best" now am not so sure!!!
BTW...my DD ised to take bottle here and there, but I stopped out of BF'ing convenience, and now she wont take it. She tried an oz of EBM last week, took it, then I tried formula for first time, and spat it out!!! SO, I guess I will need to mix together the first few times..hopefully she will take it!
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We are using Enfamil AR here - the thickend kind for reflux. She seems to take it pretty well. I have tasted it and it is by far the best tasting one - although it still tastes YUCK!
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wow - sooo glad to read that I'm not the only mom with these problems - my 3 month old won't take the bottle either and I know it's b/c I was not consistent in the early weeks, I should have been giving one per day like I did with our DS1. I REALLY want the LO to take a bottle of formula at the DF, but he just won't take it. I'm trying an ounce of EBM before each nursing, but honestly that gets a little tiring, and I hate pumping.
Feeling a bit encouraged though, so I'll keep trying. We've used Corn Syrup with both the boys to get them to take a soother (neither of my kids seem to like them) but I've never thought of Maple Syrup. LO hasn't responded much to the corn syrup so mabey I'll try maple...
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Hi there,
I have been reading so much about breast feeding and bottle feeding and how much you should give and when to stop etc that I am completely blank now. The other thing is that every child is different so you cannot really copy someone Else's steps in weaning your own baby. I'll tell you what my problem is:
I've got 8 month-old-boy. He's both breast fed and on solids. This is his feeding plan during the day and night:
8.00 cereal (3,5oz)
12.00 vegetable soup (2,5oz)+ a bit of fruit
12.30 BF (only if I see he' s hungry or if he's eaten so little at 12.00)
16.00 main meal (pasta, puree, cottage pie etc- 3 or 3,5oz)+ yogurt
16.30 BF (if he hasn't eaten at least 3oz)
19.00 BF
23.00 BF
around 02.00 he wakes for feeding then at 04.00 or 05.00 again.
I don't know what I am doing wrong but I would expect a 8month old baby to sleep through the night but he doesn't. And the problem now is that I am going back to work (a very unexpected thing to happen) and I have got a month to do all my preparation. so my questions are:
1. Is it possible to keep Bfeeding the baby only in the morning and in the evening before he goes to sleep as I would like to keep doing that until he is 1 year old ??? If yes, do I still need to introduce formula?
2. If the baby is not breast fed and only on solids does he need formula milk and if yes how long??? (it might be quite hard to bottle feed him as he hates the bottle)
3. Do you think my eating plan can affect his night wakings???
4. Don't you think he eats too little, how to encourage him to eat more?
5. Is it better to stop BF at once or do it gradually?
I would appreciate all answers and all your advice. I am so confused I don't know where I should start. I do hope to hear from you!
Best wishes Angela
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for #1 - yes I think you can BF only in the morning and night, but then I think you will need to also be giving bottles during the day. With my DS1 he continued to have formula during the day until we switched to cows milk at one year, and by then he was having drinks with his meals like a normal person and taking sippy cups during the day as well. LO's should for sure still be either BF or bottle fed with their meals (I think before they eat the solid foods at a meal time), and I think also in between if I remember correctly.
I remember BFing in the morning, then offering solids for breakfast a bit later (like half an hour after the BF), BF for snack, BF and solids for lunch, BF for snack, BF and solids for supper, cereal and BF right before bed. Not sure if this is how to normally do it?
As for amounts, my guide is in Tbsp, not oz so I'm not sure how to compare:
Breakfast - 2-4 Tbsp cereal mixed with BM or formula
1-4 Tbsp fruit
Lunch - 2-4 Tbsp vegetables
1-6 Tbsp protein (meat, cheese)
1-4 Tbsp fruit
Supper - 1-4 Tbsp Vegetables
1-6 Tbsp protein
1-4 Tbsp fruit
Obviously there is a wide range of amounts of food to be offering, and you would also be Bfing along with those amounts. I always understood that solids were an addition to BFing until they got closer to one year. I would think that however much your LO wants to eat after being BF is enough.
For stopping BFing - probably gradually is the best way to go to avoid mastitis and discomfort, however I did stop cold turkey and it was fine - I wore a really tight bra and pumped just to be comfortable, and used cold nursing compresses.
