help please! going from boob to formula

[blondiep14]

For various reasons, I would like to get EBF DD (19 weeks) on to formula by mid April.
She's not currently having any solids but guess I will start in the next few weeks.

I fed both DS' until 10 months when they practically stopped themselves so am new to introducing formula.

Ideally I would like to give it in a cup and thus skip bottles. Is this possible?
How many milk feeds do 6 and a half month babies need?

Should I begin trying her with water so she gets used to a cup? Or is it best to wait until she is on solids?

Anything I else I need to consider?

TIA

Sorry haven't had your problem specifically, but you could try a trainer cup? I just got this one for DS (15 weeks) and will start using it in a few weeks' time when I start solids. The lip/teat/sipper thing is very soft silicone and it's non-drip so liquid won't come gushing out. But the idea is that it's for bottle to cup training... not sure if it works as well for boob to cup?

If she doesn't like a cup and you need to use bottles then you can get Avent trainer handles to fit the bottles, DS seems to quite like these and grips onto them when I feed him.

Also my friend that moved from EBF to FF found that she had to mix breastmilk and formula in varioius proportions until her DS got used to the taste of formula. But you might not need to do this.

My Aptamil box tells me that 5 month + babies need 5 x 210ml (ends up being slightly bigger than that cos of powder displacement) feeds a day. But if course that's just a guide.

Thanks Zara, very helpful.
Shall order one of those cups in preparation!