Which formula tastes most like breastmilk?

[KitKat1985]

Hi. DD2 is 10 weeks old. For the first couple of months of her life she's been exclusively breastfed. I had been expressing as much as I can so that DH could do the odd feed and I could get some sleep. However, I was really struggling to find the time to express (I have a toddler as well, and no family help in the week) and I often struggle to get much milk out, so I decided when she was a couple of months old so start moving over to giving her the occasional bit of formula milk instead, with a view to probably eventually in a few months time moving her fully onto formula, which is what I did with DD1. But, she refusing formula milk. We tried regular powdered aptamil milk but she wouldn't take that so I wondered if it tasted a bit powdery to her, so tried ready made formula instead and she won't drink that either. As I say, she will drink expressed milk from a bottle so I don't think it's an issue with her taking a bottle per se, she just doesn't like the taste of formula. Is there a formula which tastes more like breastmilk I can try?

Formula companies aren't allowed to make claims like that, so you won't find one that says that it tastes like breastmilk. I imagine they're all much of a muchness, given they have almost identical ingredients. I've seen people on here suggesting that you can mix some formula with ebm and see if she'll take that. You can then gradually reduce the amount of ebm until it's all formula.

Have you looked at the temperature of the milk? My DS would happily switch between Aptamil and (expressed) breastmilk but my neice who was properly breastfed would only take formula if it was much warmer than I would make it for my son. Worth looking at:?

Try not expressing and just feeding instead? It will save you a whole lot of time and trouble :). It always sounds like a good idea that dh can help, but ime is a total pita. Especially now she's getting on toward 12 weeks and it will be getting easier, with fewer night feeds.

If you really do want to switch to formula, give only bottles and phase it in- so 1oz formula in a 6 oz bottle. After a few days, up it to 2oz formula, and so on. It'll take a couple of weeks but you should be on complete formula by the end.

Yeah I could try mixing breastmilk and formula, that's a good idea. I'll try making it a bit warmer as well. All worth a go!