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Now that I have my second DS who is refusing the bottle after taking it well for the first 6 weeks, I thought I'd head over here to see what you all have to say.
Then, I noticed, no one has posted what worked with me with my first when he wouldn't take bottles! For 2 months, I tried to bf the dreamfeed and it never worked (granted, I never tried more than 4 days in a row at any one time). In the meantime, he was also refusing a bottle. One night, when he was about 4 months old, I decided to try to give ebm in a bottle at the dreamfeed time. He took the bottle right away and downed the whole thing! I tried this every night for a week and he continued to take the bottle every night at the df. After that week had passed, I gave him a bottle through the day to see what he would do and he took it no problem and continued to from that day forward. I think he couldn't figure out how to use it and his mouth just learned what to do when he was relaxed and asleep and it translated to the daytime as well?
I haven't tried this with #2 yet because he is such a good night sleeper - sleeps from 7:30pm-at least 2am before waking for a feed, then one more 3 hours later. About 3 nights a week, he'll only wake for one feed around 4am. SO I'm hesitent to introduce the df just to get him to take a bottle though #1 started sleeping through the entire night within 2 weeks of introducing the df.....
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Hi, I'm new to this site, and looking for info on supplementing a bottle to my 7.5 month old LO. I'm not looking for a quick fix. I've tried the "all bottle or nothing" approach, and I'm really not comfortable with it. Is there a way to maybe start nursing on the breast, and then sneaking a bottle in once she's almost asleep? Has this worked for anyone? I figured if I do this for a few days, she might understand that she can also get nourishment from a bottle.
She's tried the sippy cup, but finds it more of a toy than for food. I want her to get that relaxed feeling from a bottle that she would get from nursing.
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Hi and welcome to the BW Website,
I would not really suggest letting your lo fall asleep on a feed, as this could end up becoming a prop, and can teach your lo that the only way to fall asleep is with a BF or a Bottle.
Have you tried offering the bottle for the first feed in the morning when your lo is at her most hungriest?
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Liza Marie - I can totally sympathize with you because we went through the same thing with both my first and second DS. With #2, he took a bottle initially but then started refusing it at about 8 weeks. I decided to try giving him a bottle of ebm for a df when he was about 3 months old as that is how we got #1 to take it and after 10 days of trying and his waking up and refusing it, I stopped. I started trying again at 4 months (which, coincidentally, was the age when I first started trying the bottle at the df for #1) and lo and behold, he took it no problem and has been doing so now consistently for the past 2 weeks! I have yet to try one through the day (and yes, we did also try the first thing in the AM feed for a long stretch and that was met with hysterics for 14 days straight so we canned that one!) but if it goes the same as with my first, he will hopefully take it fine the first time we try.
So, long story short, my suggestion is to pump and try to give a bottle at the df. Try for a few days and if it isn't working, wait for a week or so and try again. Just make sure that you give it a good go for at least 3-4 days at a time each try because sometimes it takes a few attempts to get it to work. GL!
Angela, if you are still needing some help with your feeding routine (your post came a while back), the first thing that jumped out at me was that maybe your lo needs a few more calories in the way of protein. You could try adding yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, shredded meat, mashed beans, etc. Maybe something a little more substantial for the second solids feed in addition to the soup? With my first, I remember bfing a half hour before each solids feed, too. So:
BF 7am
Solids 730am
BF 11am
Solids 1130am
BF 3pm
Solids 5pm
BF 7pm
df 1030pm
1. It is totally possible to only bf in the morning and at night but at 8 months, milk is still the most important food for baby so you would need to introduce formula for some of the other feeds until you can switch over to whole milk closer to a year. I started to introduce formula in the df bottle. I was using ebm and slowly started replacing it with one oz of formula each week until he was taking a full 6oz bottle of formula at the df. Then, at 10 months when he started losing interest in bfing, he was already used to the taste of formula so he accepted that at feedings until we switched to cow's milk.
2. Maybe my tip with the bottle above would help? You could also try getting him to take milk from a sippy cup (not a bad idea since my first DS would only accept milk from a bottle until he was 2!!!!) Definitely needs milk of some kind at this point, though!
