Baby weaning himself?

Question

Over the past couple weeks my son has been nursing less and less. I've been back at work since he was 2 months old, and when he was 5 months we had to start supplementing with formula because my supply just kept dropping. Now he's six months old and screams when I try to nurse him except at night. I usually end up giving him a bottle because I'm not trying to starve him but I wonder if he's just done nursing? I don't want to pump exclusively because I don't have time to wash all the parts every night.

Answer

He's getting bottle preference. No, he's not necessarily done, he needs you to help coax him back to breast. Here are some tips. And remember whoever is giving him his bottles should be doing paced feeding with a slow flow nipple so that it mimics the breast and helps bottle preference from happening as easily. Bottles are so much easier than the breast if paced feeding isn't done and they learn quickly which is easier.
Your goal is to coax baby to the breast. Do not attempt to force your baby to breastfeed. Forcing baby to the breast does not work, stresses baby, and can result in baby forming an aversion to the breast.
it can be helpful to offer a little supplement at the beginning of a feeding; this can take the edge off baby’s hunger so he has more patience to work on the breastfeeding. 
Lots of skin-to-skin contact can help encourage baby to latch. Go topless  for a few days which baby in just a diaper. Get under the covers and stay there for a few days. Cuddle and let baby feel and smell you. No pressure on baby to latch. If he does great and if not that's ok too.
A warm bath together helps calm baby down and the heat makes the milk flow faster.
Babywear if you need mobility.
Hand express or pump until let-down, just before trying to latch baby, so that baby gets an instant “reward” for latching on
Gel heating pads placed on the breasts before nursing may help because it helps the milk flow faster.
Breast compressions while baby is nursing also gives a "reward" of an extra squirt of milk.
A nursing supplemented may help as well as a nipple shield, although the shields are usually recommended as a last resort.

Baby weaning himself?

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