When did you stop breastfeeding? Did you have issues with your child only wanting your breast and no bottle?

Question

I want to keep breastfeeding my child until he is at least a year old. I have a lot of different people telling me different things (as far as when to stop). I also have an issue where my son will not take a bottle (for milk that I have stored). This makes A LOT of people angry, because everybody wants him ect. ect. He is almost 8 months old. Hes still going strong with the breastfeeding, I'm happy about that. But the other night I started night classes, and for some reason my son wanted to go to bed earlier then he normally would like an hour (I know its normal) but his daddy had no way of feeding him, and all he wanted was milk and he screamed bloody murder for an hour until I got home and was able to feed him. I kind of feel horrible about it, as does his father, he now feels like the worst father in the world because, he couldn't do anything.

Answer 1

You can try offering your baby breast milk in either a sippy cup (he is old enough now for one) or try a different shaped bottle/nipple. Lots of breastfed babies do well with the Playtex NaturaLatch nipples. I know my son likes them, particularly the latex ones.

Of course other people will always want to feed the baby. I don't really get why, but if they insist, let them offer the baby his solids after you breastfeed him. As long as you and your son are enjoying the nursing relationship, who cares what anyone else thinks? You are doing the best thing for your baby and deserve praise, not to be questioned. Good luck!

Answer 2

I felt the same way when my daughter came home. because I could feed her because my wife was breastfeeding and getting that time in. But on getting your son to take the bottle you might want to try a different type of bottle to give and see if he would take it. But there is nothing wrong with letting your baby cry if you can't get him to stop. You and your husband are doing the best hat you can so don't feel bad. You are not the only one going through this.

Answer 3

I have a 13 month old son I breastfeed. He never took to a bottle and still doesn't. He will take liquid from a sippy cup, or a drink from my cup; But he still wants to nurse too. There's no reason why you can't nurse him. As others said, family can feed him solids and hold him when he's not nursing. As far as when you are away; with my son, I will nurse him right before I leave, and not be gone for more than 4 hours and he does fine. If all else fails, it wont hurt to let him scream in his crib until he falls asleep or you come home. My husband feels the same way and feels bad that he can't feed the baby too. Let your husband know that he didn't do anything wrong and heis not a bad father. he is a good father for supporting you in breastfeeding. Baby's just don't understand like we do, they don't know mommy will be home in an hour. lol  try getting the baby to take a sippy cup from daddy, so when your gone he can offer liquids somehow. Good Luck!

Answer 4

There are many ways to feed a baby when moms b*****s are unavailable.  Most breastfed babies will not take a bottle but they will take a cup or sippy cup.  Paladais are awesome.  Syringe feeding, spoon feeding, and finger feeding all have their place and uses as well.  

After a year there is certainly no need for a bottle, should you decide to wean your child at that arbitrary age.  If your baby is old enough not to need your milk then your baby is old enough not to need a breastmilk replacement (formula OR cow's milk).

Neither of my kids has really taken a bottle.  My first would take the odd sip from one for grandma, my second will take water from a sippy cup or fast flow bottle but nothing else.  Neither has really had a problem waiting for me to get home if I happen to go somewhere (though admittedly I rarely do).

As for "everyone" frankly there are better ways to interact with a baby than bottle feeding them.  And if they way to "take them" for an extended period of time -would you really do that even if you were not breastfeeding?  Would your child really be happy somewhere else for hours or overnight.  Regardless of your milk your baby is bonded to you and would miss your horribly.

There is every reason in the world to nurse after the first year, nutritionally for the baby as well as health wise for both mom and baby.  

Answer 5

I breastfed for 14 months, so by the time I weaned, I was able to wean to a cup.  My daughter had already been drinking juice and cows milk from the sippy, so she transitioned easily to getting all of her fluids from a cup.

(I had tried a bottle early on, so Daddy could feed her when I was away. But she never liked the bottle and it wasn't worth it to me to force it, so she never got a bottle after around 6 weeks, and I just kept my times-away brief.

Answer 6

My first baby couldnt breastfeed, but I stopped with my second child at 7 months because she bit me hard. She had no problem taking the bottle. She has always been a good eater and didnt care how she was being fed..lol..She is now 4 yrs old and still eats great. Defintely do not let other people bring you down or try to tell you how to raise your child. I can remember one of my cousins who was breastfed, being left shortly with Grandma one time. We were at the sand dunes in CA and my aunt went on an ATV ride and was gone longer than she anticipated. My cousin got so hungry that he finally took a bottle. He was 2 months old. I'm sure if your husband got left with your son again and he got that hungry (the baby) he'd take a temporary bottle. (maybe :s  ) Best of luck to you.