Introducing some formula to ebf baby at 7+ months, how?

[moggle]

DD is 7.5m and started weaning at 6m, she has otherwise only had BM from mostly me and occasional bottles. We're down to the last few bags of BM in the freezer and I'm realising that I either need to start pumping again or introduce DD to formula for the times when I'm away from her (maybe only a bottle a week, and she'll be going to nursery at around 11m). She's on three meals a day although she doesn't eat tons, but has reduced her feeds over the last few weeks as she's now going 4.5-5 hours during the day, rather than about 3hrs. I haven't really pumped much recently and I now only get about 1oz in a morning pumping session instead of 4 or 5oz. I'm not sure I can be bothered to really put the effort into getting my boobs into pumping again as I've always produced a lot of milk so I know it'll mean leaky boobs and sour milk smell just in the hottest months of the year! So I'm getting over my assumption that DD would never need to have formula and have some questions.

Should I just introduce formula or should I mix it half and half for a bit?

Which brand should I go for, does it really matter? We'd be using the ready to drink bottles as we'll only need it occasionally. We have no allergies in the family and she's shown no food sensitivities so far.

Do I need to sterilise bottles, we've always just washed BM bottles in hot soapy water?

[sophie150]

Id just introduce straight formula and see how your lo takes it. we may have just been lucky but my ds will go from bottle to Breast and not be fussed either way.
My ds has one formula feed a day so we use the ready made stuff - cow and gate. It's all the same recipe so if just go for whatever is most freely available in your local shops.
I don't think you need to sterilise bottles at this stage, but I still do for some reason! I think it's less of a problem with ready made stuff but unless you really scrub the bottles well formula can stick in the crevices! It's a bit thicker than Breast milk. The other option is just to put them in the dishwasher as it gets really hot although be prepared for Orange coloured bottles if you have a spag Bol for dinner!

[sophie150]

Ooh and don't heat the bottles up- see if your lo will take it straight from the fridge (for opened bottles- you can keep for 24 hrs) or cupboard for fresh bottles. Reduces the faff considerably!

[Aberchips]

I'd second going straight for formula if she is already used to a bottle. Also as sophie150 has said, if they'll take room temp bottles it's much less faff! Good luck!

[moggle]

Thanks! We've only ever taken the chill off the BM she gets so hopefully room temp will be fine. Will give it a go!

[squizita]

After 6 months you don't have to sterilise - if it's only the odd bottle then use ready made. I wash mine in the dishwasher.
My dd has hers warmed up (or fridge cold) only. She only takes the same as she would of expressed milk (4oz max) in one go ... so we do 2 feeds close together if we think she will get hungry. Though tbh she usually just feeds longer off me when I return.

[squizita]

...try different brands of ready made too. Though they are nutritionally identical there are slight differences in taste and wind production! My dd prefers SMA first milk to aptimil or cow n gate for example.

[Greenstone]

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[BeautifulBatman]

If you have a DP/DH around, it's sometimes a good idea to get them to introduce the first bottle - breast is the association with you. It might not be such a shock/change if someone else can introduce the bottle.

[Somethingwitty2015]

I was in exactly the same position a couple of months ago - I wanted to introduce formula before the freezer stash ran out as a friend took a month of mixing to get her DS to take formula. As others have said, start with a bottle of just formula given by someone other than you. If baby doesn't take it, try either mixing with bm or another brand and trial and error until you find something that works for you. In the end my little milk monster took aptimil quite happily so it was all simpler than expected and we alternated formula and bm until the freezer ran out and I couldn't be bothered to pump any more. I'd recommend giving it more than once a week though so she gets used to the taste - perhaps add some to breakfast cereal occasionally?