Moving from ebf to formula....how?

[snowchick1977]

Hi

My dd is 14 weeks old on Saturday and ebf from the beginning. She was hospitalised with a virus for 7 weeks and is plotting just below the 0.4 centile but they are now happy with her weight gain.

I have to return to work in May. I know it's a long way off but I want to be at the stage where she is fully formula fed at 7 months when I leave her.

Should I start introducing formula now and what would be the easiest way to do this? Ie do I introduce one formula feed a week until my supply slowly drops off etc

Thanks x

What I meant was introduce one formula feed a day for the first week then slowly increase it

I would start introducing now - best for both baby and a gradual reduction of your supply. Is she on any kind of routine?

I started by doing the evening bottle (just before bed, about 6pm). On the tin it will state what is the recommended amount for a baby of a particular weight or age. Start with stage 1 formula, suitable from birth.

I gave the evening bottle for about 2 weeks, still BF at about 10.30pm (just before I went to bed, and also during the night if he woke). Then I began giving him a bottle around lunchtime (11am). Did that for a couple of weeks. Next was the about 2.30pm feed. Then LO started sleeping through, but I was still BF at 10.30pm - I did what's called a 'dream-feed' - feeding the baby while they're still asleep. Just pick them up, sit down in their room with the lights dim, no talking and feed for about 30 minutes.

I kept just the morning feed for a long time, maybe a month? - So he was getting BF in the morning and last thing at night, and 3 bottles during the day. Once he was sleeping regulary through from 10.30pm till 7am, I dropped the dreamfeed, and he slept a whole 12 hours!!

You could keep the morning and dream-feed for ages if you like, it might work with your working day?

If I felt engorged with milk, I'd express just enough to feel comfortable (about 1-2oz) and mix it with his formula.

My ds is 10 weeks old. I would like to start making the switch over to ff too. I try to give one bottle of ff per day but find he's not keen to take any more than 2oz. Does anyone have any experience of this and how long it took to be able to increase the amount taken? Thanks.