A Question fer Moms out there: WEANING! How the Fuck do you GET THROUGH IT????

xpost Not those kind of baby pictures, though.

A friend of mine had this same problem and bypassed bottles altogether, and went straight to using formula milk in a training cup for her baby. I think you can get lids for training cups that have very very small holes in them so that the baby doesn't guzzle too much milk and choke on it or make a mess etc.

How do you feed Charlotte her water? (you are giving her drinks of cooled boiled water at other times of the day, and not just milk, aren't you?)

You probably know this, but wait with giving her peanut butter, honey or strawberries til she's older. Their systems can't handle those things yet - can lead to allergies.

x-post
not everyone agrees that you should give babies water except if it's unusually hot weather

" Research shows that babies don't normally need extra water. A 1978 Jamaican study of exclusively breastfed babies found no signs of dehydration in temperatures averaging 27.6 degrees C. In 1990, the same researcher studied babies in India, where the temperature ranged between 35 and 40 degrees C. Again, the exclusively breastfed babies showed no signs of dehydration and needed no extra water.

"In the summer, when the baby might be a little more thirsty, the milk will be slightly more watery. In the winter, babies receive more creamy milk," Kirkham explains. Of course, nursing mothers should be prepared to drink extra water during hot weather. (The standard advice is "drink to thirst," because if you drink too much, you may decrease your milk supply.)

So when is it appropriate to give your healthy baby water? Kirkham suggests that around seven months, when your baby is sitting up well and has started eating solid foods, you could introduce a little water in a cup."

From the UK Government Food Standards Agency :

"Water
This is the best alternative drink to milk, but fully breastfed babies don't need any water until they start eating solid food. For babies under six months old, take water from the mains tap in the kitchen and boil it. Remember to allow the water to cool before giving it to your baby.

Some natural mineral waters have mineral contents unsuitable for babies. However, there are other bottled waters that are suitable for infant feeding and you might see the statement 'suitable for infant feeding' on their labels. Remember that bottled water is not sterile, so, like tap water, you need to make sure you boil and cool it before giving it to your baby."

I was always advised by my midwife and health visitor to introduce some cooled boiled water in between feeds during warm weather when my babies started to be weaned.

It's confusing when there's such a wealth of conflicting advice out there.

On another note, dont be in too much of a rush to introduce solids. Anytime from 6 months on is an ok age, as prior to that their tums often cant cope with the digestion process and 'too-soon solids' has been linked to increased allergies appearing.
So much info out there, most of it conflicting! ack!

sterilising bottles etc seems pretty sensible to me at this point, immature immune systems do need contact with germs, sure, but slowly is the key. She's only 4 months old, and I dont imagine she is zooming around jamming all kinds of things into her mouth just yet.
I think nature shows the way with those things by getting them mobile when the immune system is ready for what's out there!

anyway, good luck!

No, we're not giving her water. Up to this point, it's been breast milk. Now we're introducing formula.

I don't believe she's teething just yet (I think that starts later, no?)

In terms of different "teats" (we call'em nipples), we've tried a few different ones, but she flips out regardless. Certain folks are suggesting that it shouldn't be my wife who feeds her the bottle (being that the baby invariably associates my wife with the boob and that it might be too traumatic). I've been trying to feed her the bottle, but no dice. It's very slow going. If we can get an ounce in her it's a miracle (and most of it seems to run down her face anyway). Also, being that unlike most folks who are keen to give us advice, we don't have a live-in nanny or nurse, so we don't have the luxury of someone else feeding her the bottle (other than my wife) all the time.

It's a slow, painful process thus far. Anyway, here's another pic, since Ned demands.... (hope this works)

http://homepage.mac.com/alexinnyc/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2004-07-22%2007.34.18%20-0700/Image-0D66F6A5DBEB11D8.jpg

Is it the formula feed that she's refusing? or the expressed breast milk?

If it's the formula, maybe try a different brand?

(and re teething - yes, she could be. She'll get the bottom centre two first, and it can be as early as 4 months. Some babies are even born with these teeth already erupted...eek!)

Just got off the phone with the Missus. Apparently Charlotte actually choked down a couple of ounces in the last hour. Hooray. Breakthrough. There is hope.

:) Thanks!!!!

She is. Believe me. And it ain't pretty. For such a tiny little thing to be such an olfactory affront continues to amaze me.

In terms of what is 'too young,' being that solid foods can be introducted anywhere between four and six months, it makes perfect sense to wean her off the breast soon-ish. Moreover, my wife would kinda like some semblance of normal life back. But, you're right -- there is no DEADLINE in our particular case. But, I can't imagine it'll ever get easier, necessarily (she's already started to look longingly at our food at meal time).

In terms of leaving a bottle in her crib, I can't imagine she'd go for it, but who knows?

Incidentally, we're not doing the pacifier thing (or at least, we're trying not to...we'll see where our will-power is in the next few months).