3. Could be.... see my thought on protein. Maybe your lo just needs more calories from solids through the day? How big is he?
4. If you think he eats too little, have you thought about why? Is he just not hungry or is he stubborn about you feeding him? Have you been offering finger foods? With my first, he wanted to be Mr. independent and so I had to give him lots of opportunity to feed himself to keep getting food into him. Maybe giving him the milk first would help, too? Maybe he's holding out a bit for the milk?
5. Definitely do it gradually for your comfort and your lo's. Drop a feed at a time and don't worry about doing it slowly. I dropped a feed every week or two when I weaned from the breast.
HTH!
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My LO is 9 weeks old and is exclusively BFed. I have to go back to work in a month and we have been trying for the past month to get her to take the bottle. We have tried EVERYTHING, but nothing seems to be working. Although we've made a little progress (she will allow the bottle nipple into her mouth without crying), she still wont' suck on the bottle. It seems as though she can't get a proper latch on it and just kinda chews it. We had her tongue-tied situation taken care of, but that didn't really help much. Any suggestions?
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Have you tried a different shaped teat? Perhaps one that mimicks the shape of your breast?
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Our lo was the same way - well, he actually took a bottle from 6-8 weeks and then suddenly wouldn't go near one! We tried a whole bunch of nipples and finally, a BW friend from the U.S. (we're in Canada) mailed me a couple of nuk nipples that are the yellow, soft rubber variety. Apparently, they gave them away for free to new moms at her hospital and they fit universally on many small mouth types of bottles. I used them on our Dr. Brown's bottles and they worked well. This was the kind of nipple he would first accept and after a few weeks of using this one, I tried the Dr. Brown's ones and he took them, no problem. I'll also say again, as I did in a previous post, that we got him to take a bottle by offering ebm during the df. He took the bottle with the nuk nipple in that dozy df state and then a few weeks later we tried a bottle during the day and he was suddenly fine with it. This process is what worked with our first son, as well. GL!
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Just a quick thanks to all the wonderful mothers who leave advice on here for struggling mothers like myself. After studying this particular thread with so many great ideas...I decided to go cold turkey with my spirited child and move him to the bottle. I thought 3 days like others on here would be the time frame because he is so strong willed. Started this morning with his last bf at 6am , tried 3 different bottles, sipper cup nothing all day. Every 30mins all day. Upped his solids and ensured he got alot down. After his night bath i sat with him in a rocking chair, held his tiny arms with one hand so he couldnt fiddle with the bottle. Put maple syrup on the teat and after a little kicking he tasted the maple syrup and started to suck. He downed 140mls and dozed to sleep. He woke another 2 hours later and had another 60mls. I put the maple syrup on the nipple again. Im pretty sure its the syrup which has done it. I also switched to a flat teat instead of round. i also noticed the rocking rhythm helped.
Just thought i'd add my experience and gratitude. Good luck to all those mothers who are trying :)
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It is good to hear that some of you are having some success with getting your bf lo's to take a bottle. It gives me hope! My baby girl is 5 months old today and is refusing a bottle (even though she'd take one when she was 2 months old). I am meant to be returning to work in Feb so am getting slightly worried about this now. I have tried Tommy Tippie Closer to Nature bottles (teats 1 & 2), Advent (teats 1 & 2) and now Nuk latex teats too. I was advised to try a bottle at the same time each day which i have been doing for a few weeks now. We have got to ther point where she'll have the teat in her mouth and kind of chew on it and play about a bit. I can not get her to latch on though and suck. I have tried breast milk, formular, warm teats, feeding in the bath (?), me feeding, others feeding, different positions. You name it! Does anyone else have any other suggestions or words of wisdom? Is it likely to just suddenly click? Fingers crossed. Thanks x
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Have you tried her when she is at her hungriest i.e first feed of the day?
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Hi Im new to this website and to the baby whisperer books.
