My daughter is almost 5 months. I've nursed her the entire time with the exception of her taking a bottle once or twice a day (often from daddy). While on vacation last week, my milk supply decreased and I was forced to give her a bottle of formula. She took it without any problems. We've returned from vacation and she has basically refused a bottle of formula AND breast milk and will only eat when I nurse her. I am trying to stop nursing...can anyone offer some suggestions. I am a stay at home mom, so I am the only person available to give her a bottle during the day. Up until the last few days, she took a bottle from me without a problem.
I appreciate those of you that simply offered suggestions on how to help transition my daughter to the bottle. With that said, I do not feel that myself or any other mother needs to explain or justify their decision to stop breastfeeding at any point in time. Some of you have chosen to breastfeed for longer periods of time, and I think that is just great if it works for you.
I think its the age - my son did fine on a bottle or two of breast milk under 5 months, but when right about that time as I was getting ready to start back to work he suddenly disliked bottles... we had a heck of a time but worked through it.
Is there a reason you cant breastfeed him until he is one? If you have a difficulty you could feel free to PM me and we could chat.
I was just wondering why you want to give up bf? I think that it is so much easier than bottles. It is always ready, and there is nothing to wash when you are done and you don't have to worry about forgetting anything when you leave the house...except the baby of course LOL.
If you really want to give bottles I have always heard that having someone other than you feed her may work.
You may need to have your husband feed her on a Sat/Sun to transition her back to the bottle. My friend had to do this. If she gets hungry enough she will eat from the bottle.
Hi S.,
My daughter is now 7 months and we just went through the same thing! Except she barely ever took a bottle, it was really hit or miss. My best advice is to just stick to it. Keep offering it to her and even if she'll just take an once or 2 praise her. Also, she likes to chew on the soothie brand pacifiers, so I bought those bottles. I don't really like them since you have to tip them up so far...yadda yadda. So once she was hooked on bottle feeding I switched to the ones I preferred.
Best wishes
N.
I breastfed all three of my children anywhere from 10 months to a year. I think it may just be your timing. Each of my children just lost interest at a cetain point. Perhaps if you gave it another month and then went to every other feeding with a bottle. The hardest feeding for my kids to give up was when they first got up, and at bed time. But once they got to where those were the only two BF's a day, it was shortly after that where they lost interest. I was also wondering what bottle nipples you are using. I used the advent ones because I had heard they were easier for the BF baby to switch back and forth between. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
As a full time working mother of a 13 month old who is still nursing, I also wonder why you are looking to end the nursing relationship at 5 months, especially if you have the opportunity to stay home with her. I believe the American Pediatric Association recommends breastmilk for the first year. If you can stick with it that would be best for you and your baby.
I did give up pumping at work when my baby turned one and it's been great to have more freedom with my time and my body on my breaks at work. I can understand missing the freedoms of a body that is all your own (a glass of wine, or sometimes a whole bottle would be nice once in a while ;-)) I am uncertain how I'm going to wean my daughter and I hope she leads me in that direction herself in the not too distant future, but I'm enjoying the bonding time while I can because I'm sure this stage will be over way too fast. Don't rush it if you don't have to.
