DD refuses to take a bottle

[AussieBub]

Our DD recently turned 6 months and we've begun introducing solids, which she takes no problem. So I want to start weaning her off breast feeds. Only problem is, she refuses to take a bottle. I blame myself for I have only ever given her a bottle maybe 3 times her whole life. I just enjoyed breastfeeding her so much that I didn't like the idea of bottle feeds. But now as we're making the transition from co-sleeping to cot, I at least want to substitute the bedtime feed for a bottle rather than boob. She won't have it though. We've been trying during the day, to slowly introduce the bottle to her, sometimes with breast milk, sometimes formula or sometimes just water, just to see if she responds to any. She doesn't.

I'm afraid of her not eating enough if I don't give in and give her boob but at the same time, I feel like I'm not progressing things by giving in and giving her boob. I feel like she's learning that throwing a wobbly and pushing the bottle away, gets her boob, which is what she wants.

I don't know what to do. Suggestions?
-AussieBub

 

[randomrach]

Honestly, I can't understand why you need to progress from breast to bottle just because you started weaning or why it would be essential to switch to a bottle to stop co-sleeping. Surely you would do just the same as with a bottle - take her from the cot, give milk, change nappy and back in the cot to sleep. IMO breastfeeding doesn't make for a more clingy baby so no reason why you wouldn't be able to continue breastfeeding and transition to a cot, unless you just wish to stop breastfeeding now? You can't make a baby take a bottle if they don't want to, I would focus on trying to give water, juice or formula in a sippy cup after 6 months and just skip the bottle altogether.