Hi, folks:  Had a call from a mother who has been nursing her 4 1/2 month
old essentially without problems.  Her concern is that she plans to wean
from the breast by the time she goes back to work one month from now (she
is *not* interested in continuing any bf, states that "I really haven't
enjoyed bf, it's mostly been a pain, I don't like the feeling that I can't
go out without worrying about whether he'll take a feeding in a bottle or
cup" - the only thing she liked about bf was the money savings).  For
about 2 months she's been trying off and on to introduce a bottle and/or
cup (sippy cup from what I can determine), and in the past 1 1/2 weeks
she's been more determined, trying every day.  Baby has been nursing q3h,
so she tries at the "lunchtime" feeding.  She says she doesn't wait till
he's starving and frustrated; although her husband gets home from work
late, and generally can't be the one to train the baby, he and grandma
have made a couple of attempts with no better success.  The baby will
either not suck on the bottle at all or will suck for a few seconds, then
start screaming (not coughing or choking); same with the cup. She's tried
several different nipples and nipple hole sizes, various positions (e.g.
facing away from her), her own milk or abm (no difference).  Her work
situation will be 8-hour days, with baby taken to an in-home sitter.  She
is definitely not interested in reverse-cycle nursing.

Please help me if you've had any success in getting baby to accept any
alternate feeding method.  This woman is not open to solutions which
involve continued bf, so please no suggestions about putting off back to
work, etc.  I am hoping that if this baby will accept another feeding
method, this mother will feel more open to continuing some nursing.  I am
also concerned that if there isn't good resolution, she'll have only
negative feelings about the whole experience which will color her future
decisions.  TIA, Alicia.