I wanted to ask about doing a dream feed and wind. I have given my 8 week old baby a bottle dream feed the past two nights however both times she hasn't burped but has then spent the next few hours straining (whimpering and moaning) to do a poo. When she has finally done the poo she has then needed to be changed as it has gone through her clothes. This has meant she hasn't settled to sleep. Prior to doing these dream feeds her sleeping pattern would vary but she would go from 11.30 until about 4.00 most nights over the past two night with the dream feed she has woken and cried to be fed more 2.00. Does anyone have any ideas to help the wind following a dream feed or any other ideas. Im just trying to get her to go a little longer than till 4.00.
thank you
toni
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Hello toni,
I have replied to your other post :D
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Hi,
My LO is almost 6 months and doesn't want to hear of a bottle.
I'm fully BF him all day long and i need him to get used to a bottle since in 10 days time, I'll be returning to work.
I've tried a couple of bottles and he refused all. He's been playing around with the Tommy Tepee one but didn't really ate anything out of it.
Can you please let me know if there's a special kind of bottle that Tracy has been using on Olly on her show with the twins?
By the way, he doesn't want to take a PC as well.
There were no issues on the 1 month, not with a bottle nor with a pc.
Please help, he's about to start the day care a week from now and i need to see some progress...
Thanks,
Sandy
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I would pick a feed that you are going to use the bottle for and stick with it. It might be easier to try him when he is at his hungriest, so say first thing in the morning.
Have you tried all the tips like warming the teat, warmer / cooler milk?
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I am feeling very excited! This evening after trying every day for 2 months my 5 month old little girl drank 3oz from a bottle! I used my breast milk in a latex teat Nuk bottle, heated it quite warm (warmer than usual), warmed up the teat, sat her in her bouncy chair in front of the TV (great distraction!) and she took it. Lets hope it's not a one off as I have to go back to work soon!
To all those still trying please keep at it, I nearly gave up so many times but this proves that one day you're LO's may just give in before you do. :)
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That is fantastic news ;D Way to go Elizabeth.
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I'm a HUGE fan of Tracy and tell everyone I know who's expecting about her books. I'm new to the website and came looking for help on how to get my 8 month old to take a bottle for two of the daytime feeds so I can nurse morning and Night. he's quite big for his age so if I'm out and about quite awkward. But after reading the posts I have some new hope and will try a teat like his suckie and maple syrup if necessary :D We'll see how it goes.
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Hi Declans_Mommy, welcome to the baby whisperer website :D
Good luck with the transition, please keep us posted on how you get on.
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Thanks for the warm welcome :)
This morning he woke up at five and I don't usually nurse until 7:00 or so and got him to drink 2 oz then went back to bed til 7:30! It's been a bit rough trying throughout the day-I suppose he's not quite hungry enough- but he's not hating it as much - At least now I have hope! LOL did use the maple syrup though :D
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Great that you have had some sucess.
Keep an eye out that the maple syrup does not become a kind of prop that he will only drink if he has some of the maple syrup .
Keep us posted on how you get on with the rest of the day.
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YAY! Declan is now Successfully taking the bottle twice a day. If it's not overly hungry he won't want it - but when he is he will take it no problem. I only had to use the maple syrup the first three times he took the bottle after that I just ensured the teat was warm. I feel so relieved. :D I was starting to feel overwhelmed. Meals ended up being pushed back an hour at times but I wouldn't feed him any later than an hour than our regular schedule - he'd often take the bottle then when it was around his regular meal time. Thanks babywhisperer.com :D
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Fantastic news. I am so pleased that he is doing so well :D
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Hi everyone
I am new to the boards and hope you can help!
My daughter is 16 weeks old this week, and point blank refuses a bottle. At 2 weeks we were giving her a bottle of formula milk every night and only recently decided she'd had enough of this!
I have tried so many things to get her to take a bottle, regardless of whether it ir formula or breastmilk she won't, or can't. She will push the teat out with her tongue, it is almost as though she has forgotten how to feed from a bottle...?
Can anyone offer any tips or advice?
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Which feed are you trying to offer the bottle for?
Are you offering the bottle or is someone else offering it?
What size teat are you using? If you have a forceful let down, your lo may require a faster flow teat.
Have you tried warming the teat slightly?
What temperature are you offering the milk at?
Sorry for all the q's.
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I was offering Hipp but now Cow & Gate.
I have tried offering the bottle, so have others!
I have tired variations in the teat flow, have tried warming the teat and also with syrup on!
