Which formula tastes most like breastmilk?

[Finelinebetweenchaos]

Hello, I am leaving my 10 month old DD with my Mum tomorrow while I go and meet a friend for afternoon tea - first solo outing since she was born and I am BEYOND excited!!

She has never had formula and I know she might not strictly need it while I'm out, but I'd like my mum to have something in reserve just in case. Anyway, does anyone know if any of the formulas taste more like bmilk than the others? If it tastes really different I think she is less likely to drink it.

(In case you are wondering I am considering expressing but have always found it such a faff and can never get more than about a spoonful out!)

None of them. I've never tasted BM but I can't imagine it would taste like any of them. I FF DTS and it smelt vile. They liked it though:)

None of them smell (I haven't tasted!) at all like breastmilk, but HIPP Organic formula seems to be most successful for EBF who struggle switching to formula. It certainly smells much more pleasant than Aptamil.

Does your dd eat well? If she does then I'd suggest just giving her lots to eat and just water in a sippy cup if she doesn't like the taste of formula. As long as you're not gone all day she will be fine at 10 months

I understand that bm changes taste according to what the mum has been eating- so probably none of them!

Hipp Organic according to my husband he tried a few as our 2 didn't really like formula and I didn't get much expressing!

I heard Aptimil was the closest, which is what I used when I first started giving DS some formula. He didn't have any problems with it.

When I switched him fully over I swapped to cow and gate and he didn't even notice.

I really wish that I had introduced formula earlier on, because like you, I hated expressing and it took bloody hours to get a feed, but I would persevere, making myself miserable if I wanted to go out or have a night off.

My breast milk didn't taste like any formula! I used sma in the beginning with my first ds (couldn't bf then due to meds) and then cow and gate. Used aptamil with second ds when he was coming off bm but none tasted like mine. Bm tastes a bit like sugary water to me.

The "Aptamil is the closest" thing is a myth perpetuated by the company that produces it. They used that phrasing in an advert and were banned from doing so because it's just not true. But still the phrasing sticks around, perhaps because it's marketed as a premium brand and because often Aptamil is marketed to health care professionals - it gets used/offered in hospitals etc, giving it an air of approval.

My DD will take hipp organic can't say that it tastes the same though. You could just buy a little carton of the first milk so you're not wasting money if she doesn't want it.

I agree though that she won't need it if she has food and water. At 10 months my DD could go all day without milk if I wasn't there. Whereas at home she'll lots throughout the day

Thanks all! I might see if I can get a single carton of the ready made Hipp Organic but hopefully she won't need it and will be fine with a big feed before I leave and another when I get home. She does usually eat and drink well at mealtimes and my Mum is planning to give her one of her favourite meals for lunch so it might be she doesn't need anything!

She probably won't need it. My dd would never drink formula, or expressed breast milk in fact. Get the ready made carton for your piece of mind but she'll be fine with water and food. I always used to give mine natural yoghurt as I felt that was a good milky type food. She loved it mixed with softened fruit like strawberries, pears, peaches etc. Enjoy your break!

At 10 months I'd just give a cup of cows milk as a one off. It doesn't have the added vitamins of formula but it's not inherently "dangerous" if it's not her main drink.