Two steps forward, one step back

Isn't it funny the things we will do to try to keep our babies happy little people? This weekend I read a lot on the internet about other parents who also had problems getting their little ones to take a bottle and all kinds of tricks they used to feed their babies! One involved running the vacuum cleaner whilst bouncing at the same time as being swaddled. I think we would all stand on our heads if it would keep our babies happy (and get them to eat!).
I don't know why, but on Friday evening I decided to give May the empty bottle to play with whilst she was in her baby chair watching me cook dinner. There were no tears and she actually seemed quite interested in it, putting it in her mouth. Then again, licking everything in sight is her favourite past-time at the moment, so that wasn't all that surprising. I got on the floor to be beside her chair and she had a good time playing with the bottle, perhaps it was time to try a bit of milk in it? A quick expression of just one ounce and a few minutes later I gave her back the bottle. Now, she didn't exactly 'drink' it, she still hasn't really figured out that if she sucks on the bottle she will get milk, but some milk did end up in her mouth and there wasn't a negative reaction at all. A small victory in itself. Though she did spend most of the time blowing into the bottle rather than sucking anything out! I think she might have swallowed somewhere up to half an ounce, though it's hard to tell how much she ate versus what she ended up wearing on herself.
Then I took the teat off the bottle and gave her the milk from the bottle like it was a cup. Again, she ended up with most of it down her clothes, but she started to lap at the side of the bottle, like she figured out that milk was coming from there so she needed to suck at it. Progress perhaps? As it got so close to bed-time the bottle was retired for the day, but I am remaining hopeful that it will be possible to feed her whilst she is at daycare. For now giving her the bottle in the infant seat is certainly taking the stress out of the situation and no tears makes us all much happier. From what I have read a lot of breastfed babies like the laytex/rubber teats and many parents found that worked for them. Today we will be heading back to the baby shop to pick up a couple of them to try and see how that goes, I'll keep you posted (and must take some pictures now that there isn't a screaming and upset baby involved!)