I have tired the milk very warm, as well as cooler.
:'(
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Hugs hun :-*
I would pick a feed that you want to offer the bottle at and stick to it, for a few days and see how it goes. Might be worth trying when your lo is at her hungriest, perhaps in the morning maybe?
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hi i am wondering if i am putting to much pressure on my LO. I am on day 1 of cold turkey and he used to fall asleep on breast. But now cries loudly when i try and hold him for comfort because he can smell milk and still has not taken to FB. He weighs a good 10kg. So i tried the pu pd method however i have a spirited 3 year old that needs tending that i find i have to leave LO sometimes cry it out. Should i stick to weaning or ditch that and start self soothing/E.A.S.Y?
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Hi and welcome to the BW website.
Are you looking at weaning BF completely?
I guess if you are looking at weaning completely and introducing EASY as well, I would look at doing the weaning first as it will probably disrupt the sleeping process.
Are you offering the bottle to your lo every hour?
Is there someone that can help you while you are weaning, to offer your lo the bottle and help you comfort your lo?
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With my first son i tried EBM in a bottle but had a lot of trouble expressing. So he just went onto FM really easy from Cold turkey. So for this LO i thought the same could apply. However it got the better of me and i went out this morning and bought an avent electric pump. Fingers crossed I was hoping it wouldn't be a waste of money like the other express'. And sure enough I expressed One whole little avent bottle from one breast and he gulped it down. During the night i did do the Pu/pd method and it did eventually work after a good hour. This morning i continued the E.A.S.Y and instead of cradling him I gave him a dummy - he'd never set eyes on one and sucked it fine, fell asleep and spat the dummy out. Mind you it is only day two. and the Pu/Pd is still long sessions.He used to wake 2 -4 during the night for a good lolly gag and cat nap all through the day. If I was to ditch the E.A.S.Y how would i best comfort him without cradling? And yes I am on my own at the moment.
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Fanastic news on your lo taking the bottle of EBM ;D
How old is your lo?
I would try and stick with routine as much as possible, but if your lo is not taking good feeds then you can feed more often.
If your lo is crying, I would pick him up, comfort him and as soon as he calms down, then put back down in the crib.
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I am a mom of three and never had any difficulty switching my two girls from breast to bottle. My youngest (a boy) is now 6.5 months old and is an awesome nurser. I am scheduled to go back to work in June. Like many other moms, I tried several nipples, formulas & EBM without success. I have to be honest because I have not been consistent switching him to a bottle. I am now a little panicked since I am scheduled to work soon.
I'm so grateful to have found this site. I found it by accident while searching this particular subject. It's a great feeling to know that I'm not alone. I decided that tomorrow will be the day. I told my husband about this and he asked if I was having a terrible day or "did my son bite your nipple again?" I just told him that enough is enough. I know breastfeeding is best but with young kiddos who need my attention, I just can't multitask that well. Children do well on formula. It's not as evil as everyone may think.
I plan on doing the 'Cold Turkey Method.' I will update everyone this weekend about our journey.
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Hello NvrEnuf, welcome to the BW website.
Good luck with going cold turkey, keep us posted on how you get on :-*
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Hello,
I am currently in the middle of bottle-training my 12-week DS. He took a bottle in his first week 'cuz we had to supplement for jaundice, and then at his 2-week dr. appointment, his ped recommended that we give him a bottle every few days to keep it up. Well, we did that then started slacking, and a few weeks ago he flat out refused a bottle when I was out for the day and he was home with my DH.
So this past weekend we've dedicated to bottle training. I haven't nursed him since Friday night (5/15), and so far, he's taken the bottle approximately every other feeding (and hunger striking the feedings in between)...so it looks like he's only taking it when he is really hungry. For each in between feeding, he just fusses, or plays with the nipple. It is now Sunday, and I really want to start nursing him again...the whole point of the bottle training was for me to be able to go out of town next weekend for one night and to be able to leave him at home with DH, and for him to be able to take a bottle once a day without a fuss. Well, he is still fussing, but will eventually take it if he is hungry enough. My question is...how long do I keep withholding the breast? Until he doesn't fuss anymore?
