underpressure with weaning, has anyone gone cold turkey?

[evelyn]

I dont want to, but at this stage i have tried pretty much everything. i know that tracey recommended just persisting with the bottle for 48 hrs, but i feel i would be putting my lo under to much stress, i also wish to continue with the am and night feeds.  please, any advice appreciated, under pressure from dh as he will be looking after her when i return to work, well one day out of three. i am waiting for haberman bottles in the post.  dh wants to try the 48hr thing this weekend, i know its up to me, but id rather i do it now than leaving her with a childminder when she wont take a bottle. 
i am very confused and emotional about this... if only i didnt have to return to work, id feed indefinatly

[CaedensMama]

How old is she?

Have you tried giving her a bottle in the middle of the night or DF times? They sometimes start taking them better mostly asleep. Or try nursing her and then switching halfway thru.
Are you using EBM or formula?
Give it a try over the weekend - it won't hurt -
My niece finally took one - just kept offering till she took and now she likes it fine.

I won't recommend stopping nursing cold turkey - I have heard it is pretty painful for you - she may do okay - I think it would hurt you more

[evelyn]

Sorry! i should have siad, she is 4 1/2 months old! wil try to giv her bottle tonight, thanks

[Samuel's mum]

Have you looked at the sticky on giving the bottle? - it gives so much information.
How long have you been persisting? I presume you've tried giving the bottle when you are not around at all. When do you start back at work? Can you at least wait for the haberman feeders and give them a real try? Some even quite young babies will take a cup if they won't take a bottle - not only a sippy cup but an actual open cup. There are ones especially designed for breastfeeding babies.

Basically I would really really suggest you do everything you can to avoid weaning 'cold turkey'.
Here's some stuff from Kellymom.com:  
Stopping breastfeeding abruptly, or "cold turkey," can be very distressing for both mother and baby and can cause plugged ducts, breast infection, or even a breast abscess. Hormone levels are also more likely to take a drastic plunge, causing mood swings, depression, etc. It's very rare that sudden weaning is truly necessary.

You don't sound very convinced yourself and if you do this at someone else's pressuring you may find yourself looking back with regret for a long time to come.
I'm a bit confused about a couple of your comments:
about wanting to continue morning and night feeds - is this what you would like to do if you weren't going to wean? It's certainly possible for LOs to have bottles during the day and mum for am and pm feeds.
You mention trying harder with the bottle would cause your LO stress but presumably this would be the same stress or greater if you were weaning cold turkey?

[evelyn]

Sorry , i am so stressed about it all i feel i need to clarify... i intend to express milk, and in one of tracey's books it says to give the bottle as the only option for 48 hrs and that it is then advisable to reintroduce nursing. i have been trying with the bottle for one month now, and am returning to work in 3 weeks. 

[CaedensMama]

Have you tried letting someone besides you give her the bottle?
Sometimes they smell you and won't take from you - maybe DH or  friend could help out?

Keep in mind you need to keep pumping to keep your supply up just as if you were nursing this weekend if you decide to try that. I would maybe start though with a middle of the night bottle and see if that works.

[daisymelan]

My 2 cents.

Try different nipples, especially the ones intended for nursing babies.  A slow flow one is best.  Have you tried warming the nipple?  Have you tried having someone else give the bottle?  Also, try it in a different spot then where you normally nurse.  Also, you could try giving the bottles at times when she's not very hungry and she may be more apt to try it.

Good luck!