How do I get EBF 10.5 mo old to take a bottle or sippy?!

[tykys]

My DS took bottles in the very beginning of his life when he was in the NICU for 3 weeks (BM of course). Once we got him home we didn't need to use bottles all that much, so we did here and there, but slowly we didn't have a need for them anymore. He's been EBF directly from the boob since about 3 months old. I'm going back to work in 2 weeks and I don't know what to do. I have been trying giving him a bottle for weeks and he refuses. He throws his sippy cup and can't quite figure out how to drink from it. What am I going to do when I go back to work? I'm starting to panic. Thanks for any advice/suggestions.

[konayossie]

DS wouldn't take a bottle either when I started back to work. He mostly just didn't drink when away from me (he started on solids right about when I went back). We tried everything, and he just wouldn't do it. I was only away from him 5-6 hours at the longest, so it wasn't too big a deal for him. Now that he will drink out of cups, he seems to prefer straws to traditionally sippy cup spouts, so you might try that. Good luck--it can be tough!

[OkiMom]

Have you tried a straw cup? My daughters were both EBF (Except for 6 days in the NICU with the second where she had bottles) and neither would take a bottle (DD2 sounded like someone was torturing her when DH tried to give her a bottle 2 days after getting home from the NICU when I was worried she wasn't getting enough, no way she would have it) or a sippy but both would take straw cups beginning around 10 months. Also DD1 started drinking out of a normal cup around 11 months.

[monica3674]

DD1 couldn't figure out straws or nipple type sippy cups or ones with valves. What did work were the tupperware cups with the sippy lids. They don't have valves, so when she'd tip it back, water would come out and she'd drink. She just didn't get the whole sucking thing.

[trauerweidchen]

You can always just try good old cup feeding; DS at 14 months still doesn't use a sippy cup, and never did take a bottle very well, but we've done spoon or cup feeding as needed with him. He prefers those methods, because he sees us using cups and spoons too. I haven't gone back to work, though, so I know that is dependent on finding a caretaker who is willing to use those methods on a regular basis. Alternatively, you can try different bottles like the Adiri natural nursers (which we found sort of worked for DS); sometimes they will take one brand when they won't take others.

Another potential option while you're sorting all this out is to see if you could either run out and nurse him a couple of times while at work, or have someone bring him to you a couple of times during the day. I know that's not easy to set up either, but if it's an option for you, it could help in the meantime.

Good luck!

[Asiago]

My son is almost 10 months also and EBF. The sippy cups have always confused him, where as a regular cup he does well with.

[tykys]

Thank you so much ladies. I think I will try the tupperware cups w/ no valves because we received some as a gift and I have never opened them. If that doesn't work, I will try the cups with straws, then the cup by itself. DS had a Dr. appt y'day and his ped said not to even try the bottle route since he is almost 11 mo old. Thanks so much for all the suggestions, much appreciated.