Thanks for your input and help!
ETA: FYI...the bottles have been of expressed breast milk.
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Hi and welcome to BW website.
I would pick one feed of the day and stick with it until your lo is not fussing on the feed.
I would pick a feed where your lo is the hungriest i.e first thing in the morning or one of his night feeds, and get your DH to do the bottle feed, so that he gets used to taking the bottle from him.
You can then carry on the BF for the rest of the feeds.
Have you tried warming the teat to see if that makes any difference?
Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.
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Just wanted to let you know that "bottle bootcamp" was a success! DH and I set aside a weekend to ride out DS's (12 weeks old) hunger strike...he ended up taking 4 bottles (4-5 oz each) on Saturday and 3 bottles on Sunday. He would still fuss, but ended up taking it when he was hungry. I resumed breastfeeding Sunday evening. Then the plan is to give him one bottle every day (the rest of his feedings will be breastfeeding). Well, so far on Monday and Tuesday (today), he has taken a bottle without ANY fussing! I am SO relieved and SO happy.
It was a stressful weekend, but Tracy's plan from BWSAYP book really works. Baby won't starve, and hunger was the incentive to get him to take the bottle.
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Fantastic news, I am so pleased that you and your lo did so well.
It is a nice idea to incorporate the bottle into your routine, that way it gives you a break every day and your DH can also have some time to bond with your lo for a feed.
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Hi,
Just want to share my success story in getting my LO to use bottle. I have been breastfeeding for 11 months now. I had tried to introduce bottle to DD at 7 months to prepare for weaning her later, she absolutely hates it. She would push and turn away. I did not force her too much, just on and off trying to give it to her with different liquids each time. Nothing works, tried prune juice, apple juice, milk and so on. I was about to give up, and think that I should just train her to use cup instead.
Just 2 days ago, I tried to give her milk in the bottle again. I 'naughtly' added a bit of sugar in the warm milk. I did not hold my hope up too much. Well, bingo! She initially bites the nipple like usual, playing around. Then she started to suck 'a bit' when she tasted the sweetened milk. After that, she finished the whole bottle, and followed by "yummie, yummie". I think that she had a very nice experience with the sweetened milk, she actually accepted the bottle straight away. Now, I do not put any sugar anymore, she still gulp down all the milk without complaints.
I am very happy with the result, although the result came a bit late. I can have an option in weaning her soon.
Good Luck to everyone
Winny
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Hi Winny,
Fantastic news that your lo is taking a bottle so well for you now.
Just wanted to advise against using the sugar, as this can cause tooth decay. Even though you lo may not have any or many teeth, the are all still just below the gums and can still cause tooth decay.
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Hi Paula,
Thanks for the advice. It is so true, sugar is the worse for their tiny little teeth. I use only one time, hopefully it won't cause any problems. :( I am still happy that she took the bottle.
I am not quite sure if this is the right place to post this. Just want to know that if it is common for baby to choose either bottle or bf? We are going to a trip overseas soon, so I still want her to bf. Since bf will make it easier to management, than washing bottle on the way. Did anyone come across situation of feeding preference?
Winnie
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Hugs hun, I don't think that one time would have caused any problems. :-*
I guess some babies can start to have a preferance if they are getting both BF and bottle. Some lo's may prefer the bottle as they don't need to work as hard for the milk like they do when BF.
Perhaps you could just stick with one bottle a day, that way she is still used to it, and then the rest of the day you can stick with BF.
Let us know what you think.
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Help, I recently watched an episode of the baby whisperer, where she was advicing on moving to a bottle from the breast with a special teat that works like a nipple and only flows when baby sucks, not a constant flow like a normal teat - can anyone tell me what its called ?
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I think Tracy used the Haberman special needs feeder http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=haberman+feeder&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=4946587265&ref=pd_sl_5dm9mwrobi_e.
Another bottle to consider is the breastflow bottle http://www.breastflow.co.uk/products.htm. I think there are some mums on the boards who have used these and found them really good.
HTH!
