Bottles for a breastfed baby

[mamatwo]

My little one is now 12 weeks old and I have had to go back to work part time. Up till now I have taken him with me but sometimes I will need to leave him (first time will be 2/10). I tried leaving him with his dad with a bottle of expressed milk, he wouldn't have it and screamed the place down, we left it a few weeks and left him with my mum and dad with a bottle but again - he took two sucks and then refused screaming. He's normally such a lovely chilled out boy who hardly ever cries and I really feel sorry for him but need him to feed when I'm not there. Has anyone got any ideas? I hate the thought of him being sad and hungry while I'm away

[cassa333]

They learn from the minute they are born how to get what they want. And he has learnt well...

Have you tried the 'natural' teet bottles. They are a bit more expencive but they did the trick for my sil.

[annie0000]

I had the same problem - I had to delay going back to work and everything - eventually the only thing that worked was the advice or a seasoned midwife - she told me to buy the really cheap latex teats (the brown ones) as they tend to be a lot softer in the mouth than the silicon ones (they dont last as long) . Try your local chemist they usually stock them rather than the big high street shops or supermarkets. Again, get someone else to try him with it rather than you, but in the end, my son took it from me after months of trying everything from cups to special bottles to sipping it from a spoon!

[tigwig]

This is a really difficult one and I see this problem from the other side. I am a nursery nurse in a baby room and I am currently experiencing this with one of the babies and it is really hard on the baby. I personally think if mums are returning to work than they shouldn't really start to breastfeed. It is not fair on the baby and it is also hard for mum. If mum's want to give their baby breast milk then they can always express.
Any way thats my view here comes the advice! Have you tried using a feeder cup (Tommee Tippee or similar). This is what I am doing as the baby will have no idea how to suck from a teet. I really would stop the breastfeeds now and express into a bottle or use formula. It will be hard and better if someone else feeds him but if you are returning to work I don't see any other option.

[naflharrison]

have you tried bottle feeding him yourself to get him used to it as he will feel more comforted with you feeding him the bottle at first then gradually once hes feedin get your husband to feed him whie your sitting with him, its not just weaning him to a bottle its weaning him from you also. if he doesnt want the bottle at first you will just have to persever and only offer him the bottle he will feed if he is hungry. its hard i know but its probably the only way. hope it all works out well!

[mamatwo]

Thanks for the tips guys - will give them a try, fingers crossed!
xx

[Lil O'lady]

I had simialr experience with both my babies - would not have anything other than my boobs, no feeding bottles, no dummies. However, they both would sip from spoons and drink from both ordinary cups and spout cups, even from 3 months. Plus, you need to console yourself, that they will not starve themselves. If they are hungry / thirsty and liquid / milk/ food is offered they'll find their way to accessing it, eventually.
It is a dreadfu thing to have to hear babies crying and I sympathise with mums and carers, but given that they are loved and ooked after they get over the rest. You have given the babe the best possible start and now s/he'll manage well and be cared for. Don't beat yourself up but just carry on - if you want to, a single evening feed will be OK.
When my first was born (22 yrs ago) there was an earthquake in Mexico that destroyed a maternity hospital. Terrible as it was, they were bringing out surviving babies for a long time afterwards, and these seemed to have not suffered lasting ill effects when tested years later. I'm not suggesting you chuck your infants down a hole! But just to reassure you that they are very resilient despite the racket they put up in protest.

[annie0000]

Hope all goes well, let us know how you get on.

[aims1202]

i have just finished my antenatal classes and the midwife was talking about bf and ff. she said that if you are bf and you want to either express or use formula then the best teats to use are the ones with long teat that goes quite far into the baby's mouth. they are usually on the cheap bottles you can buy at chemists. some bf babies will only take these ones as they are most similar to a nipple. I dont agree with someone who said not to bf at all if you are going back to work, you are giving your baby a good start and she/he will soon be ok with a bottle. good luck

[mamatwo]

Hi Guys
Tried the cheaper latex teats and he was loads more settled having it and also took some milk from a training cup. Feeling loads better about leaving him now knowing that he'll be able to feed. Going to keep trying him each day but planning to leave him Thurs! Fingers crossed.
Thank you all for your helpand support xx

[annie0000]

That sounds good - the latex teats get even softer after a couple of goes in the steriliser. If he will take it from a cup as well that is really good - my son would only take water or juice from a cup - never milk. Enjoy the return to work! and try to relax, he will be fine.