tips needed to encourage 9mo bf baby to take formula

[triptrap22]

Would really like to give up bf my DS but he won't oblige! Have tried formula in a bottle, beaker, teaspoon - but he's having none of it. So far just tried Aptamil - does anyone have any other recommendations of formula that may taste more palatable to fussy LO? Or shall I just accept and let the process of self-weaning take place?

Is he happy to take EBF in a bottle?

yes, for a dreamfeed - tho haven't expressed for ages.

ok, well its obviously up to you if you want to keep BFing or wean, but you could try Hipp organic, which seemed very nice and my DD really enjoyed (combination fed after 5 months) until I realised that it wasn't halal...

Does he drink water from a bottle / beaker? So it's the taste of formula he doesn't like?

Could you try a mix of formula and EBF, gradually increasing the amount of formula?

Get him used to taking expressed milk from a feeder cup or a bottle.

Have you tried the premixed formula - some breastfed babies prefer it. I know it's more expensive, but see it as an in between stage.

Thanks guys, but don't think I can bear to express again - also not sure boobs up to it....

Until today I had the same problem funnily enough. Today my DD drank 4oz of formula - the first time! (she is 10mths) I tried her with Hipp organic follow on milk (powder) before Christmas - she threw it across the room. But today after her lunchtime nap I offered her a warm bottle of it (Mam - with funny spouty top not teat). And she actually drank it. I felt so proud it's ridiculous.
She has been waking up so much (4/5 times) during the night and I have just been BF her back to sleep! I can't do it anymore
I am going to introduce formula again at bed time tomorrow. I think it's a gradual thing though. I'm not ready to stop completely yet (I BF my DS til 15mths - he self weaned) but I feel I need to cut down.
Maybe don't try for a couple of weeks then offer it after lunch nap?
Sorry for waffling - it's been a big day... Silly what difference little things make! Good luck!

you've given me hope emeraldex! Like you, my DS self-weaned off bf at 15months but by then I was exhausted. I really feel for you feeding 4/5 times a night - that is newborn stuff! I feed DS 2/3 and think it will only get better when i stop BF, as like you, I always take the easy option and feed him back to sleep .

Will try Hipp organic with Mam teet pronto!

Always good to have hope!
I would be interested to hear the end of the story!

will keep you posted. let me know how you get on too

triptrap, have you tried getting someone else to give her a bottle? I had exactly the same problem with DD1 at the same age, although she was quite happy to take EBM from a bottle - apparently the smell of breastmilk on you can make them very reluctant to take formula from you. My best friend got her to take one eventually - bit of protest initially but then she was fine. She also refused aptamil (which I'd chosen because everyone said it was most like breastmilk...) but liked sma gold.
On the plus side, difficult though it was to get her to take formula initially, it was then a breeze when I came to stop BF completely - by that time she found it so much easier just to take a bottle that there were no protests and we just cut down a feed at a time, so no problems for me either.
Good luck - hope you manage it ok!

my baby got to 9months throwing the bottles with disgust but then slowly realised it wasn't poison! i just kept trying a few ounces every few days - expressed, formula, beaker, bottle, trainer spout, i offered them all! eventually he had some cold formula in the beaker he usually has water from. he would sit with some toys and a few ounces in a bottle and have a tiny bit every now and then so i just left it with him and eventually he started drinking it. now he starts jumping up and down in excitement when he sees a bottle! some days he has 1 or 2 bottles a day, some days none. he's nearly 12months now.

I struggled with DD at a similar age to your DS. She would happily drink water from a variety of cups but not formula or EBF. So I offered her extremely weak formula, basically white water that tasted barely milky, and each day increased the strength of the milk until it was 'full strength'. Then I started to drop feeds. She never guzzled at formula, but would sip at it slowly. With hindsight I wish I'd started her on cows milk before 12 months, as it turned she loved that, and went from gaining just a few oz in weight from 9 to 12 months, to a few lbs in weight from 12 to 15 months, so clearly wasn't getting enough. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?! I don't think I really found a satisfactory solution until 12 months, I hope you do better than I did!
(ps on the plus side, I never had to wean her off drinking from bottles, as she never got onto them )

Tripptrapp- I don't want to be showing off (I am a little) or jinxing it, but my DD slept through last night for 3rd time ever.... There is hope!! How are you getting on?

that's fantastic emeraldex!! How did you do it? Did she take formula at bed-time? Throughout the day maybe? Did she go from 4/5 feeds a night to nothing? Sorry for all the questions! I've listened to all the MNetters advice and have persisted giving DS some formula every day, mostly in a beaker as he seems offended by the bottle. I'v now tried Aptamil, Hipp and SMA Gold and it's the last (seems sweeter) one that he likes most. He has taken a few sips at a time but by no means a feed yet. I'm going to keep trying x

I introduced formula after her lunch sleep. She didn't do a guzzle - like normal bottlefed babies but she drank it herself when she was sitting on my lap - having little sips, then I let her play and put it on an accessible table and she went to it now and again. I also gave her a snack a but later and then gave her a later tea. She started waking up less- 3 times, twice then once. I also offered her some more formula before bed - she drank about 1oz. Last night she woke up once. I am BF her when she wakes at night and first thing in the morning. - first few days my boobs were really full again (funny feeling after so many months) fingers crossed it continues.
How is it going for you?

Sorry...she drank 4oz after nap time.

Emeraldex, how's it going. I'm crossing my fingers that your LO is still sleeping really well at night? Are you still BF? I am persisitng with the formula but DS refusing to take it from DH and has upped his BF in night to 4/5 (am sooo tired). Is there hop for some sleep?