boobie to bottle?

[Bevsy]

I have to go back to work in June and really need to get Isabella (5 months now) onto bottles.

I have already introduced a bottle at the 10pm feed, which Daddy can finally give- she refused him at first. I don't express in place of this and my boobs seem to have managed this but I am concerned about engorgement when i drop other breast feeds.

Has anyone recently stopped breast feeding that can advise how best to do it?

Do I just replace the breast feed with a bottle and hope my boob does not explode or do I express and just reduce the amount I express each time?

Also, she is starting to be a bit hit and miss with her 10pm bottle feed- she totally refused it last night and i had to breastfeed.

I have visions of her not feeding from a bottle when left at Nursery or with Daddy..

so much to worry about!

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I went back to work when Ellie was 5 months. Thankfully no reduced hours so she only needed 2 milk feeds at nursery. These I express off at the normal times at work and then send her in with those bottles the following day. To start with she didn't take the bottle very well and would only take the bare minimum (2oz with each bottle) and then had very long feeds when I picked her up. Over time this increases up to approx 6oz for each bottle. Now however, as she is taking more solids she has dropped her mid morning feed an only needs 1 6-7oz bottle while at nursery, and I am only expressing once at work.

EDIT - Also you might find more success with different teats etc. Are you still using the newborn ones if so, try switching to number 2's. They recommend slower flow ones for Breastfed babies so I don't bother with No 3's. Also some people swear by NUK bottles (Ellie didn't get on with those) but she got on OK with the Tommee Tippee closer to nature ones. Also she didn't get on with the Mothercare self sterilise bottles I tried.

 

[babyjay1]

Hiya, i've now finished breastfeeding altogether. The way i done it was quite gradual. I was giving my LO a bottle for his last feed for a while now, i then started to introduce one in the afternoon about 2 weeks ago. In the last week i was dropping them one by one and yesterday i didn't breastfeed at all A few days before hand my boobs were really full in the morning (that was the last one i dropped) until yesterday so my LO is now officially on bottles. I do warn you though it's quite emotional and i felt really sad not feeding him . If you want to know anymore please ask

 

[Bevsy]

Thank you so much for posts. I have a feeling that it will be emotional. I spoke to the HV today and she agrees that Isabella can be weaned, as she is growing just above average. Ref moving to bottles, she also suggested a gradual reduction but its always more comforting to hear it from someone who has just done it.

I have always been fine introducing an evening bottle as I knew that the boob was always 'plan B'. I was looking down at her feeding today and realised that I will miss it so much. Babies are a million times more adorable whilst feeding contently.

so here we go, weaning and bottles.

I have a month so may aim for dropping one feed a week and see how I get on.

 

[Jen79]

Hi,

Sounds like your LO knows what she likes, eh?! Well my Kate was the same, although I only BF'd for 3 months. I could not get her interested in a bottle whatsoever while I breastfed, she would scream her head off till I gave her a boobyfeed! I got put on medication when she was 11 weeks old and had to stop breastfeeding completely. I found that after a slight struggle she was fully bottle fed within 2 days and we never looked back. I found the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles excellent and thats what we are still using now. I felt awful about it at the time but needs must and she is just as happy with the bottle as she was with the boob, I am sure you will be fine! x