Whether to introduce formula at 8 months

[BreastfedUp]

I'm EBF an 8 month old but quite fancy just a little more freedom and may be returning to work in 2-3 months so am considering introducing formula, maybe just for day feeds as bf is probably easier at night. I never managed to express or get anything with manual pump. It's all on demand atm and frequent short feeds through day, longer at bedtime and morning and night if she wakes.
I guess day feeds should wind down anyway over the next months but if I'm back at work before she's 1 she will need to be taking some formula. She's having 3 meals but still bf plenty. Can use sippy/doidy cups but often throws them so might be safest with bottles for formula? I'm not sure if it would be a lot of unnecessary stress and expense and I should just wait for her to have cows milk at 1, but it would be nice to be able to leave her with dh now with no milk worries.
I'd be interested to hear any thoughts or experiences please, or pointers to resources eg where would I find out how much I should offer when? Thank you.

but if I'm back at work before she's 1 she will need to be taking some formula.

I thought this as well but it's not true. If you're still giving her the majority of feeds as BFing, she can have a cup of cows milk when you're at work.

I went back when mine were 10 months abs 9 months. Fed on wake up, on pick up and before bed. If they wanted anything else they had a cup of milk with their food whilst I was at work.

As she's mainly on breast milk, at that age I'd be giving ordinary milk for the occasional daytime drink.

I'd also be looking to express and freeze a supply, which wouid cover some days.

And if concerned about cow's milk allergies, try goat's or sheep's milk, bothbare widely considered more digestible and both are widely available now.

Thanks both, that's interesting to hear, I had read they can have cows milk as an ingredient but not as a drink until 1. But obviously your little ones did ok!

Thanks both, that's interesting to hear, I had read they can have cows milk as an ingredient but not as a drink until 1. But obviously your little ones did ok

They can't have it as their main drink but from what you're saying BFing will remain as the main drink.

In terms of expressing have you tried the Hakka silicone pump? It doesn't get tonnes but you can attach it and secure in place on the other boob while LO feeds and it collects the let down that naturally happens when you feed. Some women find they get a few oz that way for me it's anything from 10ml to a couple of ounces but it's a good hands free way to try collecting some milk and the pump itself isn't expensive. Could be worth a try to start getting a stash if you'd rather have some BM to hand!

Mine just had water and food from around 9 months if I wasn't there and then bf when I was. I didn't leave them much really but my oldest was in nursery from 9 months while I studied. They just upped their feeds when I was with them to make up for it. It is fairly common for babies around that sort of age to be perfectly happy on food and water in childcare and then feed all bloody night! With my youngest I did 13 hour shifts both day and night when he was a year old and he just adapted, never had any expressed milk or formula. I usually had to express for comfort and the little blighter would refuse to drink it so his older brother would have it instead! Quite an odd (but nice) thing when your 6/7 year old is asking if it is OK for him to grab a glass of the breast milk from the fridge!