Getting baby from breast milk to formula.

[flossish]

DD (5.5 months) seems to know a good thing when she is on to it. When left with DP she has so far always drunk her EBM in a bottle fine. However with my return to work looming (doing two 14.5 hr days in a row) and DD still being fed about 8 times a day I don't feel i will be able to continue on bf alone. happy to continue to the extent that i won't become engorged at work ifyswim.

however, been trying to introduce one bottle of formula for the past three days and dd is having none of it. been using hipp organic and the first couple of times she took an ounce and refused, last night when left alone with dp she point blank refused any of it.

has anyone else had this? i have briefly contemplated mixing ebm and formula in ever decreasing quanities for ebm to see if that solves it - is this ok to do even? would be most grateful for any advice on this!

You could try the mixing ebm/formula - only one way to find out if that'll work.

Is there any way you can express at work?

Get your dp/someone else to let her play with the bottle (of formula) between feeds, when she isn't very hungry. An ounce is better than nothing and she may build up from there.

You could try a cup or a beaker, or a different sort of bottle or brand of formula. You could put water in the bottle to see if that helps get her used to non-ebm in there, or you could try her with a spoon or a syringe if nothing else is working.

You may find she'll go for it once you're at work, or she may prefer to have nowt in the day and feed all night. Sorry, the latter isn't great news for you, but ime a lot of babies do that.

Make the formula feeds as relaxed and as fun as possible (am sure you already do.) Pop the teat in an around her mouth and see if you can make a game of it and make her giggle. Let her play with the bottle and don't worry about any mess she will may make. Think about offering the bottle when she's in a highchair/bumbo/bouncing chair etc, not just in your arms. If she isn't interested, give up and try not to offer the breast straight away, try to distract her with a toy/game/tickling etc. You don't want her to make the association of refusing bottle=breastfeed. I would also try the bottle for a few minutes a few times a day.

In other words, try everything!

HTH.

thank you WT. I just won't be able to express at work - I know legally I am entitled to etc, but I wasn't even getting breaks in a full days work when I was 7 months pregnant so it really just wouldn't be feasible. Lots of things to try there though so thank you.

increasing the temperature of the bottled milk helped dd to take to it...

oh and also there is no way I will be up all night feeding her in between shifts, I'll be home at 10/10.30 and up again at 5 so I'll end up killing the patients if I don't get sleep!

well one 3 oz 'taster' bottle of 50/50 ebm and formula all gone! so fingers crossed!