Moving from breast to bottle

emmab23 · #1 (**permalink**) 28-09-10, 20:54

I am thinking of starting LO on formula as i aimed to feed him for 5 months. So thought i would start getting him use to bottles, tried giving him an odd one here and there, but he won't - at all!! Wont have breast or formula milk from a bottle, and really dont know what to do?? Any advice?!

rachaelmae · #2 (**permalink**) 28-09-10, 21:25

Livvy refused a bottle, she would only drink milk from a cup.

Was a pian in the arse, LOL she just LOVED breastfeeding, still does

emmab23 · #3 (**permalink**) 29-09-10, 19:14

It def is a pain in the arse...cant seem to go anywhere or do anything!! I think hes a bit young for a cup but i'll try anything. Its a nightmare cant even leave him at home with daddy to look after in case he needs a feed!!!

CarlaK · #4 (**permalink**) 29-09-10, 23:09

We tried the 'Closer to Nature,' range by Tommee Tippee as the teat is the closest shape to a real boobie. After a few false starts, she realised that that they both provided milk!

Debbiemeep · #5 (**permalink**) 09-11-10, 23:29

Emma, did you have any success with getting him to take a bottle?

Philip is 4 1/2 months and still fully breastfed. I've tried giving him formula (Aptamil) as I need to go out a few evenings to do christmas fairs but he totally refuses to take it. I've tried Avent bottles, the Closer to Nature TT ones, Nuby ones, from a sippy cup and from a spoon but he refuses point blank and screams.
My other 2 had no problem with the occasional bottle of formula when I needed to leave them for a while and liked Aptamil ok so I am at a bit of a loss what to do next.

It's usually no problem as I have him with me all the time but at this time of year I need to be able to do Christmas Fairs to help promote my business and it's too awkward to take him with me. Tonight I had an evening fair so I left him for the first time, fed him at 5pm before I left and then fed him again at 11pm when I got home but when it's an all-day fair I have to take him with me which isn't really practical. (Esp if he has an explosive nappy!

)

Anyone found their bf babies preferred a certain type of formula or any other suggestions what I can try?

DrP · #6 (**permalink**) 10-11-10, 11:14

'Fraid I never tried formula with my LO when he was little. I just pumped and kept a supply in the freezer. But I had to go back to the office one morning a week once he hit 16weeks (could work the rest of the week from home thankfully) so I always got a chance to keep a supply in there.

If you can pump and he will take breast milk form a bottle it's worth trying to get a few into the freezer if you can for those times when you have to be out and about. I found it so handy as I know I could leave my LO times other than when I was working.

emmab23 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-12-10, 20:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debbiemeep

Emma, did you have any success with getting him to take a bottle?

Philip is 4 1/2 months and still fully breastfed. I've tried giving him formula (Aptamil) as I need to go out a few evenings to do christmas fairs but he totally refuses to take it. I've tried Avent bottles, the Closer to Nature TT ones, Nuby ones, from a sippy cup and from a spoon but he refuses point blank and screams.
My other 2 had no problem with the occasional bottle of formula when I needed to leave them for a while and liked Aptamil ok so I am at a bit of a loss what to do next.

It's usually no problem as I have him with me all the time but at this time of year I need to be able to do Christmas Fairs to help promote my business and it's too awkward to take him with me. Tonight I had an evening fair so I left him for the first time, fed him at 5pm before I left and then fed him again at 11pm when I got home but when it's an all-day fair I have to take him with me which isn't really practical. (Esp if he has an explosive nappy!

)

Anyone found their bf babies preferred a certain type of formula or any other suggestions what I can try?

No sucess at all!! I have bought all the same bottles you have and even ordered one from mothercare called breastflow which the baby sucks the same as breastfeeding - it didnt work either!!!

So EVERYDAY i'm just trying with the botttle with the vague hope that maybe one day he'll get the idea!!

Debbiemeep · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-10, 23:24

DrP - I'm too lazy to express!

Never get a chance with the other 2 running round either.

Emma - same here, I've just accepted that he doesn't want the bottle but I keep trying every few days in case he changes his mind! I'm going to try giving him a sippy cup with water and let him play with it to see if he would take that instead. If I end up bf'ing him until he's a year old I can cope with it, and will just treat myself to a day out without ANY children at all once he stops bf'ing. He's pretty quick at feeding so it's not too bad, but I'm starting to feel really exhausted now as he is still up at 3am every night wanting fed.

I've actually been able to leave him a few hours in the evening though while I go and do a school fair. But tonight I tried feeding him before I left and he didn't want it, so dh gave him a spoon feed and then put him to bed. He's still asleep atm but he hasn't had a bf since 1pm - thats 10 hours! He's a skinny wee thing as it is so I just worry that because he won't take a bottle he's missing out on a milk feed when I'm out. Saying that, he'll likely keep me awake from 3-5am to make up for it

Aw well, at least I know I'm not the only one with a baby who knows what he likes best!

emmab23 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-12-10, 20:51

debbiemeep - does your lo take a dummy? Only its not so much the bfing and lack of wanting bottle. But i'm feeding all the time as he feeds to sleep-and doesn't sleep for very long!

How does you lo settle to sleep without i bf, like on evening when you do go out? Sorry for asking!!!

Debbiemeep · #10 (**permalink**) 06-12-10, 14:23

Hi Emma,

Yes, he has a dummy. I gave it to him when he was about 3 months but it took him over a week to get used to what to do with it. He kept trying to suck it the same way as he would when feeding and kept spitting it out, so it took me a week of sitting with him in the evening and putting it back in every 2 minutes until he fell asleep. He just wanted to comfort suck, didn't want fed so he was happy with a dummy as long as it stayed in his mouth.

Now, I usually give him a bf at 3:30-4ish, then he has his spoonfeed at dinnertime (6ish) and is happy to go to bed at 7pm with his dummy. I just put him in bed and give him the dummy, he will cry for a few minutes and sometimes the dummy falls out so I have to go back in but if I've got him at the right time he is asleep within 5 minutes. I've found if I let him get too tired he will get quite worked up and scream for at least 30 minutes and I have to keep going back in to calm him down. Sometimes I will give him a wee feed if I think he has got too upset but if I do, I usually try and waken him slightly before putting him down so that he drifts over again himself.

Is your lo on solids? Philip has started to sleep longer at night now that he gets 3 spoonfeeds a day, he still wakes around 1am and 4am though but he sleeps from 7-1am so at least I get some time to relax or do the dishes. I try giving him his dummy when he wakens but most times he wants fed at night.
Just before I started Philip with solids he was feeding before bedtime and waking up 2 hours later wanting fed again. I assumed it was a growth spurt and just kept feeding him but after 2 weeks I decided to try him with solids as the extra feeding wasn't making any difference. Giving him baby porridge or one of the breakfast cereals about an hour before bed seemed to help him sleep longer and he was much happier at bedtime and fell asleep easier.

It might be worth seeing if your lo would take a dummy if he's just wanting to comfort suck, although then you do have to keep getting up and giving it back when they lose it! Does he take much from the bedtime feed or is it more for a comfort thing?

(Sorry, just realised this is quite long!) How long does your lo sleep for and does he sleep much during the day too? Sometimes I think I've tried to get Philip to sleep during the day just to give myself a bit of peace to get something done when really he doesn't need it, and it just means he isn't as tired at bedtime.

Debs