6 month old refusing bottle

[falcon6]

Hi all, my 6 month old and I have really enjoyed our breast feeding journey. I started giving bottles of expressed milk about 2/3 times per week from about 6 weeks really just to be sure that he would take a bottle. He always took it no problem and used to almost get excited when he saw the bottle and reach out for it. On Christmas day he was sick and probably over-stimulated - he point blank refused the bottle after getting very upset when my husband tried to settle him.  He has refused ever since, even after a break of a few days. I want to continue bf until about 10/11 months but I need some freedom too. Twice I have left him with family and he has gone up to 5 hours without a feed - at which point I gave in and bf him. I feel like this is reinforcing things - if you cry and give out for 2 hours, eventually I will give in and offer the breast instead of bottle!

Anyway, I wanted to ask for clarification on the thread 'From breast to bottle: things to consider'...When it talks about trying every hour the 1st day and preparing to ride out the hunger strike. How does this apply when I'm only aiming for 1 bottle/day and not complete cold turkey. Do I refused to bf until he takes a bottle? So, for example, he's due a feed at 10am and refuses. Try again at 11am, 12, 1pm until he takes bottle. And then next feed can be a breast feed again 3 hours later??

Honestly, I will choose to wean off the breast completely if I cant get him to take the occasional bottle - but I really dont want to do this!

Thanks in advance for your advice

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Is it possible he needs a faster flow nipple on the bottle? Tbh I would not hold out on bf when he refuses the bottle, but just try again at the next feed. If it happens that you are out and he won't take it, what about a sippy or open cup?

[falcon6]

He's on a size 2.. I guess I could try a size 3. I'll try anything! And I haven't tried a sippy cup yet but will tomorrow Have seen straw cups mentioned too but wonder if he quite young for that - he's literally just turned 6 months.

So, a plan for tomorrow could be to offer the bottle when each feed is due and if he refuses after say 5 minutes, just bf him?

Thanks for quick reply!

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Both of my older kids took a sippy cup by 5/6 months so it is possible (can't remember which kind worked best for them, we tried so many!). If possible I would get someone besides yourself to offer the bottle. DD3 would only take one from her sisters at first.

[*Ali*]

That advice on holding out the BFs to wean cold turkey is really for emergencies like mum is sick and can't BF. I definitely would not try it in your situation where you have time to work on this.

[falcon6]

Thanks guys! I'll keep you updated