Help! DD won't take pumped BM at all!

[edurnemk]

DD is EBF, she's had a few bottles of BM before when we went away to an OOT wedding, and on a few other occasions without any issues. But I must confess it's been a while since she'd been given a bottle. Yesterday we went to an OOT wedding again (but thankfully closer this time, a 2 hour drive), left her with my parents and she absolutely refused to take any bottles. They tried to give it in a sippy cup, with a spoon, etc. and she would.not.take.it. She ate a few solids and, once they told me what was going on, I asked them to give her water or watered down juice to keep her hydrated because by then she'd had nothing to drink for 6-7 hours. Instead of spending the night at a hotel and driving back this morning as planned, we had to leave the wedding early and come back home because I was mortified about her not getting any milk for so long. In total I was away for 12 hours, that's how long she went without any BM, and she only had 2-3 ounces of watered down juice. She was happy and playful all day, though, according to my mom. She simply doesn't want to drink BM from anything but the breast.

The thing is we have another wedding in 4 weeks, BUT it's really far, we'll be flying there and we'll be gone a bit over 24 hours. What do I do? How do I get her to take a bottle or sippy cup with milk? Should I try to introduce her to formula or cow's milk (she'll be almost 11 months by then) JIC she refuses BM from a bottle again?

[queenmama]

The thing is we have another wedding in 4 weeks, BUT it's really far, we'll be flying there and we'll be gone a bit over 24 hours. What do I do? How do I get her to take a bottle or sippy cup with milk? Should I try to introduce her to formula or cow's milk (she'll be almost 11 months by then) JIC she refuses BM from a bottle again?

Did you plan on weaning her at 12 months? If so, yeah, you may as well start her on some alternative milk since she'll be almost there! If you're going to continue BF then I would start now working on bottles or cups with BM.

As far as introducing and encouraging the use of bottles or cups, I have no idea. Agnes is 12 months and has never had a bottle. I will definitely be in trouble -- or rather, she will -- if anything ever happens to me or I can't get to her to feed her. :o

Lara

[mikala]

Are you sure it's related to bf? DS2 happily downs a bottle of pumped milk from me or daddy and adores solids but is in a phase where he'll hunter strike for other people. The sitters are friends and relatives he's seen regularly since birth. I don't think weaning or alternate liquids will make a difference for him because his overall intake of solids and liquids tanks when he's away from us.

Good luck!

[edurnemk]

Are you sure it's related to bf? DS2 happily downs a bottle of pumped milk from me or daddy and adores solids but is in a phase where he'll hunter strike for other people. The sitters are friends and relatives he's seen regularly since birth. I don't think weaning or alternate liquids will make a difference for him because his overall intake of solids and liquids tanks when he's away from us.

Good luck!

She did eat all or most of the solid food I left for her (lunch and dinner), and snacked happily on cereal puffs. She's not big on taking liquids from bottles or cups, she usually just tosses her sippy off the high chair tray. And since she nurses frequently I haven't really pushed water. I'm just really worried that she'll go on hunger or BM strike for 24+ hours.

[edurnemk]

Did you plan on weaning her at 12 months?

That's the plan, I might continue to nurse a couple of times a day for a couple of months after her bday, but the plan was to BF until 12 months.

I guess my reasoning is that if she only rejects BM, maybe she'll take something else when I'm not there (milk or formula).

[zukeypur]

DD3 refused a bottle, sippy, and pacifier until around 18 months. She NEVER took one. It was an exhausting time because she was so stubborn. I have no advice, because I was obviously unsuccessful. I just wanted you to know you're not alone.

[edurnemk]

Well, how bad is it if an almost 11 month old has no BM or formula for a single 28 hour period? Can she get by on solids, water and diluted juice for that long?

[zukeypur]

Sure, I don't see why not. My DD wouldn't take anything from a bottle or sippy.

[mmommy]

Neither of my DDs would take anything in a bottle or sippy. When I returned to work with each of them, they would just hold out until I'd get home and then attack me. Good thing I don't have a 9-5 schedule! I recently worked on a project that had me out of the house for 12-14 hours for four weeks while DD2 was 10 months old. In addition to not taking a bottle, she really wasn't eating solids yet. Apparently she was pleasant enough, just didn't eat anything. I don't think I could have left her for longer since she wasn't eating anything at all, but if she were eating solids I think I'd have been ok for longer. Good luck - it sucks worrying about them so much :)

[Liziz]

Well, how bad is it if an almost 11 month old has no BM or formula for a single 28 hour period? Can she get by on solids, water and diluted juice for that long?

