Please help! Want and need to quit bf but ds refusing formula

[CCsbdayisthedayaftervalentines]

I know its been done loads of times but I really need help to stop bf. I feel its the right time as I'm going back to work very soon, and I want my boobs back! Ds now 6.5mo and weaning too. He won't drink at all during his day at nursery - they just phoned me worried about him because he won't stop screaming.

We're certain he is fit and healthy, just stubborn.

So is cold turkey the way to go? He refuses a bottle full stop, but will entertain a sippy cup or a spout to drink water and sometimes ebm. Spits out formula.

Sorry such a garbled post, got to run to get ds1 from school!!

tia

Do you have to stop totally and completely now, though....your baby might adapt better and more happily if it was a bit more gradual Advantages of going a bit more slowly are

• you would not need to worry about his nutrition or hydration while he is making the transition from full bf to formula
• he will not have to cope with 2 major changes at once - mummy not being there, and no bf when she is

What do you think?

Sorry to put a spannerin the works but my DD never took to a bottle, cup or anything else for ebm or formula. Even withseveral attempts at cold turkey. I eventually stopped bfing at 15mths, and hoped that she would be getting enough calcium from yogurt etc. She is now 4, will not drink milk, nor has it on cereal, she won't eat cheese either. If I'm lucky she will eat yogurt/fromage frais. I can very occassionally get a fruity milk shake down her.

Grrrr... If dairy was the only source of calcium, you'd be pushing cows out of the way at the chiller cabinets. Cow's milk products are neither necessary or inevitable as part of a balanced diet.

/End Rant/

(Cheese however is the food of the gods)

PerArd - I am aware that dairy is not the only source of calcium, but when you have a DD as fussy as mine, it would be a lot easier if she would eat some!!!

They're buggers sweethearts aren't they

CCsbdayisthedayaftervalentines are you using the correct teat for his age, a friend of mines LO was refusing EBM from a bottle, as soon as she upgraded the teat to 6 months+ he downed it in one!!

Could you start to use formula in his food ie. with weetabix for breakfast so he gets used to the taste. Also the other thing is some babies like their formula quite warm (not boiling but more than just tepid!)

Which formula have you tried? Doing a taste test to see which one is most like your breast milk might help. (For me it was Aptamil or Hipp organic).

Weetabix idea above sounds good too. Then as Tik Tok says you could do it gradually. He'll get used to the taste through that one meal a day at first?

Sorry I posted and ran! Thanks for your replies.

So far we have been mixing formula with baby porridge - goes down a treat. As do fromage frais and generally most things you put his way.
He refuses a teat full stop, won't even open his mouth when he catches sight of it! He will entertain spouts though, and sippy cups, so am persevering with those rather than trying the teats.

I think the pushing factor here for me is that I am ready to stop bfing now. I have really enjoyed it but don't want to get to the stage I did with ds1 where I started to resent feeding times. Now feels like the right time and a good time to stop.

I'm considering trying ebm for a few days to get him used to drinking from a bottle/spout and then switching to formula. Have pencilled in this weekend as trauma a possibility!!

And thanks guys, I really appreciate your replies.

have tried SMA but he spits it out like I've just shovelled manure into his mouth. Have got Aptamil too, so will try that again. Never thought of tasting it myself but then I can't abide milk

SMA does taste like crap though

Also you might like to try a Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottle, they're quite breast-like (well as much as a bottle could be!). My LO rejected bottles for a while until I found these.

thanks lotster will give those a try

I am having a similar problem, after buying loads of different bottles and tommee tippee seems to be the best she takes it in her mouth and plays with it, i have teat 2 and lots of milk ends up all over her chin, do you think it may be worth trying teat 1, oh she is 3 months 2 weeks.