HELP - reassurance - going cold turkey and not having a lot of fluids

[migsy]

Hi

BACKGROUND

My son Jack is 7.5 months old.   Jack will take a bottle when he is in the mood but this only seems to happen once every month.  I have tried unsuccessfully for months trying daily with no joy.  Jack also used to feed to sleep which at times I felt like a human dummy and he used to make himself sick with having too much boob.  He was waking up hourly just to have the boob in his mouth.  That is what made me decide to stop breastfeeding. 

PROBLEMS I HAVE NOW

My last breastfeed was at 6 am on Saturday morning.  He went all day on Saturday and Sunday with no bottle.  He also had a very small amount of water from a sippy cup but it was only a few mouths full.  He had a 5 oz bottle this morning at 8 am but has since refused all other attempts to bottle feed him.  I am giving him his solids as usual.  I am worried that he is hardly having any fluids and as we are on day 3 I am worried to cause any health problems.

I am just wanting reassurance that he will be fine, he will take another bottle and I am doing the right thing.  I have come this far now and do not fancy going back to breastfeeding (as much as we did enjoy it I do want to get my individuality back).

[Mama2boys]

It will be ok and HUGS.

i'd suggest giving him some liquidy solids, so add milk to the cereal and some to the mashed food and vegiies you give him. Maybe give him some watery fruit as well to keep the liquids up.

Also how about offeirng bottel at sleep time, i know its AP and not reccomedned but if it works to get him uses to the bottle I'd say do that and then you can slowly wean him off drinking and falling asleep.
I am sure he will come around but do try and add milk/water to his food and help him kepe the levels up.

[* Paula *]

Huge hugs hun,

I know it is hard, but he will start taking a bottle.  Babies do not have the capability to starve themselves.  It is going to be a hard bumpy road, but he will start taking the milk.

One of our other members weaned for reflux problems and her DD was also refusing the bottle.  She went a few days without taking milk, and then all of a sudden started taking it.

I would say keep on offering at for the time being, even if it means going back to a 4 hourly routine, just to try and get some milk into him.

I also agree with the PP, try adding milk into whatever you can i.e solids etc.  I would keep on offering, and praise him when he drinks from it, and make a big fuss about it.

Huge hugs hun, we will be with you every step of the way 

[em_here]

}}}}}hugs{{{{{[ I agree, it will take some time, BUT he will get it I promise!  He will not starve himself, hes just putting up a mighty big protest

Does he seem to protest more when you try to feed him? Could dh offer a couple, so he doesnt think of you and the boobs?  Maybe this would help him get used to this?  What bottles do you use? In the UK they have Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature, which mimic the breastfeeding flow and feel etc.... this might help him accept it a little better?

More hugs, and you will get through this I promise xxxx

[speechie]

You could try an open cup, different bottles/nipples/flow. Different sippies, etc...
Hugs to you!

[em_here]

Oh and I think byt could be wrong that at the top of this bottle feeding part of the forum there is a sticky called going cold turkey breast to bottle, maybe worth a read, it may be on breast feeding board if not here x x x