While I don't think it's ideal, as long as she's getting other liquids (water and juice), I don't think it's dangerous if she strikes and won't drink any BM for 1 day. If she's eating other food, then my big concern is a hydration issue, not a nutrition issue -- so if you're comfortable she'll take some liquids, I think she'd be fine. (I'm thinking of how people on here have posted about their babies going on nursing strikes -- and sometimes those last for over 24 hours with no ill effects on the child)

I'd probably also spend the next month regularly offering her a bottle/sippy cup (at that age, it would be great to go right to sippy cup, but I know my DD wasn't into them much until 13-14 months, and in your situation, I wouldn't care about the delivery method as long as she'd take it), to try to get her used to it.

One other less than ideal idea that might work if she refuses BM in other forms....DD went through a phase around that age where she adored straws -- she didn't really want water, but if we'd put it in a straw and "dropper" it into her mouth (you know, where you put the straw in a cup, put your finger over the top, then release your finger to let the liquid come out), she thought it was a game and would love it. It would take forever to get a full feeding, but you could keep it in your back pocket (or you babysitter's) if nothing else is working as a way to get *some* milk into her.

[edurnemk]

One other less than ideal idea that might work if she refuses BM in other forms....DD went through a phase around that age where she adored straws -- she didn't really want water, but if we'd put it in a straw and "dropper" it into her mouth (you know, where you put the straw in a cup, put your finger over the top, then release your finger to let the liquid come out), she thought it was a game and would love it. It would take forever to get a full feeding, but you could keep it in your back pocket (or you babysitter's) if nothing else is working as a way to get *some* milk into her.

Genius! I'll give it a try it's the only thing we haven't tried. I've offered BM in all kinda of sippy cups, regular cups, bottles, spoons the last 2 days and she refuses each and every time. IIRC DS learned to drink from a straw at about 13-14 months, so I don't think DD will be able to at almost 11, but the dropper technique seems worth trying.

[Philly Mom]

Genius! I'll give it a try it's the only thing we haven't tried. I've offered BM in all kinda of sippy cups, regular cups, bottles, spoons the last 2 days and she refuses each and every time. IIRC DS learned to drink from a straw at about 13-14 months, so I don't think DD will be able to at almost 11, but the dropper technique seems worth trying.

I would try the straw. DD learned to drink from a straw at 10 months. It took the slightest bit of teaching. My friends who have had trouble with their bf kids taking bottles had the most success with straws and then Dixie cups if straws failed.

[MSWR0319]

I would try the straw. DD learned to drink from a straw at 10 months. It took the slightest bit of teaching. My friends who have had trouble with their bf kids taking bottles had the most success with straws and then Dixie cups if straws failed.

:yeahthat:

DS just turned 1 and we had trouble with all cups as well. He started drinking out of a Zoli cup about a month ago. He started using it around 10 months. He still won't take milk in it, but does take watered down juice and water really well. I'd be tempted to give her some full strength juice just for 24 hours if you have to and she'd take it. DS1 wouldn't use a straw ever!

[Liziz]

Genius! I'll give it a try it's the only thing we haven't tried. I've offered BM in all kinda of sippy cups, regular cups, bottles, spoons the last 2 days and she refuses each and every time. IIRC DS learned to drink from a straw at about 13-14 months, so I don't think DD will be able to at almost 11, but the dropper technique seems worth trying.

If you haven't tried a regular straw cup that's probably worth a try, too -- DD was drinking from the Nuby straw cups by that age (and those are probably a little tricker 'cause they're the bite and suck ones)....I kept offering every day and showing her what to do (by drinking myself...water, not BM!) for a week or two, and then she got it. But the straw as a dropper was much more exciting for her at that age....I hope one of them works for you!

[sntm]

Straw cups, mix bm in cereal/fruit purees, make a smoothie with it. Try it in an open cup - messy but effective.