Dd hates formula?!

[Givinguph0pe]

Dd is nearly 5 weeks and I've been expressing for her until now. She was six weeks prem and away from me for four nights in intensive care and we struggled to feed even though I really wanted to.

However the last few days I've had to introduce one bottle of formula as I can't express enough milk for her. Also ideally I want to reduce the expressing because I'm shattered and I have an older child who is missing out because I'm spending half my life hooked to a breast pump.

But dd doesn't seem to like the formula. Am I imagining this because I feel so guilty and like shit for formula feeding? When I give it to her she looks disappointed. Also she will drink 150mls of my milk but max only 100 of the formula and usually less. She spits some out too. I see her looking at me like 'what is this mum? I don't want this' she can be really hungry but still not drink much of it.
I feel like the worst mother in the world. She had such a rubbish start thanks to my crap body and now I can't even do this for her. I can't even feed my baby. And if my body hasn't been useless and she had been term we might have been able to breast feed more easily.

Is it possible for them to just refuse the formula because they don't like it? She's used to being bottle fed as I've only really ever expressed. What should I do?

[Junosmum]

They taste very different so yes, perfectly normal for them to refuse it. Some people mix it with breast milk and slowly reduce the amount of breast milk until it's all formula.

Have you tried expressing whilst feeding? I can't get any out unless I do!

[Junosmum]

Oh sorry, just read that you can't feed. Do you express whilst she's lying on you? That might help (so you can slowly introduced the formula).

[stargirl1701]

You can ask for local donor milk on Human Milk for Human Babies.

[Focusfocus]

givingiphope your other thread had lots of good advice - have you looked into feeling a little less shit with what the doc prescribed and maybe that will help with how you interpret your dd?

She will eat as and when she is hungry. It's not a direct xo parison of she had x amount of BM but u amount of formula. They have different appetites and different times. She had x amount at one time and y at another.

We all get used to new tastes. She will too. She probably isn't disappointed - she is one of gazillions of babies having it. She does t know what milk comes from where. She doesn't know she has feet.

Please look into he advice on your other thread and that will help really.

And feed on demand - whether BM or formula - if they don't want it now take it away offer later when they ask for it.

[Hobbes8]

I wouldn't worry too much about her taking less formula - she'll take what she needs. It may well be more filling than BM.

[pollylovespie]

Oh goodness, what a rough start you've had. Well done for expressing, it is absolutely exhausting, particularly with another child to look after. You have nothing to feel guilty about! You can feel sad that things didn't go the way you wanted but that wasn't your fault.
Sounds like she's taking a decent amount, but if you think she doesn't like it she may prefer another brand- they taste quite different. Try to be as kind to yourself as I'm sure you would be to a friend who was going through the same xx