Can't get baby to stop BF!

mrsbez_2

You have had lots of replies but i can only say that stopping breastfeeding altogether can be quite upsetting for you, especially if you say you still enjoy feeding. I would suggest introducing a bottle at one feed, say lunchtime and keep trying that for a few days, then you can introduce another one during the day.
We tried all bottles and ended up with the tommee tippee nature one (the one that looks like a breast!). He will manage it eventually just don't expect him to take to a bottle straight away. We also found that our little boy would only take aptamil (i couldn't express milk at all!!).
hope this all helps, but don't feel pressured that you have to give up all together. He will take a bottle eventually and you can succesfully do both!

SammyD_2

I can only speak from my experience - my son would not take a bottle at all until I stopped breastfeeding him. I was going back to work, and I found expressing virtually impossible with both my children. I just could not get the milk to let down...I "cold turkey'd him" and it was awful. Just stopped feeding him, and then he screamed until he relented over the bottle. Not great at all, but I really was desperate. It is not a strategy I would recommend. The cutting down feeds thing just did not work as he would just be desperate for milk and comfort. At least by getting a bottle he got some sucking.

My daughter I fed until she was two years old. I note that an earlier poster suggested just feeding morning and night if you are working. I strongly recommend caution - This is what I did with my daughter. Eight bouts of mastitis later (yes, eight lots of antibiotics) I decided enough was enough and stopped feeding. The mastitis was caused by the infrequent feeds as it never happened with my son, or while I was not working with my daughter. You might be ok, but it is such an awful thing to have I do not recommend it...

izoomzoom

nad nad ....

I have BF three children, all for more than a year each, and with DS1 & 2, I returned to work when they were three months old (as was the norm then). I expressed for DS1 until he was 9m and for DS2 until he was 6 months. Neither of them took much to a bottle, but I was only gone half the day, and worst case I know the creche used to just give them milk out of the top of the bottle (like a cup).

When the boys reached 6m and 9m respectively I stopped supplying (any) milk and they would last the half day until I got home, on water as a drink, from a sippy cup. I know they didn't drink much, but also remember now the weather is cold, but come hot summer days, children develop a serious thirst.

I am not sure whether you will be returning to work FT or PT, but it is very possible to carry on BF, just feeding in the evenings, overnight and before work in the morning.

I BF DS1 till he was 21 months, DS2 till he was 16m and DD is now 14 months and we are still going strong .... (and still hardly drinks any water from a sippy cup)

Gingham_Ribbon

Try calling the NCT breastfeeding helpline or the la leche league.

There's no need for formula at this stage. Follow on milk was designed purely and simply so that forumla companies could get round the advertising ban, as they're allowed to advertise 'follow on milk' but not milk for newborns.

If you want to provide forumala though, perseverance is probably the key.

Nicki

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

Try calling the NCT breastfeeding helpline or the la leche league.

There's no need for formula at this stage. Follow on milk was designed purely and simply so that forumla companies could get round the advertising ban, as they're allowed to advertise 'follow on milk' but not milk for newborns.

If you want to provide forumala though, perseverance is probably the key.

Is there any scientific evidence though that mixed formula/breast feeding is worse for baby at this age though? My friends who live in America are advised by paediatricians there that only fresh breastmilk has optimum benefits, and that there is no nutritional advantage over expressed milk which has been frozen or stored in a fridge for longer than 30mins and formula. I haven't seen any scientific evidence to support this statement either though

Expressing enough for a whole day's worth of feeds five days a week, plus breastfeeding twice a day, plus working full time, plus running a house, plus looking after a 7 month baby in the evenings and at night is a huge undertaking! I'd be in awe of anyone who was able to do it without running themselves into the ground, but equally would not think any the worse of a mum who fed formula during the day and breast fed at night. Don't forget, even if you are a rabid breastfeeder, that the baby would still be getting at least 50% of its intake from the breast, so would still be getting a lot of benefits from it. And mum gets to have some quality of life too!

Krystaltips

There are studies that show the difference formula makes to the delicate balance of a babies gut Nicki, there is still nutritional benefit in frozen breastmilk but I believe it antibodies decrease over time, not enough to make it nutritionaly worthless though... Will have a hunt around for links for you.
http://www.health-e-learning.com/articles/JustOneBottle.pdf

AnnieM_3

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

Try calling the NCT breastfeeding helpline or the la leche league.

There's no need for formula at this stage. Follow on milk was designed purely and simply so that forumla companies could get round the advertising ban, as they're allowed to advertise 'follow on milk' but not milk for newborns.

If you want to provide forumala though, perseverance is probably the key.

I think the OP just wants to know how to get LO to drink from a cup, so may still be intending to express? (I'm sure her baby will be fine whichever she ends up with though.).

If you know anyone who has a child with a cleft palate, they might be able to offer practical advice on getting LO to drink from a cupat that early stage (cleft palate babies are difficult feeders/eaters/drinkers), or try looking on one of the cleft palate support websites? I had a quick look and found this: http://www1.epinions.com/review/Gerber_Graduates_Sip_And_Smile_Soft_Spout_Spill_Proof_Cups_7oz_2_Pack/content_407553805956

Hope that helps,

AnnieM x

Nicki

Krystaltips wrote: »

There are studies that show the difference formula makes to the delicate balance of a babies gut Nicki, there is still nutritional benefit in frozen breastmilk but I believe it does decrease over time, not enough to make it nutritionaly worthless though... Will have a hunt around for links for you.

The links would be helpful, thanks Krystaltips.

Would just like to make it clear though that I did not say that frozen or refrigerated breastmilk was nutritionally worthless! Nor did I say that formula milk was nutritionally worthless. I don't think either of those two things!

What I am interested in knowing is whether once the milk has been frozen or stored, whether it is still significantly better for the baby than formula, particularly when the baby is still getting some fresh breastmilk daily in his diet. I think this info (if its available) would be of interest to more mums than just nadnad, as most people have to leave their babies at some point while still breastfeeding, even if only for an evening out, and if there is little appreciable difference between frozen breast and formula for these top up feeds, then that would be worth knowing.

Incidentally, I recall when my DS was born following an early CS nearly 9 years ago, and had problems feeding (because he wasn't waking up enough, and wouldn't feed if woken), the hospital (in the UK) insisted that he was fed a top up bottle of formula after every breast feed for the first few weeks, rather than breastmilk which had been expressed between his occasional feeds, as I would have preferred. He was a new born though rather than 7 months old.

Gingham_Ribbon

Ah, sorry. I wasn't meaning to imply that there was anything wrong with offering formula. I was just saying that she might not need to, even if she stops breastfeeding. But she'd need to confirm it with a trained breastfeeding counsellor.

(Lots of babies self wean around the 8 month mark and follow on milk is a new invention.)

Krystaltips

Sorry, it was me that said nutritionaly worthless.. My brain went off on a tangent... The studies do show though that gut flora changes dramatically when formula (or solids) are introduced and these changes wouldn't occur if expressed milk was being offered, frozen or fresh AFAIK