7 month old won't take formula - help!

[firegal]

Hi ladies

I need some advice please! I'm trying to slowly get my LO to take formula as I'm going back to work in a few weeks and breastfeeding won't be practical anymore. I started about a week and a half ago by switching his early afternoon feed from breast to bottle and on the first few days he did well taking about 170mls, but it's been all downhill from there. I've now switched his morning feed to a bottle as well but he only takes about 30ml then and maybe 70ml in the afternoon if I really push it, but he HATES it. This afternoon I've had so many tears from him... he was even trying to latch on to my arm!

It's not practical to have someone else give him the bottle as my OH is at work and there is no one else around regularly. I've tried a couple of different formulas, powdered and cartons, but no joy. I'm due to switch a 3rd feed to bottles in the next few days and I'm worried there will be even more tears. I think he knows he'll get a breastfeed later in the day so he's willing to hold out for that even if it really upsets him!

LO has had bottles of EBM in the past, and has even had the occasional formula bottle successfully. It's like he knows this is long-term and is resisting!

Can anyone let me know if they had a similar experience and if so what worked for them?

Thanks!

 

[Alisha1985]

bump - i dont know any advice to give but thought id pop this thread back up to the top of the page so other mums can help hope your get it sorted x

 

[akcher]

Both of my babies refuse the bottle too. I have tried 3 different types of bottles so far. Medela, Playtex & The First Year breast flow. They used to take a bottle when they were at the hospital. I was afraid I was going to start some medications that would prevent me from breastfeeding. Now I'm delaying taking the stronger meds until I stop breastfeeding.

 

[snugglebot]

My friend had a hard time with her LO taking a bottle of even BM. She ended up using a sippy cup that had a straw for a spout (he wouldn't use regular sippy cups either)

 

[firegal]

I'm at my wits end with this.... I KNOW he will take a bottle, he's taken them before and he took it for the first 3 days, but he's now refusing to take more than 30mls. He's also started feeding every 2-3hours at night. It's like he knows he gets a breastfeed at night so he'll go hungry during the day and wait for it.

I've tried a cup and he just takes a little bit in his mouth and then lets it run back out, so that's not working either.

Aaaaaggghhhh!!!!

 

[MumOfPlenty]

Have you tried the bottles at night and breast milk during the day? I don't know if that might help..
Also, it's a bit sneaky and probably lots of work(!) but if bubs takes breastmilk from a bottle, how about having two? One with breast and one with formula..

Then once he's realised he's getting breastmilk, and happily drinking, swapping it with the other one so he's actually getting formula? Sounds daft, but it might work!

Good luck x

 

[firegal]

I guess my problem is I am going back to work in a few weeks so I'm needing to phase breastfeeding out so that I'm not too full and leaking at work! So I'm worried that expressing and also bf'ing in the day will kinda counteract that, if you know what I mean?

 

[MumOfPlenty]

I guess my problem is I am going back to work in a few weeks so I'm needing to phase breastfeeding out so that I'm not too full and leaking at work! So I'm worried that expressing and also bf'ing in the day will kinda counteract that, if you know what I mean?

I haven't got so much experience of BF'ing, due to boobies that don't work very well in that area.. If you need to phase it out then why not try tricking baby during the daytime too? Maybe doing it over the course of two or three days and nights would have him sorted.. Although I don't know what effect this will have on leakage.

I imagine it's got to be a taste thing, and once baby gets the taste for it there shouldn't be any issues..
If you find yourself completely desperate, then try adding a small amount of ribena (urgh, I know, but some people swear by this) to the formula milk.. There is also tea, add a teabag to milk while it's hot, or a small amount of sugarfree hot chocolate, just to disguise the taste a bit.
Obviously you don't want to get him 'hooked' on sweet things so I would suggest going with the tea at first..

It can be hard going but you'll get there in the end.
My eldest had to have the dreaded soya milk as a baby and - I kid you not - it was foul! I ended up sticking a teabag in it each time he had a bottle because it was the only way to get him to drink it.

HTH and Good luck

 

[bana]

I had this problem, in the end i tried soooo many different types of bottles and teats my lo settled for the cheap asda weaning one that has glug glug glug written down the side. I think this is because the teat thing on the beaker is soft and squidgy like the boob and it a similar shape. I tried every night for 7 nights at roughly the same time everynight. Eventually he took it. I think trying different types and persevering is the key! x

 

[tinkerz23]

If it is a taste problem, you could try mixing the breast milk and formula. What I mean is for a couple days if you give a 4oz bottle, put 3 oz breast milk and 1 oz formula....then 2 oz breast and 2 oz formula, then 1 oz breast and 3 formula and so on. I don't know if this is the case since you stated that LO has taken formula, but it's worth a shot.

 

[firegal]

Well, we had a better day today. I gave him his cup and while he still dribbled a lot of it out of his mouth, he drank a lot more than previously and he seems to be a lot happier with it than with a bottle. I think the key with my LO is that he needs to have it little and often rather than drink a load at once.

Just keeping EVERYTHING crossed that tomorrow is also a good day!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for their comments and advice xxx

 

[TattiesMum]

I had the same problem when I went back to work with my eldest ... I tried so many different bottles, teats and sippy cups it was unreal

When I went back to work I worried ALL the time on the first day ... only to find that the little madam had quite happily accepted a cheap sippy cup to drink from with no problems at all