Anyone with experience on quitting nursing cold turkey?

honeydew01

Does anyone have any experience with this?

For a combination of reasons we may have to do stop breastfeeding. The problem is that she is not a fan of bottles and refuses them so we can't gradually do it. We tried, she absolutely refuses the bottle. Dr said that it'll be very difficult but we may have to go cold turkey on this so she'd realize that boob is not an option and start accepting the bottle and that she may protest and go hungry for a long while before she accepts it. I'm super stressed over this. I'm afraid it'll psychologically mess her up if I take away the boob, she obviously finds it comforting and I hate the idea of having her starve so she'd take the bottle. I'm so worried about this, I literally can't sleep at night thinking about it.

I'd love to hear from you if you have experience with this. Thanks in advance

kmornelas29

No experience, but I know it's not recommended.

MrsWindyCity

I don't have any experience, but have you tried a straw or sippy cup instead of a bottle?

honeydew01

Yes, she doesn't like a sippy cup but we started her on straw cup a while back and she takes sips of water in it but not milk.

Kara13360

When I wanted to stop breastfeeding my LO I was worried that I would get engorged and be in pain and also my LO was not wanting to take the bottle. My pedi recommended quitting cold turkey as well. What I did was put the bottle in my DS's mouth and when he would turn his head I would say, "No!" and move his chin towards the bottle. Only at first did he protest a bunch but I just kept saying no and directing him towards the bottle. When he would start drinking I would praise him and say, "Good Job, good boy!'. It worked!!! He takes only a bottle now and only formula. As far as my breasts getting engorged, it only happened once. I would pumped only when necessary to relieve the pain and after a week or two I dried up completely. Just be the boss and make your DD understand this is what you get so you need to drink!!

honeydew01

@Kara13360: how long did it take before he gave in and took the bottle? Mine is very 'spirited' and I am afraid she'd go on for day (s) before she gives in...I've been researching and there are kids that have gone like 4 days of hunger strike before they gave in..

Kara13360

It honestly only took a few days for him to start taken a normal amount of formula a day. First day he took 15 ounces of formula and I was so happy! Then next day 20 ounces and now he takes about 30-34 ounces a day! One day he even took 39 ounces, may have been a growth spurt. I have held my phone up in front of him while he is drinking and put on Baby einstein puppets on you tube. It helps him not be distracted by other things and he take the bottle better.

honeydew01

I'm sorry one more question, how old was he?

Kara13360

6 months - also once he ate plenty during the day he starting STTN

Crequito

I didn't quit cold turkey, but it was difficult to get DD to take a bottle.  What helped for me was having DH or someone else (my mom or MIL) give DD the bottle while I left the room or the house.  She fought with each of them once then took it.  Once she had taken a few bottles from each of them she took one from me with no problem.  We started bottle feeding at 4 weeks.  Good luck!!

pinottoparenthood

You've probably tried this already, but have you tried different brands of bottles and different flows of nipples? Our DS used to scream bloody murder with the bottle, but I moved up from preemie nipples to level 1 and he was fine.

honeydew01

pinottoparenthood said:

You've probably tried this already, but have you tried different brands of bottles and different flows of nipples? Our DS used to scream bloody murder with the bottle, but I moved up from preemie nipples to level 1 and he was fine.

Yeap tried every kind of bottle that BRU carries and also different flows of nipples (premie, 1 and 2). She doesn't even suck it, she pushes them out with her tongue or chews on it.