Breastfed baby refusing formula

[FormulaTroubles]

My lo is 6mo. He is ebf but we did use some bottles of expressed milk in the first couple of months to help put weight on. I’m preparing to go back to work so need to move him onto formula (don’t want to start pumping again as it took ages for me to be able to stop before) I’ve tried different bottles, different formula, cups (he does sip a little water from a cup now) and even tried some expressed milk from the freezer but he just screams and arches away . Does anyone have any tips?!

How long is it till you go back to work and will it be full time?

My first day is in a month, though it’s just an in touch day. I don’t start full time until end of May but have a few days in work before then.

Will LO be around 9 months? They don't have to have a huge amount at that age, it's about 600ml a day if they are fully FF.

Both of mine were total bottle refusers but we got by with using cups instead of bottles.

You might need to try a couple of different brands, I bought some ready made until I found one that they preferred.

It's usually best to drop one feed every two weeks to reduce the risk of mastitis, so I'd pick one feed, preferably when your DH is home and try and leave them to it and go out. If yours is anything like mine they will refuse formula if they think anything else is on offer...

Thank you, I’ll try some ready made. I don’t have a DP so it’ll have to be me that feeds unfortunately! I’ve been trying after his afternoon nap each day.

Do you have to move him onto formula? I know plenty of mums who continued breastfeeding after returning to work. Obviously if you want to stop then that's up to you but at 9mo they'll be ok with a morning feed, dinner time, bedtime and maybe an overnight feed. Can have food and water during the day.

Also if you choose a nursery near your work you could feed at lunchtime. If family are looking after him they could bring him to you at lunchtime

We had this problem with DD. She was a stubborn bottle refuser. In the end, she went to nursery at 9 months old and I would feed her immediately before dropping her off and when I picked her up. In between she would have food and yoghurt which we had provided. She was always starving when I picked her up and I would feed her as soon as we got home. It didn't do her any harm in the long run.

I want to wean him off. I’d leave for work at 7 and not pick him up till nearly 6 so it’d be a long time to go without milk. I work about 40 minutes away and wouldn’t get much chance to pop out. Plus it hasn’t been the easiest of journeys so I feel ready to begin to move to the next stage now.

Thank you, I’ll try some ready made. I don’t have a DP so it’ll have to be me that feeds unfortunately! I’ve been trying after his afternoon nap each day

Have you started and how's it going?

I weaned at the same time as going back to work some days, I couldn’t have pumped enough for nursery, I shudder thinking about it😂.

Not what you’ve asked, but my boobs were huge, leaking and quite hard for a few days. Is there a way you could start weaning when not in work, I’m just thinking if you go to work on day 1, 2 or 3 of weaning it’ll be much more uncomfortable than day day 6 or 10 or more.

How warm is the milk you’re giving in the bottle? If you take your top off and have skin on skin as if it were breastfeeding does that help? The first few I had to give too of with face squished on boob as if I was breastfeeding. He could smell me then I think.

@BunnyRuddington he was having none of it yesterday!! Little monkey!

@FTEngineerM I have a month so hoping he’ll be weaned in the day by then. Will give the skin to skin a go, good idea!