Bottle aversion. Want to stop BF

[spinetingle]

Hello lovely people

I am 2nd time mum to a 25 week old. I began introducing solids and bottles 2 weeks ago. Baby had previously taken the odd bottle of either ebm or formula.

Sadly in hindsight we tried food and the bottle right in the middle of teething and I now think the baby has developed a huge aversion. Baby now screams and closes mouth v tight, so we can't get a teat in. Have tried different teats, bottles, milks and temperatures. HV suggested it was a battle of wills but we tried for 2 hours solid to no avail.

Is it time for cold turkey? Any success stories?

Thank you
X

[spinetingle]

Sorry should also say that I am on 4 hour easy and offer bottle at every feed, every day for 3 weeks this Saturday. Baby hasn't drunk one once that whole time. Will not drink from a cup either but doesn't scream with one at least. Not sure which avenue to go down but will be away for 2 days so bottle is preferable

Thanks. Hoping this makes sense!

[zeri]

Hi, your LO won't take a free flow sippy or a regular cup either? My DS wouldn't take a bottle until 11 months, but he would get by on a sippy once and a while. If your LO won't take a bottle from you, is there someone else that could take over feeds? DH usually had more success that I did becasue DS's brain associated "Mama=BF".
I am not sure what an HV is, but if it were me I would step back for a bit if I had the time, and let it settle, then have someone try with  a sippy of EBM when everyone is feeling calm and relaxed, and you are not in the room.
TBH I didn't fight the bottle refusal much, reasoning he would get over it eventually, but i had the time to do that. Hopefully someone else can help you more!

[spinetingle]

Hi. Thanks for replying. No success with any cups. And it was my husband who tried for 2 hours. Hv is my health visitor.

Just feel like cold turkey may be our only option.

[zeri]

Hmm. The baby BF's okay? How did the intro to solids go? I know sometimes LO's that love solids will start to refuse bottles, but this doesn't really sound like that. 
Some tips I have read are to use juice in the bottle at first (if you LO takes juice), let the baby play with the bottle at play time so that aren't afraid of it, let them see you do it so they want to imitate you, or give it before they get very hungry. Put something sweet on the bottle nipple (not sure about that, can't use honey obviously and baby is quite young.... applesauce? idk) Good Luck!

[Fiver]

I mixed fed my DS and at one point I took to BF him to the point of sleepy and then sliding the bottle teat into the corner of his mouth in place of the breast.  It's a bit sneaky, but did seem to work.  Might be worth a try?

[spinetingle]

Have tried something sweet on the teat and the solids are going ok. Sadly baby no longer falls asleep on the breast so is very aware when I slip in the bottle.

Going to try letting them play with the bottle and teats. But still feel like we will have to go cold turkey. Has anyone here tried it?

Thanks again for any replies.  Much appreciated

[eva026]

We had a slightly different situation, baby refused to BF and just wanted the bottle. Before we found this site we were advised to try cold turkey but it didn't work for us. DD cried and cried and still wouldn't eat. On day 2 I just couldn't do it any more and gave her what she wanted. We did get back to BF after help from the ladies on this forum though:)
Have you tried different temperatures? DD will drink milk from a sippy but only cold milk.

[spinetingle]

Yes have tried different temps. Honestly feel like we've tried it all. Did your little one do two days without any food or drink then?

I have a feeling that's what we will face

[Fiver]

Have you tried allowing LO to put the bottle/sippy to his own mouth rather than you trying to present it to him?

Sometimes they get really independent and just want to do it themselves.

[spinetingle]

Yeah that's kind if where we're at at the moment. Trying it with water and bf now then gonna have to try cold turkey in Tuesday.

Hoping baby has forgotten what all the fuss was about after 4 days off the bottle

Just hope it works aarrgghh

[Fiver]

Personally, I wouldn't go down the cold turkey route.  I might be soft, but I don't feel it's fair on the LO (or the rest of the family, for that matter)

[spinetingle]

It's not ideal I know. But I have to go back to work in a few weeks and he would in my mind be more distressed without the breast and no mummy then.

It's so hard to know what is best. I just hope that he gets the hang of the cup in the next few days and will drink some milk from it.