In January I have to go back to work. I will be doing three afternoons (at home), a full day (in the office), and one morning (at home). Bernard will go to a childminder during for all the time that I’m working.[1]
This means that I can no longer breastfeed on demand (which is the main reason why we aren’t doing baby-led weaning). I am very, very gradually dropping the morning feed, and then the lunchtime feed, and will hang on to the afternoon one for as long as I can.
Unfortunately we have now reached a stage where the no-feed zone stretches from 7.30am to 12.00, and this morning Bernard slept from 4.00 until 8.00, which means of course that I haven’t been able to feed him yet. I gave him some pear and rice for breakfast, with some water, and then at 10.30 I offered him some Hipps Organic Formula. He was pretty tired by this time, and normally I would have breastfed him, he would have fallen asleep, and all would be harmonious and lovely. Anyone who thinks I told you so at this point can consider themselves banned from Rise forever, at this point.
All was not harmonious and lovely. It seems that Bernard is even more committed than I am to the principle that he won’t have any formula before six months. He will be six months old on Saturday, and might have succumbed by then; by the end of next week the zone will be getting pushed further into the afternoon, and this baby is going to get very hungry if he keeps up the howling and refusing. It was one of the most miserable things I have had to do to him so far, and I can’t say I’m sorry that it failed, really.
He howled himself to sleep, and after about ten minutes he stirred, squirmed, looked up at me with a beaming smile, and went back to sleep. So I think I have been forgiven.
- until February when Pete takes over the full day [↩]
Hi
This is my first comment – let me introduce myself – Suzanne, Turquoise Lisa’s sister. When I had to get Mia onto formula cos I was returning to work it took us a fortnight of hell with her refusing to accept a bottle until I discovered bouncing and singing. Hold the baby in one arm – put the bottle in their mouth with your free hand then bounce up and down (standing up or sitting on a bed are both fine) and sing very loudly. It worked for us – think she was so busy wondering what on earth I was doing that she forgot to scream and started sucking at the bottle. We never looked back
yup, if we are having a bottle refusing day (even handier if you’re not breastfeeding) the sudden shock and distraction method works well. also have the formula as warm as you can get away with it.
Hi Suzanne, welcome to Rise. Just when I was wondering if anyone was still reading, someone new comes out of the woodwork! Thank you for the advice, although I may have to modify the part about holding my nearly-20lb monster in one arm.