Trying to switch to bottle from breast...help please

[Eminybob]

I've ebf DS up until now - he's 6 months old.

I want to try and introduce a bottle of formula at night, with a view to gradually switching completely.

He's had expressed bm a good few times and has always been happy with it - I've used a tommee tippee bottle with first size teat. He's also recently had some ready made Aptimil from the same bottle with no probs.

I've now bought some larger Avent bottles with 2nd size teats in preparation for him having more formula.

I have bought a tub of cow and gate as it's cheaper than Aptimil. (Rightly or wrongly)

The 1st night DP fed him with the new formula/bottle arrangement. He was fine but only had 2.5oz. Not as much as I hoped but he slept reasonably well.

2nd night I tried to bottle feed him. He cried through most of it, drank 2.5oz again but kept screaming so I caved and gave him the breast. He drank quite a bit then went down but didn't sleep quite as well as the night before.

Tonight has been carnage. DP has been with him as I thought it would be easier. He's cried loads and won't go down. He's had more formula than previously though. He's still up there with him.

He's had no problems before now having a bottle so I can't understand why now?

Is it the bottle? As he's used to the tommee tippee? Is it the formula as he was fine with Aptimil? Or maybe he knows that I'm weaning him off the breast and that's the problem?

Does this just take practice? Will it get easier?

Help please

C&G and Aptimal are made by the same people so should be the same however Aptimal never agreed with Ds1. He was quite sick when using it. I would be tempted to go back to the ready made stuff and gradually start mixing it with the powdered stuff. I would also go back to the TT bottles. The teats are quite soft compared to the Avent ones.

It will get easier and it's probably practice but maybe too many changes all at once.

C&G and Aptamil are very similar if not identical, as are all the other formula brands really. I wouldn't have thought it would be that.

It may well be the change in the teats, as it may be different to what he was used to and that might be unsettling him. Also breastfed babies won't take anywhere near the volume that fully formula fed babies take to begin with. Could he be teething? Might make him unhappy with a teat compared to breastfeeding.

Thanks. I so nearly bought some larger TT bottles but there was an offer on the Avent (skint but probably a false economy )

He ended up taking a total of 8oz but with lots of crying in the meantime. He's fast asleep now though.

Another question - DP is out tomorrow night so I'm going to have to do the last feed. Should I persevere with the bottle or just go breast for the one night? Or would that undo what we've done up to now?

Why is there such a difference in price between c&g and Aptimil if they are the same

I think it's all to do with marketing. If they have two brands with different focus of marketing, they can corner more of the market.

Maybe put him back on the first size teats? If he was having milk that way there's no need to move up a size.

I really regret not getting TT bottles. I'll try his old small one tonight and if it makes a difference I'll get some bigger ones.

Another question (if anyone is still there!)
The hv said at our weaning talk to stick with newborn formula after 6 months rather than follow on milk. Is this right? I've heard they are the same thing anyway?

Follow on milk was just made by the formula companies because they can't advertise the newborn stuff. They will be fine on either!

I would just use the smaller bottles. I also wouldn't bother buying any bigger ones. If he finishes smaller one and seems hungry just give another small one.

From now on he is also going to be eating solids and therefore drinking less at once so the smaller ones are fine. He can drink 4/5oz, and have breakfast. Same at other meals. So he won't be wanting 8oz plus solids each time within a few weeks. Then the odd bottle in between.

I think it's 20oz of milk min until 1. So 4 bottles even small will cover that. Give 5/6 if hungry

Thanks. I'll go back to TT tonight and see if that makes a difference.

He's been in such a lovely mood today, and he's so happy at the moment that I'm dreading upsetting him again