Need breast to formula advice please!

[bubblemonster]

My 5 month DD has been EBF and I started weaning a couple of weeks ago. She is getting the hang of it all and loves sweet potato, avocado and banana. She seems far more content now that she has a little more substance in her tummy but still feeds every couple of hours at night.

I would like to introduce a bottle of formula for her first feed after she has gone down for the night. This is for two reasons:
1- She might sleep for a little longer
2-To get her used to a bottle for my return to work.

We have tried her on SMA from a bottle a couple of times but she doesn't drink any of it (she can and does drink a few sips of water from a freeflow and valved cup, so I know she can do it).

SMA tastes like soggy cardboard to me! Could it be that she just doesn't like the taste?

Which formula tastes most like breast milk?

Any advice would be most welcome, cheers!

Some mums find it easier to transition a baby to formula via expressed breast milk. Does expressing work for you?

That way, first she gets used to taking milk from a difference source, and then you can get her used to formula.

I think all the formulas like to claim they are closest to breastmilk - but there are no studies to give us real data on this.

No, expressing doesn't work for me!

Then it might make sense to try different formulas, just buy a little carton of each, and see if she likes any of them?

Are you offering it at room temperature, or warmed up? She might get on with one and not the other ...

Will do - thank you!

Didn't someone taste test the different formulas here and conclude that Aptamil tasted the best? SIL says C+G comfort tastes rank so deffo not that!

I would try Expressed milk first then then switch to formula.

I don't think any of them really taste like breastmilk to be honest!

In my experience though, SMA is rank and tastes/smells oddly fishy
Aptimil tastes ok but is expensive
Cow & Gate tastes identical to Aptimil - in fact they are made by the same company! But Aptimil is the "premium" brand so is more expensive.

I haven't tried any of the comfort ones.

the closest think I ever tasted to breastmilk was goats milk. >

Well my stubborn 7 month old wont take SMA or Cow and Gate. We're trying Aptimil next. Will let you know.

yama, why don't you try mixing a tiny bit of formula with breastmilk and see if baby will take that? If so, then you gradually increase the amount of formula. Has worked for some!

Cheers all - I will go and do a bit of road testing with the different brands then...fingers crossed x

I was EBF had this difficulty. Odd suggestion, I know you say you cannot express, but try getting enough out to taste your milk, then get the formula that tastes the most like your own milk. I found Hipp Organic seemed to have a thinner consistency than SMA and Aptamil and it was the only one that DD would drink. Good luck.

Chipmonkey - thanks for the suggestion. I never thought of doing that.