Many exclusively breastfed babies resist bottles initially. Key strategies: have someone other than the breastfeeding parent offer the bottle, stay completely out of sight during attempts, try different nipple types and flows, and experiment with sippered cups or even spoon-feeding expressed milk. Aptamil Gold stage 1 is commonly recommended — stage 2 can cause constipation and is mostly marketing. By 7-9 months, solids intake increases significantly and naturally reduces dependence on milk feeds. Be kind to yourself — six months of exclusive breastfeeding is already an incredible achievement.