7 Months EBF, sippy or bottle?

Megs129

Hello Ladies,I've been a long time lurker and enjoy this board. I have a question that I would love some feeback on. My DD is 7 months old, I am a WFHM (work from home Mom) and EBF. My DD had terrible refulx for the first 6 months of her life and EBFing was the easiest for us both. She is over her reflux now and I would like her to nurse from a bottle a couple of times a day. I tried the bottle a few times this week, (Dr. Brown level 1 nipple) she just chewed and played with the nipple, didn't suck. My Mom and DH tried giving her a bottle and she wasn't having it. We then tried a sippy cup, one where you don't have to suck, it just drips out of the holes.  She seemed to do okay with that, but I want her to get the hang of "sucking."  What sort of advice do you have for me? Should I skip trying to give her a bottle and just go straight to training on a sippy cup? Can a 7 month old learn to take a bottle?  Any advice/experience is welcome. Thank you, Meghan P.S. I also posted this on the 6-9 month board, sorry if this is a repeat post for some.  

amanda1680

Has she ever taken a bottle?  If not, I would say she probably won't at this point.  My dd has taken a bottle a handful of times when she was little, and even then, it was a struggle.  After awhile, we just stopped trying since I SAH and EBF, it wasn't a big deal.  We are letting her try sippy cups, but she doesn't really get those either.  I've also been trying water in just a regular cup, and she opens her mouth for it and sometimes will take a sip from it.  I would think 7 months is too late to be bothering with bottles now. 

emilys629

I agree with PP. No use banging your head against a wall to get her to take a bottle now. I'd go with the sippy cup.

I don't see why she needs to learn how to suck... am I missing something? 

kenyakeetah

We EBF though we didn't go through the same as you, Have you tried solids yet? if so I would try a cup. We simply skipped to a cup the first little while it was a little messy and we would have to control how much he takes in now he can do a few chugs, we tried with different sized cups and glasses. Shot glasses are a good size for babies mouth.

Megs129

Thanks ladies. DD has taking a bottle a handful of times the first three months, but as one poster said, it was struggle, and with her reflux EBF was just the easiest.

  I have been trying the sippy cup, however a lot of sippy cups are designed thata  baby has to suck to get the  milk out.  I think you are all right, I'm going to skip the bottle and just continue with sippy cup training.  It would be nice to know she can take milk from another source, so I can get out and about a little more.  Thank you again for your insight. :-)

EMLYNNLERETTE

Megs129:

  I have been trying the sippy cup, however a lot of sippy cups are designed thata  baby has to suck to get the  milk out.  

With a lot of those cups the piece that makes them 'spill free' are removable.  If you do that, your LO won't have to suck. 

buffymu

maybe a higher level nipple?