Introducing a bottle/cup for return to work

[cuckoochick]

Ok so I am going back to work in Feb and I need to get G drinking some milk by then. I'm going to be introducing formula because well, I haven't got the time to express and being honest, I don't really want to either. I did this with C and because she'd never take a bottle from me, just fed her full-time on the days I was home and supply didn't seem to be an issue. C was a monkey accepting the bottle too but eventually did only a week or so before I went back.

So recently, I've had to go to work for 2 mornings and yesterday I went in for an afternoon. Both times, G has been with DH. He's had minimal success really.
Day 1: wouldn't drink from bottle at all. Had about 1oz from a doidy cup which is obviously v messy (no BFs from 5:30am-1:30)
Day 2: 1oz from a bottle (no BFs from 6am-1pm)
Yesterday she had 1oz from a bottle again (I was gone 12-5pm but she had had a big feed before I left and she has now started on some solids).

Today, DH decided to try her again while I was upstairs and again 1oz.
Initially, DH thought she was frustrated with the stage 1 teat so now we've tried a fast flow one. I do have a fast flow. she didn't choke/splutter or anything but still only 1oz and very fussy.


So, I'm kind of wondering where to go next. She enjoys drinking water from the free flow sippy (I'm usually limiting her water intake to 2oz during meals but she'd take more if i let her).
Should I try the formula in that? I'm wondering about how consistent I need to be about this now? Should I be trying everyday? I'm not necessarily looking to replace those feeds entirely you see so I don't really know what is best to do. If that is needed to ensure she takes enough milk though, then I'll consider it.

will she be ok if she doesn't take a proper feed and just little bits? how much milk is she expected to have in a day and how much of that could come from dairy in her solids if necessary?

Thanks xxx

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Until she is one the mainstay of her nutrition needs to be bm or formula...since she is a fan of the free flow cup I would for sure try formula in that- would make things simpler in the long run! M & S both transitioned to a sippy cup (M's had a valve, S's was free flow) by 5/6 months and they loved them! For some reason I want to say 20oz is the needed intake, but not 100% certain.

When you are back to work are you planning to bf and use formula while in care? How many feeds will be during your workday then?

[cuckoochick]

So my work pattern will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays out from 7amish until 5pmish and on Tuesdays and Fridays I'll be home from lunchtime. I'm hoping to try and keep morning and BT feeds plus maybe a feed when I get home on the days I'm working later but when I'm home I'd probably BF her rather than formula.

I don't know if it's been the reflux but she's not a consistent feeder. She barely BFs in the morning on WU because of the 2 NFs ( one is anywhere between 4-6am ) and then feeds at irregular intervals. With C she was on a 4hr easy and STTN by now but G is well... G!!!! The short naps and long As don't really help either! She's a hungry baby and is enjoying her solids.

I'm wondering if I should try giving her some formula in a sippy at mealtimes over the next few days and see how we go? I don't want to cut out BFs if I don't have to if that makes sense but she also needs the practice.

I really thought that some of the dairy in food could be counted or is that only if it's made with BM / formula eg cereal/ porridge etc?

Thanks x

[Fiver]

Once you're introducing solids, every little bit of dairy counts, so yoghurts, milk in puddings/sauces etc.

[cuckoochick]

Thanks Amanda...so if she doesn't drink lots of formula but she takes in dairy too plus any BFs she'll get and formula even in small amounts will be ok?

I don't have to worry about her weight gain at the moment thankfully as she's always been 75th centile and today had crept above it but I obviously just want to do the best for her.

Do you think I should try the formula in a sippy cup at mealtimes to get her practised in it or will it be a case of she'll do it when she has to? I don't want her to stop drinking water though either!

[Fiver]

so if she doesn't drink lots of formula but she takes in dairy too plus any BFs she'll get and formula even in small amounts will be ok?

You already know what I'm going to say, don't you?  All dairy counts, but I'm not qualified to say whether that's going to be enough for her.  Breastmilk and/or formula would be her main sources of nutrition, so they'd be the main things that you want to be giving for the time being.

I'd probably offer the formula in the sippy to get her used to it, but you'll probably find that once you start solids and formula you'll want to be offering some water with meals as well just because both can cause constipation in BF babies

[weaver]

Shiv (in Poland) has interesting things to say about bottle-free/bottle-refusing babies and going back to work.

[cuckoochick]

Thanks ladies and Amanda I know! I guess what I'm trying to say is she won't starve herself! I obviously don't want to make things stressful for her and it all feels so much more wrong this time around because she'll be my last baby and despite finding it tough in the beginning BFing is v special to me. Anyway, can't get too sentimental over it because it is what it is. If all else fails she'll be continuing the NFs longer than I'd like and I will have to make provision for being able to feed her in the AM before I go. That's usually her worst feed though because of the NFs.

I'm mindful of the constipation because we have had a few tiny poos (nothing too firm) after she had banana and carrots but now she's drinking water with her meals and we've avoided those, her poos seem to be great. So I'll offer some formula when she has breakfast tomorrow.

I suppose it doesn't matter how she gets the milk: cup or bottle but I kind of feel while she's so young a bottle might be comforting to her if she ever gets the hang of sucking it. I never thought C would accept a bottle but once she did she seemed to enjoy it (or so DH and MIL told me) but she always loved her boob feeds too and she transitioned to cow's milk in a sippy with no issues at 1.

She's 26wks this week so we'll be starting to intro more foods beyond fruit and veg so we'll see how it all pans out.

Thanks ladies!

Weaver- you're right I'm pretty sure Shivi did go through this with E. Hope she pops by xxx

[*Ali*]

I'm nit sure what you mean by "counts" exactly but you certainly could not replace all or even a large amount if her breast milk or formula with dairy. Yes it will stop her starving but cows milk and other dairy don't really contribute what Breast milk and formula do to her nutrition. There are major differences such as Iron (not enough), calcium (cows milk has more but it is not as readily available), unsaturated fat (not enough) saturated fat (too much), casein protein (too much and difficult to digest) omega 6 AA and omega 3 DHA (not enough), salt (too much) to name a few.

Having said that though many 8mos would be on only 4 BFs a day anyway. If you can get in 3 feeds when you are at work or even 2 good ones and one at night then I'm sure you could make up the rest of the nutritional requirements with formula in a bottle/sippy and in her food. You could help by making her cereal or puddings or cheese sauces with formula as well.

You may find she moves to reverse cycling at first and starts taking big feeds at night when you are available.

Maybe you can start offering the formula with the solids and then water after to wash the food down. Or do one meal with formula and one with water in the sippy each day.