Laura
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I'd just like to clarify before I start the process of trying to get my 6.5mth old to take a bottle of formula. She can drink EBM out of a bottle, but refuses the formula. So do I basically start with the first feed of the day and don't breastfeed at all for at least 24 hrs, possibly 48 hrs until she does take the bottle? She still wakes up once a night to feed, so would that mean I wouldn't breastfeed her at night either? I'd just give her a bottle of formula?? Thanks for the help.
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To be honest I wouldn't go cold turkey unless you have a very short time and need to switch to formula permanently. What are you aiming to do? If you have a look at this link
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64926.0 from the BF board there are some slightly different tips.
I assume she drinks out of the bottle ok but won't take formula? Formula tastes very differrent to breastmilk so the best way to do it I feel would be to mix your BM with formula and slowly reduce the amount of BM and increase the amount of formula to get her used to the taste. So for example if you are offering a 6oz bottle do 5oz BM + 1oz formula for a few bottles and then do 4oz BM + 2oz formula.
The trouble with going cold turkey is that milk is the main part of her diet and if she refuses for longer than a few hours you are in danger of having a dehydrated and distressed baby. The last point in the link above has a gentle plan for getting them to take a bottle.
Let us know what you want to do - move to formula full time or just give her a bottle of formula once a day and we can help you more.
Laura
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I'd like to be able to have the option of giving her formula once or twice a day. I plan on breastfeeding until she's at least a year, but I'd like to start cutting back now. Also, I've read in Tracy's book that at this age, she really shouldn't be waking up for feeds at night and I have a feeling perhaps she's not getting enough BM to last her the night. So I'd definitely like to give her a bottle for her dream feed. That way, I'll know exactly how much she took and I'll be able to judge better if she's just waking up out of habit or if she's truly hungry.
She will drink water out of the bottle. She will also drink EBM out of a bottle. I've had no issues getting her to take the bottle. It's just the formula that she hates and wants no part of. :)
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Have you started solids yet? Night waking can be hunger driven but it could be routine issues as well. It's also a developmental thing and breastfed babies do need feeds at night longer than formula fed babies. That said, my formula fed DD was over 8 months before we stopped night feeds and DS was older because of his reflux.
Have you tried different types of formula? Some babies take to the pre-prepared feeds better and different brands will have a different taste. Mind you I can't really blame her for not liking formula over BM - it's pretty nasty stuff really :-X. other than that, I think mixing and reducing the amount of BM gradually is probably your best idea. Going cold turkey is really a method for getting a baby who is refusing a bottle to drink from one rather than getting them used to the taste of formula.
Laura
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I did think going cold turkey sounded a bit harsh for what I would like to achieve. I'll try mixing in the EBM and see how that goes. We have started solids. And she's doing well on that. I have tried different brands of formula and none took. It's expensive to keep buying when I have three full jars already! :p So I'm just going to go back to one and go from there.
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Hi babyjaz09, just wanted to share how we got ds to take soy in his bottle - he was the same as your dd and would take ebm from the bottle but refuse anything else! We did it at about 16mo so that he would drink milk at daycare as I was done with pumping :P
Week 1 - 4oz ebm, 1oz soy (mixed together)
Week 2 - 3oz ebm, 2oz soy
Week 3 - 2.5oz ebm, 2.5oz soy
Week 4 - 2oz ebm, 3oz soy
Week 5 - 1oz ebm, 4oz soy
Week 6 - all soy
You could go faster if you wanted (say, 1/2oz every few days) or slower if you encounter rejection. This way went really smoothly for us though, no problems at all!
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Hey Vikki,
That's great advice! Thanks! We're now on day four and I've been mixing the EBM with formula. I've been doing half and half and she's finally taking it easily. At first she'd cry and cry, for about 5 minutes before drinking it but now she has a bit of a taste, scrunches up her nose a bit but drinks it anyway. :) It's really exciting. I'll keep her here for a few more days and then reduce the EBM and add more formula. Here's hoping it keeps going well! :)
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That's great news! I'm glad it's going well without the cold turkey! Well done both of you!
Laura
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Fantastic news!! Glad I could help! :D
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I am going to lock this thread now.
Here is a link to a collection of fantastic advice and tips. http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=173309.0
If you anyone has a specific question you can't find the answer to please start a new post on Breast Feeding or Bottle feeding.
Thanks all!
Laura