My breastfed baby won't drink formula!

[nicola0809]

I’ve got a 6 month old daughter who has been exclusively breastfed since birth. I’m done with feeding now, I’ve surpassed my goal and would really like to get other people involved with feeding and also eventually leave her with people to be looked after. I’ve had lots of issues with pumping and it’s just no longer an option for me any more.
So over the past few weeks we’ve been trying to introduce her to formula, we’ve tried 4 different brands, countless bottles and different flows, we’ve tried powder and pre made, different temperatures, you name it! We’ve even left her for 6 hours without a feed and still she just flat out refuses formula milk!!!! I’m at a complete loss. I’ve tried google and it just doesn’t seem to be a common thing. Just to note she has absolutely no issues taking a bottle, she will drink expressed milk from a bottle absolutely fine!! I’m really hoping there will be people on here who have been through this, I’m so ready to end my breastfeeding journey and take a bit of pressure off myself!

[loutypips]

Will she take formula from someone else when you're not around?

[Paperyfish]

If you have any expressed milk left could you try mixing it with formula then gradually increasing the formula until it’s all formula? Haven’t tried it- but it worked to get the fussy cats to eat different food!

[CloudyVanilla]

Have you tried a dairy fat based formula like Kendamil or Aptamil Profutura?

Not very scientific I know but they smell and taste much nicer than vegetable oil based milks (most baby formulas have dairy fat removed and replaced with a combination of vegetable oils)

Mine definitely demonstrate a preference.

[Ladybird345]

Hello, my son was like this. Luckily he loved food so he had this when I wasn't around and then had food and breast milk from me when I was (he was abit older though).
I tried formula with him from a very young age and he refused and never ever took it at any age, just flat out refused.
How far into weaning are you? Food could be your answer?

[Ladybird345]

Sorry pressed send too soon.

Food could be your answer? Although it does mean still breastfeeding for some time.

My LO stopped breastfeeding at fourteen months.

I'm sure many ladies get their children to have formula though so just saying my experience. Good luck!

[nicola0809]

Thank you for all your responses!
We did start weaning at around 5 months as I had to leave her for a whole day and didn't know what else to do. My parents did try her in formula but she refused, however did take food so I'm guessing that's my answer.
If I had to leave her for a long period of time do you think she would be okay just on food???

[Lilybet1980]

Has she taken a bottle at all? If she will and you can express I would recommend mixing breast milk and formula and gradually increasing the amount of formula. Took me a week to do this with DC1 to get them onto a full bottle of formula.

If she’s never taken a bottle that’s a bit more tricky and I’m definitely not the one to advise (DC2 is a total bottle refused).

I would really try not to stress about it. They change their feeding habits such a lot over the next couple of months once solids really start to kick in. I’ve totally given up on trying to get DC2 on a bottle now and I’m holding out for trying a beaker of cows milk at 12 months. From 8 months or so the number of day time feeds dropped quite quickly so it just became less of an issue.

[nicola0809]

Sorry should add that I did try adding a small drop of formula to a bottle of expressed and she still refused that!

We haven't tried anything like kendamil so I will certainly look into that thank you!

I've resigned myself to the fact I may have to breastfeed till she's 1! Once we reach that age I'm back to work though, but I guess just food will be okay then!

[Twizbe]

Two things you can try.

1. mix breast milk and formula and gradually increase the formula.
   
   
2. not stress about it and focus on solids. As she eats more she will drink less. By 6 months both mine had dropped the lunch breastfeed. By 8 months they'd dropped the mid morning one, by 10 months we were down to 3 day time feeds and no night feeds

[lapufalina]

We had quite a similar issue with my eldest when I went away for my hen do at 6mo and left her overnight but she wouldn't take any bottle reliably, my then DP had to sustain her on water, fruit pouches and yogurt until she finally caved later in the day and saw off a huge bottle.

We weaned her onto formula about 8 months with a tip from my sister which was adding vanilla to the formula. Either extract or essence, whichever one doesn't have alcohol in I bought the wrong one first of all!

[shehadsomuchpotential]

I think if you have tried mixing and different type you have two choices. Patience and knowing that the feeding will decrease week on week now she is eating more and more solids. It will be just morning and night very soon. But i know thats hard when you are done. You have done so well though. Or go cold turkey which is a little bit stressful for everyone and she is quite young for that. But thats what it took with my daughter at 12 months. Apparently also what my mum had to do with me at 4 months!

[nicola0809]

I haven't tried the vanilla, it's certainly worth a shot I'll give it a go thanks!

Yeah cold turkey is probably a bit too much for me right now. But I think it will eventually have to be the case. Thanks!

[FannyCann]

It may be that she is rejecting the bottle rather than the formula? Neither of mine would take a bottle. Both started solids at six months, and I weaned onto a sippy cup for fluids using expressed milk. Still had breast morning and night though, it was a lovely time of close cuddles.

[FelicityPike]

Have you tried a doidy cup?