Another breastfed PFB refusing to take formula - any suggestions?

[dustbuster]

DD is six months old - we've just started weaning and she is very keen. She's never taken a bottle though - she'll take a few ounces of EBM from a Nuby cup (with a soft spout), but just messes with the formula, letting it run down her chin. We are trying the usual things (different times of day, more or less hungry, DP giving her the cup) but I'm going back to work soon, so this becoming more pressing.

Should I try a bottle again, or will this confuse things further?

Should I try another cup with a rigid spout so that the milk just flows out?

Is it worth changing formula? We're using HIPP Organic.

How long would you expect a baby to take to get used to formula? We started on Monday.

Thanks in advance!

[dustbuster]

Sorry -when I said she's very keen on weaning, I meant on solids rather than being weaned from the breast!

[squigglywig]

DD had to have a bottle sporadically as I was in hospital. We kept a selection and tried her on all of them in turn until we found the one she would accept that particular time. She was just being fussy. She was under 6mo at the time though.

It also generally worked better if she had it the minute she woke up from a nap rather than when she was actually hungry.

Will she take an open cup if you or DP help her?

[dustbuster]

Good idea about the nap - will try that.

Haven't tried an open cup yet. I was just looking up Doidy cups - perhaps they are worth a try?

[squigglywig]

No idea re: doidy cups, but lots of people swear by them so maybe!

Good Luck!

[TheProvincialLady]

You can try different cups, different bottles and different formulas by all means. It is early days yet. But it will be fine if you just give her BF when you are around and she has water and solid food, especially if she is keen on it.

If you really want her to have formula you could try mixing EBM and formula and gradually increasing the proportion of formula until it is 100%.

[dustbuster]

Thanks, Provincial Lady, I hadn't thought of that. I am going to be working three days a week, probably quite long days, i.e. she won't see me for 10 hours or so. Would it be ok for her just to have water and solid food on those days?

[squigglywig]

On those days could you make sure her lunch is milky and use cows milk?

Pasta in cheese sauce with veg etc.

[TheProvincialLady]

Yes it should be OK - though she might feed a lot in the night to make up for it

[dustbuster]

She is a real little night grazer anyway, so it wouldn't be the first time!

[browntrout]

i dont wish to depress you but my DD (now 20 months) has never drunk formula milk and I can't really get her to drink cow's milk either. I think this is a common issue with breast fed babies and, though i went back to work when she was 6 months, she really struggled to take anything from a bottle/cup. We finally stopped BF 3 weeks ago and she might drink 1/2 ounce of cow's milk but that is the absolute maximum and i think she does it more for the novelty. I tried every type of formula and have mixed cow's milk with almost everything you can imagine - to no avail. She happily drinks water/juice from a cup though. Be prepared for her not to take any milk when you are away and to feed enthusiastically when you are home! My DD wouldnt even taken EBM from anything other than my breast. if she is weaned and taking yoghurts etc she will be fine until you are home. if you are hoping to stop BF completely then it might be a bit of a traumatic time for all concerned!

[dustbuster]

Actually, browntrout, this is reassuring rather than depressing. I thought they HAD to have milk all the time, and I don't really have the willpower to express enough - hence the formula.

I'm happy to carry on BF, just worried about her getting hungry/thirsty while at CM. But she is taking to solids very enthusiastically, and I will try her with water from a cup.

[TheProvincialLady]

If you think about it a lot of babies are night weaned and sleeping 12 hours at night at 6m so you will be doing the same only during the day 3 days a week, that's all.

[dustbuster]

Just to update this - got a doidy cup and tried it, and she totally got the hang of it first time round! So at least we know she will drink EBM/water from a doidy, and I will try to introduce formula gradually. Thanks for all your help, ladies, I feel a lot more positive about this now.

[PeppermintPatty]

MY DD was like browntrout's.
She refused all formula / cows milk / expressed milk.

I bought so many different cups / bottles / different types of formula to see if it would make a difference. Nothing worked.

Would only drink milk straight from the source

I went back to work when she was about 8 1/2 months old. Icontinued to BF her when I was at home and she had water and food when I wasn't.

I stoped BFing when she was 11 months old and hasn't drank a drop of milk since (but she has it in food, yoghurt, cheese etc).

She is fine

If you can encourage your DD to drink milk from a cup that's great. But don't stress too much if she won't (I did and it was a waste of time!).

[zebedee1]

Another DS who refused formula here.. I tried every day from age 6-12 months and he hated it, no matter what cup it was coming in! They BF less and less after 6 months so continuing to BF is not such a chore if you chose to keep going!
I went back to work 3 days a week and just BF morning and evening on those days, DS had water in the day for those 3 days.
He started drinking cows milk at about 14 months - I'm sure it was because the nursery offered it and he saw all the other children drinking it!