Breast feeding..

[sandrajo]

The little girl who I look after just now is being breast fed by her mum, we are finding it very difficult for her to take expressed milk or water out of a bottle or feeding cup, she just doesnt like it and myself and her mum have bought different types of bottles and feeding cups to try. Has anyone any advice on what to do, I feel she is not getting enough fluids during the day?

[arrggh]

well if you are worried that she might get dehydrated,then you must take messures.You can get suringes from pharmacy and use it to squirt water or milk into mouth.Make sure to take the niddle out.You put it to the side of the mouth against cheek and slowly squirt it in.You rather her be hydrated.She will get use to the taste after a while.Babies will get dehydrated faster and can die.

[redcrx]

Im sure sandrajo knows the complications that arise from dehydration.

Is there a breast feeding group or counseller near you? Or maybe try a breatsfeeding board such as the ivillage board http://messageboards.ivillage.co.uk/iv-ukpbbre astfd they may have advice on the best bottles to use for a baby used to breast feeding.

[sandrajo]

Thanx for the reply arrggh but I definetely do know the dangers of dehydratrion in babies, and thanx for the advice on using a syringe, I will pass it on.

redcrx - The advice you gave me is very much appreciated, all the stuff we have bought has been recommended by her breast feeding group but she just isn't taking anything from any cup or bottle, I myself think her mother should of started to introduce an alternative to her breasts at an earlier stage as she will be missing the closeness of her mother and the breast for comfort.

[redcrx]

sandarajo, those boards are really helpful, theres even a bottle feeding one.
I hope that you find a way to get baby to drink with as little upset to her as possible. Is she gaining weight ok, has she any signs of dehrydation? some babies just dont drink as much as other and a baby on breastmilk shouldnt really need water as the foremilk is watery unless the weather is very warm.
have you tried spooning into her mouth until she gets used to getting it from a source other than the breast?

[sandrajo]

Yes I've tried all that you have mentioned, her mum feeds her in the morning and she is with me for 9 hours and gets fed when mum picks her up, she is eating well enough but I think it is quite long to go without fluids, and she screams blue murder everyday at around 1'0'clock looking for milk so I've been making sure we are doing something to keep her mind off it, but it's like an alarm clock in her head saying feed me.

[redcrx]

how old is she? is she on solids yet?

[sandrajo]

She is just 5 months old and is getting introduced to solids slowly, she just seems to be getting so many mixed signals with always trying to put something different in her mouth, it is all trial and error. But she is fretting and I don't like that :(