Struggle to get my 11mnth old to take the bottle, any advice?

Marinda - posted on 04/29/2010

Hi Cristina, she eats during the day, in the morning it's baby cereal, and most of the time purity foods. She also eats whatever I serve for dinner but she doesn't each much at a time. I must say its going better during the night and I now only breastfeed her at 2o'clock and then at 6o'clock again. Thanks so much for the advice, and to all the other moms!!

Wendy - posted on 04/28/2010

instead of trying to give her the bottle try a sippy cup and from my experience the Nubby ones work the best for transition.And I know where you are coming from about the middle of the night feedings I did not stop breast feeding my son until he was a little over a year,but just so you know he is 3 now and still wakes every 2 hours all I can suggest is to go in check on her as long as she is dry and nothing is wrong with her give her a cup and then go back to bed it is a game with them and they know that they have us moms right where they want us.Good Luck!

Cristina - posted on 04/28/2010

At eleven months she should be sleeping the night, she's almost a year old, does she eat her meals during the day? veggies rice chicken fruits, try using a sippy cup instead of the bottle it might work better.
if she eats her dinner like about 8 pm and eats well, she should take her bottle before bed, and if she cries after her bottle give her a bit of breast just for comfort.

Jenny - posted on 04/28/2010

I had the same problem, I nursed exclusively with my son also. I tried to get him to take the bottle at one time and had absolutely no success. I then decided to just try the sippy cup. So I agree with everyone else. Transition to sippy cup. I also used the nubby brand because they have a soft spout so it is more like a breast. Good Luck!!!

Joanna - posted on 04/27/2010

WOW....you do have quite a problem my 3month sleeps thru the night already (thank God) I try to give him at least 1 bottles of breastmilk or water during the day just in case I have an emergency and cant feed him my self at 1st it was hard I went thru 3 diffrent kind of bottles and found that he loves the SOOTHIE bottles Im guessing cuz the nipple looks like the brest nipple. I do agree with everyone about the sippy cup your just going to have the same problem in a cuple months anyway so just get it over with now....I couldent leave my baby crying so I wont tell you to......Maby a bath before bed time and cut some of the nap's during the day thats what I did GOOD LUCK

Sarah - posted on 04/27/2010

Skip the bottle and go to the cup. Even though it will be hard, stop the night feedings and let her cry it out. If she wakes and she's thirsty, offer her the cup. If she refuses, just put her back to bed and let her cry. It won't take long before she understands that she's not going to nurse in the night time. It took my son three days, then he was sleeping through the night!

Glo - posted on 04/27/2010

Whoa! At 11 months she is still waking up during the night? She should not be doing this. You have to stand your ground. Do not feed her during the night! She is never going to learn to sleep thru if you keep doing it. She is old enough to just cry it out. It may take a few days and be very stressful to everyone in the house, but it will be so worth it in the end! She will not starve to death no matter how picky an eater she is, but I bet she won't be so picky and will eat much better in the morning!

Kelly - posted on 04/26/2010

She is in a routine of getting up in the night. I agree with the others.
I used to give my kids a bottle of water and let them cry. At 11 months she should be sleeping through the night.
It's gonna be a tough couple of days but she'll get it.

Rebekah - posted on 04/26/2010

I let my daughter cry she usually goes right back to sleep. Your child is old enough to cry it out. She's is also old enough to be weaned completely.

Kristin - posted on 04/26/2010

Skip the bottle and give her a sippy cup instead. Sounds like it is time to tough it out a bit on some of these night feedings. She should be able to go at least four hours between feedings at night if not go all night. I would start with only going to her every other time she wakes. Your husband can get her back down the other times. Also, with the sippy, you can't give it to her. Dad has to do it. Basically, if she can have you, why would she take this other thing?

You might want to take a look at what's going on during the day that has her not really eating during the day. Is she snacking a lot, drinking juice or water all the time? What about the solids she's eating? She may just be getting too much solid material during the day and is then really thirsty at night.

Ultimately, go to the hospital and take care of yourself. Your husband, daughter, and other two children will survive while you are gone over night. Good luck.

Sarah - posted on 04/26/2010

For day time drinking I would see if she would do better with a sippy cup rather than a bottle. She is close to the age of transitioning from bottle to cup, so the cup might be easier to try to do. For the night it sounds like she uses you as her pacifire. You being at the hospital over night might help her stop that habit. It might be a thing of if you are not here she does not need it. My daughter is kind of like that. If I am here I do the bedtime routine with her. If I am the one that puts her to bed she is up 10 times after I say good night asking for different things or needing to tell me something. Both hubby and I don't play into the stall game for bedtime, but if I am gone and he is here she goes right to bed for him without getting up. We both do the same things and have the same rules and do the same things if rules are broken. So it might be with your daughter that if she knows mom is not here and the "pacifire" is not here then I can't ask for it. Or it could be a long night for hubby, but after a few long nights the habit might be broken.

I have found with my kids that even though I hope and want them to learn and transition without any difficulties that sometimes that is not possible. Sometimes the answer is "no" and there is a tantrum that follows, but soon they realize that the tantrum does not change the answer.

April - posted on 04/26/2010

i would try to switch her to a cup instead of a bottle. I used Nuby cups with my son when i switched him over. She doesnt need to eat during the night...she has you trained now. So my advice would be to let her cry it out, it is hard, didnt do it with my first but did it with my second and i am so thank ful that i did now. I started it when he was 10 months old and the first night sucked!!! But then each night got better and better. I had to stay on the phone with my cousin so i wouldnt go in the room to get him. good luck!!