From Breast to Bottle and back again? Help!

[@llli*asquared]

Hi, I am new here, this is my first post. This is my second daughter, my first took a bottle in the hospital before I even held her (NICU) but was able to learn breast and was EBF within a couple of weeks as soon as my supply was high enough. She then took both seamlessly.

My newest daughter has been EBF since birth and is now 5.5 months old. I need her to be able to accept a bottle as I am working now and need to travel. I have pumped so I offer her bm in the bottle. I have tried, nuk, dr. brown's, breast flow, and generic bottles. She has latched but after a 20 minute or longer protest and eventually falling asleep and latching and drinking in her sleep. Today, she drank about .5 ounce after an hour and a half protest. She then had some oatmeal and at the next feeding was offered another bottle and didn't take it eventually feel asleep. I am coming up on the third feeding and haven't given her the breast yet. I am feeling like my back is against the wall and I am not getting anywhere and just making her upset and hungry.

I want to ask these questions:

1. Is it actual progress if she is only taking it under the above circumstances?
2. What do you recommend as far as getting her to take a bottle?
3. If I do manage to get her on the bottle, will it be backward stepping to let her nurse as well?

Thank you

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

She is actually old enough I would skip the bottle and try a cup.

[@llli*auderey]

and, YOU might never be able to give her a bottle (or a cup). your partner or DCP should be doing this - some moms even have to leave the house for baby to take a bottle! this helps with your 3rd concern, too, because baby will learn that she drinks from the breast when you're there, and from the bottle/cup with other people. and it might be a rough transistion for a few days, but she WILL learn to eat when you're not there.