Well, we've pretty much given up torturing our son...so that's a good thing. We tried very hard to waterboard him into taking a formula from a dropper, a bottle, a cup, a syringe, etc. Unfortunately, we had to ensure he got something in him since the plan was to wean him from Stacey. It was rough. We couldn't afford a hospital visit for dehydration. I think he didn't want it partly because he hates the taste of formula and partly because he didn't want to give up nursing. I don't blame him.
After a few days we came to the conclusion that this isn't going to work for him or us. He wanted nothing to do with formula or a bottle, despite trying a bunch of different things. I know this process should take a lot longer, but wewere also working within a lot of constraints. In the end, we decided to take the specialist's advice on the ultimate goal, but not on how we go about getting there.
We've realized that he probably wasn't getting enough calories. He has been drinking "skim milk" and eating fruit when he needed whole milk and scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon. We found a formula that he'll take as a pudding, and we'll really push the cheeseburgers from here forward. We're also monitoring his caloric intake with a food diary and weighing him every morning. I think we'll be able to pack on the pounds in a way that works for everyone. If he doesn't want more food, even if we're offering it constantly, then I think we've come to the conclusion that we're not going to force him to eat. What else can you really do?