Baby won't drink formula... any tips?

[Jezee]

I've been exclusively breastfeeding for 5.5 months and am due back to work soon, so I would like my ds to take formula during the day. I've tried expressing and only get a small amount so I need him to drink formula during the day. He will drink ebm and water from a bottle but not formula. Also tried formula in a cup to no avail. He just doesn't seem to like the taste of it at all. I've been using the ready-made cartons as I heard they are more palitable and have also tried different brands, he just doesn't like it. He's weaning with no problems and am using formula to mix with porridge/baby rice etc which is OK. He just won't drink it straight. Have even tried mixing with ebm and watering it down but nothing works... Any ideas?

[Miaou]

jezee, how long have you been trying to express? It can take quite a while to build up to it - the first time I tried it I could only get about 1/2 a teaspoonful, gradually worked up to about 3oz but didn't persevere any more as I only needed to mix in food. It took me a week or two of expressing every night to get to the 3oz stage.

[Jezee]

Miaou I have been trying for about 3 months admittedly on and off although I did notice that if I kept it up everynight the amount of milk did increase slightly. But 3oz was about the most I've ever got in one session. Also since he's been weaned onto solids I have been getting even less milk (obviously due to decrease in milk supply).

[Jezee]

I'VE FOUND THE ANSWER!!! My ds didn't seem to like the taste of formula milk so I figured it must be because breast milk is so sweet in comparison so I added a little apple juice (as this is what is used to sweeten soya milk) and it worked. He will now happily drink formula.. so relieved. I will now gradually reduce the amount of apple juice until it's just formula and see how that goes....

[dottymama]

Hi
I've been having the exact same problem. Baby is now 6 months and I'm ready to start stopping breastfeeding, but she just won't drink formuls. She'll have it with weetabix but I've tried hard spouted cups, soft spouted cups and bottles with no success. My HV didn't really come up with any useful suggestions, other than trying to get her used to the taste by puting it on her weetabix. I'm going to give the added apple juice a go. It's probably against all HV/dentists advice but I've got to get my bub drinking formula somehow!!! If it works I owe you a big virtual high five!!
BTW, my older daughter at 6 months stopped breastfeeding without any trouble at all and happily guzzled formula from a cup at the first time of trying, so it's definitely down to the individual baby and their preferences.
Cheers.x

[MatNanPlus]

Well Done Jezee,

As you say apple juice is used as a sweetener in many foods and drinks and as you say you can reduce the quantity you add over time and hey presto a formula drinking baby.

What a clever mummy DS has.