On the bottle by Rhianon

I know, I know, I should have got him on the bottle within the first six weeks. I've read the books and I should have done it. But I didn't and now there's Hell to pay, and the baby has no intention - none at all - of taking milk from a bottle when there are breasts about!

I've tried cups (the milk just gushes out his mouth and trickles down, baby smiling at such a good game), different types of bottles (baby chews on teat, looking totally bemused, laughs again, spits it out) and even normal cups (baby finally loses his sense of humour and growls at me alarmingly). I've tried breastmilk, formula and cooled, boiled water. I've tried in the pram, in the garden in the car. I've asked my mum, his dad and his brother to give it a go. All to no avail. And, as the nursery teacher says, much better to get him on the bottle now than try to do it in the first few weeks of being in that new environment. ARGH!!! There's a clock somewhere ticking, isn't there?

So tell me the truth: are you in the camp with my boss who reckons I should just let the baby go cold turkey and offer him nothing but the bottle for as long as it takes (that old 'after all, he won't starve himself' chestnut)? Or will you come over to my side? I just can't do two days of crying - it's not even an option. Even if I know I'll ultimately make it worse for the little fella.