11 month old wont take formula

[Maddy2011]

Hi!

My DD is 11 months old and was mostly breastfed till 6 months (with a combination of pumped milk in bottle). We then introduced formula at 6 months which she drank a couple of times and after that has outrightly rejected it. Now she doesn’t even take pumped milk in the bottle. I have tried all sorts of bottles, sippy cups, open cups. Tried adding formula to fruit purees to make a smoothie. But she wont have it.

She eats well but doesn’t have milk any other way. I have started work and she goes to nursery but doesn’t take bottle there as well (Quite stubborn already haha!)

My question is how do I wean her off breastfeeding? Anyone has experience with introducing dairy milk? And when to do that? Is it okay if she goes without drinking milk for long stretches? I am out of ideas and will really appreciate any help!

Hi OP,
we’ve moved this over to the infant feeding board as we think you might find more helpful answers here.

11 months is right at the tail end of formula, even babies that were formula fed from birth will normally have cut right down to 1-2 bottles a day by this age, then come 12 months it’s supposed to be no more bottles and formula. From a year old they need at least 350ml of full fat or semi skimmed cows milk each day, or alternatively 2 servings of dairy products e.g. yoghurt, cheese, milk on cereal. So it isn’t that hard to make sure they have what they need because 2 yoghurts a day will do it! At your stage it really isn’t worth trying to push formula and bottles and I wouldn’t be remotely concerned if she fully moves over to cows milk a few weeks early. As for weaning off breastfeeding I can’t help with the practicalities of that, but if she’s drinking water and eating good meals she’ll be just fine!

I agree with @InTheRainOnATrain that if she is eating well including dairy, and drinking water then there is no need to try and force formula milk on her. Don't start giving sweetened drinks or fruit juice except as an occasional treat.

As for stopping breastfeeding, cutting down to one feed a day, and then distraction when the time for that feed comes around, worked for both of mine.

Yeah I wouldn't try an introduce formula now!

A slice of bread with added calcium also contributes. As does some cereals. There's lots of sources as well as dairy. I would just wean from breastfeeding and offer dairy milk and if they don't drink it, not a big deal. But they will probably start.

I had to wean from breastfeeding to oat milk because of cmpa. Did this at 13 months. Was down to two feeds a day, morning and night. Dropped the morning feed and offered a straw cup of oat milk. It got thrown across the room every morning for 17 days. On day 18 he drank it. Replacing the bedtime feed was much much quicker, although he did ask for it for about a week, while happily drinking the oat milk