I am trying to switch my baby from breastmilk to formula. I have been breasfeeding her exclusively for the past 6 months, she also has taken breastmilk from a bottle with no problems, even if I'm feeding her the bottle. The first time I put formula in bottle she drank it fine, but now after that she won't take it at all, she won't even take a bottle with breastmilk in it now! I've had my husband give her the bottle and she resists it for awhile but eventually gives in but not drinking the whole feeding. Any suggestions?
My answer is Why switch? Breastmilk is so much better for baby! Formula also makes their poo stinky and spit ups of formula stains terribly as opposed to breastmilk spit ups! I'm sorry I am not more helpful, but breastmilk is free and formula isn't!
Grammy
I am wondering what made you switch from the breast to a bottle. Have you gone back to work? The most important thing to consider is that your baby will really thrive on breastmilk up to at least 1 year of age. Right now, I would return to feeding her from the breast. She needs the reassurance and comfort of her mothers arms more than the independence you are trying to gain with bottle feeding.
Have you ever tasted your breast milk compared to formula? Once you sample both, you should have your answer, breastmilk is sweet and delicious; formula is just YUCK!
K. Voigtsberger
Certified Breast Doula (DONA)
Certified Bradley Method® Educator
Breastfeeding Trainer
mix it and then do the same when she goes from formula to whole milk
You may have to try different types of formula. When I was switching over after trying many other fomulas I was sucessfull with Goodstart. I also had to warm it because breastmilk is warm.
I would mix them for awhile, then decrease the breastmilk and increase the formula gradually.
Hi there. Well I had the same issue with my son, he was not taking the formula what so ever. Well finally at 10 months and about 5 different formulas later he took to the Gerber Next step that was premade. All I had to do was open the can and pour. I was so happy that he was taking formula cause i was quite exhausted. But after 2 weeks I then went to the powder (same brand) and he took that as well. So he did really well. But I can honestly say that I think he took the formula on his own timing cause he wouldn't take it for such a long time. He let me know when he was ready. I hope it works out for you. :)
I had the exact same problem. The only thing that worked for me was the Nestle Good Start formula (now it's Gerber Good Start) and I had to microwave the water for like 20 seconds before I mixed it. I think that formula is a little less " formula-y" than most, and the warm liquid reminds him more of the BM. I hope this works!
The nurse practitioner at my ped. suggested Enfamil Gentlease when my son decided he was done nursing at 8 months. I had tried Similac before that and it made him constipated.
Mixing the two and gradually making it more formula than breastmilk -then all formula worked for me. This also worked to get him off of formula and on to regular milk.
S., that happened to my son after I fed him Pedialyte in a bottle--he never took a bottle again! I would try having your husband feed her bottles of just breastmilk for a long time-like weeks- and then implementing the other Mom's ideas of mixing it with the formula. I would start with just a tiny bit of formula, keeping the same amount for a week or two and very gradually increasing the amount of formula. It may not work, she may just want you, but it's worth the try! Best wishes and God Bless!
I've heard more people have had more success with Good Start when switching at an older age. And once you figure out her intake and that she's back to being ok with a bottle, go gradual. Start with like 2 oz of formula and the remainder breast milk for a week or two. Make sure she's still doing ok with the bottle then increase the formula by another ounce and decrease the breast milk by an ounce. This will not only help her body adjust (it might cause constipation at 1st) it will help it be less painful for you because YES, it's painful when you don't have natural weaning. Good luck, hopefully she'll catch on that it's time to switch to a bottle pretty quickly.
I'm sorry. All I know is that my daughter was the exact same way and I just ended up nursing her for 14 months. She refused the bottle at about 3 months. It didn't matter if it was breast milk or formula.
The only encouragement I can give you is that you made it through the hardest most time consuming part. Now that she can eat some food, you will not be nursing as much and it continues to slow down from here on out.
When she gets a little older you may want to try formula or breast milk in an Avent soft spout type sippy cup.
Good luck!
Can you mix the two? Sounds weird but it would transition her to the new stuff. We did this with milk right before my son turned one and it worked really well.
