6 months old! A new struggle begins...

[xteepeex]

I am so very very proud to say that today my daughter is 6 months old, and I have exclusively breastfed her

I nearly gave up the day we got out of hospital, sooooo much pain I cried before and during each feed, asked Dh to take her to social services as I couldn't look after her, but now I wouldn't have it any other way, I love our cuddly feeds, and I am so proud of us both, our bond is amazing.

But! Now I have another struggle to contend with! I have decided to carry on feeding her as I won't be going back to work until she is 1. However I would like some time to myself and know that she needs to learn to spend some time away from me too. She used to take bottles of ebm with a little grumbling, but she is now totally refusing them. So much so that when Dh and I went to the grand prix at silverstone a few weeks back she didn't eat for 17 hours

I'm determined she shall take my milk from a source other than me again (not least because its my birthday next week and Dh is getting me a spa day, I can't go until I know she'll take ebm again, and I reeeeeally need a massage )

Any tips? She used to take bottles from me, Dh, sister, both sets of grandparents. I've heard of doidy cups and am considering getting one, until then all help gratefully received - has anyone else had the same problem?

For now I'm just offering the bottle with a small amount of ebm in it every day, no point putting a full feed in there until she starts taking it. She clamps her teeth down on the teat and just looks at me

 

[JessPape]

It may be worth trying different bottles, sippy cups, straws, or even spoon feeding. At 6 months you can start trying differnet foods too, so really I wouldn't stress to much. Just keep offering sometimes they stop wanting it, sometimes they go back.

 

[Kellen]

My EBF baby refuses bottles as well, but... she loves her Sippy Cup! It is one with two handles and she has to "bite" the tip of it before any milk will come out. The first time we gave it to her (we didn't bother to warm the EBM we grabbed from the fridge) she chugged down 2oz! Was this seriously the same child who would cry and scream if you so much as put a bottle on the counter?! It has reduced my stress level a lot as I now feel comfortable leaving her with DH or my parents for a couple hours while I run errands or go to the library to work on my dissertation.

 

[cautious...]

I tried everything with my LO. Just last week I finally got him to take a bottle - NUK with a latex NUK teat. I tried making it really warm one day and he took it! Now I make sure it's really warm. If it cools he refuses again and i need to re-warm. I tried sippy and doidy cups but because I wanted something he could also take overnight (when I fancy a night out!) I thought the doidy in particular would be too messy. I think he had more milk on his clothes! Good luck!

 

[MissCurly]

I would try cups and put the milk into foods- if you are weaning.

Worth a try!