Breast to bottle again!!

[*Liz*]

I'm trying to get my lo who is 23 weeks to take a bottle. He used to take them for quick top ups until he was about 12 weeks old and then started to refuse. I have randomly tried to give a bottle over the last few weeks with no joy. He is still feeding all through the night and I'm desperate for my dh to be able to do the odd feed to take the pressure off me a little. Then of course there is the return to work thing!

So today I thought I'd better try properley to try to avoid prolonging the agony for both of us

I'm a bit of a softy with him and hate to see him cry, especially if I feel I can stop it.

So I was brave today - bf him at 7.20am (he took a very short feed only) and then at the next feed gave him a bottle which he wouldn't take. After another nap he took he took about 2oz - prob about 11.30am. Then I kept offering and he kept refusing. Actually sometimes he would even grab the bottle and put it in his mouth, suck a few times and then stop. He got hungry but was always quite easy to distract and put off for another 30 mins or so. But he held out until I breast fed him before bed at 6.30pm. I itend to bf at NWings tonight and see what happens. But one of my problems is that he feeds at night and very little during the day.

Its so hard to know how to proceed - should I try the same tomorrow - but perhaps stop the breast after the last night feed.

He does take solids but still in the very early stages of weaning so not taking a significant amount yet.

I'm scared to do a complete cold turkey when he isn't on enough solids yet but maybe that is what I should be doing? But I did give it 11 hrs today with no real break through.

I'm trying to get to mixed feeding at the end with an early morning bf and bedtime bf.

[* Paula *]

How about offering the bottle during the NW's?

You know he is going to be hungry, so persist and offer the bottle through the night.  If he refuses, by the time morning comes he will probably be that hungry that he will take the bottle.

I would also suggest asking someone else to offer the bottle like your DH.  That way your lo won't be able to smell your breast milk on you.

I would keep on persisting if you are wanting to get him on a bottle.  A baby does not have the capability of starving themselves.  Yes they will hold out in hopes of getting a BF, but will eventually give in and take the bottle.

Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.

[*Liz*]

Well today was awful - I last fed him at 2am and he held me for 17 hrs before taking the bottle

So I'm going to keep up with it overnight as a dare not put either of us through that again unless absolutely necessary

[*Liz*]

Well, fingers crossed, it seems to be working!

He took 4oz of EBM at 10.30pm (would have took more but I didn't have any warm and he threw a wobbly waiting!) and 6oz at 2am, then slept until 7.30am (wow) and took 5oz (75% EBM, 25% formula)

After the hunger strike I think I will hold him on bottles for 24hrs to consolidate and then decide what to do about whether to restart an evening breastfeed. I need to decide what is fairest on him as I will need to stop completely in 8 weeks anyway as I am a shift worker when I return.

I also need to persuade the little monkey to take formula - all this pumping is not for me!!

The hardest part was when he went very quiet and just stopped even asking for food. He was so tired by then also as obviously did not nap well whilst he was so hungry.

I still feel a bit sorry for him though Its so hard when you try and change things. I know he won't remember, but still?

[* Paula *]

Huge hugs, I know how hard it can be.

Congrats though, I am pleased that your lo has started to take the bottle.  Keep us posted on how the introducing of formula goes.

[*Liz*]

Things have got better

Unfortunately I don't think he will accept mixed feeding - everytime I breast feed him he hunger strikes the next 2 feeds. He also the refuses any formula in the milk.

So I've decided on balance to switch to bottle feeding. I think that is fairest on my lo as it will only be a matter of weeks now before it becomes necessary anyway.

I'm managing a 2/3 EBM 1/3 formula mix now. I assume that if I just continue to dilute he will slowly transition.

He is a stubborn little thing when he wants to be though I might have wanted to mix feed but he clearly had other ideas.

But his intake has improved loads during the day on the bottle as he can sit up, and hold it and look around. His naps are better and so is his nighttime sleep. So yey!!

[* Paula *]

I am pleased that he is feeding better from the bottle.

If you want to continue switching to formula, then I would carry on reducing the BM and increasing the formula every few days and see how he goes.

Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.