Bottle feeding a breastfed baby

[Moos]

Oops. I introduced Twosling to the bottle in his second month and ensured he had a bottle of ebm (later formula) several times a week, to make sure he'd take the bottle happily. He's now taking 2 regular bottle feeds/day - but with my other half extremely busy at work in Feb and March including weeks away, I forgot to ensure that he'd take it from someone other than me. (Besides, baby Moosling would have taken a bottle from the Childcatcher himself as long as it was warm and full enough!) So for now all my plans to give myself evenings off and the possibility of early nights have been scuppered, as Twosling screams the house down if either his father or granny tries to feed him. We've tried for a few nights now, with no improvement. Am getting very tired a a result, with an 11.30 bedtime after Twosling's late feed, and back on breastfeeding duty by 2 and through the night. Twosling is nearly 5 months.

Anyway, a cautionary tale for anyone else who might not have thought of it, and if anyone has any experience of getting a baby to take a bottle from someone other than his mother, I'd be glad of any advice.

[Fuschia]

Moos, I left our twins with a minder from 7m and they had never had a bottle really. She managed miraculously to persuade them... by virtue of some rocking, holding in a very firm snuggly grip etc. Getting a bottle (axifeed storage bottle) that you can squeeze slightly to push the milk out and reduce the need to suck might be a help. I have a few such bottles if you'd like one. Also best probably to try these feeds NOT when he's tired, and not when you're there listening getting stressed

[Moos]

Thanks Fuschia. Good idea to try another time of day, maybe post nap. I've been resisting introducing another bottle, but perhaps for a few days will do no harm. Trouble is of course we aren't willing to go cold turkey and let him cry until he will feed, so it's going to have to be a question of persuation.

Zzzz

Moos

[Saffron]

Reverse Pantley pull-off technique???

[Fuschia]

Moos, get yourself to bed at 9pm and let Mr Moos change nappy, bring baby to you for feed, burp and settle. Don't stay up till 1130!

[Moos]

Saffron, am trying the Pantley technique for Twosling's dummy settling... bless the little pop, he's quite a sucky baby, and think he's a bit young to take it away altogether. Some moderate success, but unfort means he takes a long time to settle, and he's waking 2-3 times an evening at the moment even before we get to the 11pm feed. Sigh. Doesn't he realise when Glee is on?

That's a roundabout way of asking what reverse PPO might be?

Fuschia, sounds like a plan...but see above. Hopefully just a short phase related to moving him from bedside crib to own cot in own room. I am still taking him to our bed to feed and co-sleep in the night once he wakes at 2am, though I'd be a lot happier if it were 3am. Bah.

[Moos]

Saffron, am trying the Pantley technique for Twosling's dummy settling... bless the little pop, he's quite a sucky baby, and think he's a bit young to take it away altogether. Some moderate success, but unfort means he takes a long time to settle, and he's waking 2-3 times an evening at the moment even before we get to the 11pm feed. Sigh. Doesn't he realise when Glee is on?

That's a roundabout way of asking what reverse PPO might be?

Fuschia, sounds like a plan...but see above. Hopefully just a short phase related to moving him from bedside crib to own cot in own room. I am still taking him to our bed to feed and co-sleep in the night once he wakes at 2am, though I'd be a lot happier if it were 3am. Bah.

[Saffron]

Moos Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Saffron, am trying the Pantley technique for

> Twosling's dummy settling... bless the little pop,

> he's quite a sucky baby, and think he's a bit

> young to take it away altogether. Some moderate

> success, but unfort means he takes a long time to

> settle, and he's waking 2-3 times an evening at

> the moment even before we get to the 11pm feed.

> Sigh. Doesn't he realise when Glee is on?

>

> That's a roundabout way of asking what reverse PPO

> might be?

Well if the PPO is for getting the dummy/bottle/nipple OUT... surely there must be some way to 'reverse' it so you can get the bottle IN? When you invent a way, be sure to publish it so you can get lots of ?????!

:)

xx

[Fuschia]

Brush the teat against the baby's cheek until he roots

i did read something on a site about making bottle feeding as much a spossible like breastdfeeding i wish i had bookmarked

[Ruth_Baldock]

Ah, Cheeky S did this, after a period of my husband working all hours and not being able to give him a bottle. Then he'd take one, but only from me (totally defeats the object). We left it a week, tried again with a BIT of success, left it a week, tried again a week later and eventually he got better. I remember sobbing on the bed, wailing 'No one can help to feeeeeddd hiiiim! My life is oh-oh-OVER!'.

P.S. I just read that text you sent way-back-when, which leads me to believe S had his little fat hands on the phone when it arrived. He knows how to navigate the damn thing, so emails and texts are marked as 'read'. Grr! So not ignoring you, will reply this eve.

[Trish]

I have no advice I'm afraid....just lots of sympathy. My little man is now feeding pretty much every 1-2 hours day and night - I'm very tired and emotional!

I hope you get a bit more sleep tonight.

x

[KateW]

I was in a similar position: my husband is in the army and was overseas until our daughter was nearly 4 months old (she's now almost 5 months). I breastfed her til she was three and a half months (with an expressed bottle feed every other day since she was 4 weeks old) and apart from the odd feed given to her by my mum, I did all the feeding. I was DESPERATE for hubby to be able to do the late feed so I could catch up on some sleep. We tried him feeding her at all different feeds but she cried after a few gulps and I ended up taking over. HOWEVER, we perservered and I made sure I was out of sight whilst he fed her. He also cuddles her close like I do and makes sure he winds her properly and she's now happy to take a feed from him. Hooray! Hang in there, it took a lot longer than I thought it would and it took a lot of patience but we got there and I'm sure you will too. Good luck.

[Moos]

Saffron, laughter! I'm such a dope... didn't get it. Sense of humour: early victim of sleep deprivation! However, when I am a famous sleep expert scrillionaire due to the publication of "Dr. Moos' Reverse PPO" I will of course credit you..

Fuschia, was it the blog that you posted recently of a woman getting her baby to breastfeed, although only for comfort? Anyway, it's not bottle feeding per se that's our challenge, only the feeder. Grr.

Ruth and KateW - thank you so much, very reassuring. Will persist and persist. Not fun for me to be the sole dependency, and tough on Mr. Moos too.

Trish, what can I say - ouch. If I'm right, Trishlet is a week younger than Twosling but big for his age? Have you perhaps got a candidate for weaning on your hands? I'm fairly sure it's not hunger in our case, unfortunately. Anyway, may the (healthy) sleep fairy visit us all tonight.

Laters

Moos

[Fuschia]

Moos it might have been that( brilliant) blog

Refusal to bf not your prob I know but highlighting what's involved in a baby led bottle feeding session has a lot of lessons I think

Anyway I had better go to sleep