getting baby to take formula

12 replies

Kempie101 · 07/03/2009 19:20

My 3 and a half old bf baby will not take formula milk. I have tried all of the 'top' brands and tried giving the milk at all tempretures, but he just wont take it. I have the teats that are supposed to match the breast. I have tried to see if it is the teats or the milk that he does not like and it seems to be the milk, he just cries and cries if given formula. I gave the teat and he was happy to suck on it like he does his dummy but as soon as i put in the milk, wont take teat/suck! He had two or three formula bottles when in hospital and had expressed milk when newborn but caused him not to take breast properly so stopped, but want to reintroduce now. Help any ideas???

OP posts:

SJisontheway · 07/03/2009 19:40

If your pretty sure it's the milk, how about expressing - then gradually adding formula to the mix and increasing until all formula?

Original poster

Kempie101 · 07/03/2009 19:42

can you mix breast milk and formula milk in the same bottle?

OP posts:

chipmonkey · 07/03/2009 19:45

yes you can!

iwontbite · 07/03/2009 19:47

sorry, is he 3.5 weeks or 3.5 months?

is there a reason why you need him to take it?

SJisontheway · 07/03/2009 19:47

I've done it. Maybe someone else will know better - but DD is fine! This is how I got her to take formula and it worked.

Original poster

Kempie101 · 07/03/2009 20:25

he is 3 and a half months. Need to stop breastfeeding at six months as returning to work and dont really want to carry on breastfeeding after six months, so thought best to start introducing at least one formula feed a day and gradually increase until all formula. Great that you can mix breast and formula milk, will give this a try. Fingers crossed. Thanks everyone for your help.

OP posts:

hercules1 · 07/03/2009 20:27

I would suggest someone else gives it rather than you as he will smell the milk on you otherwise. We used a particular type of bottle and teat - cant remember it's name except it's hard to get, a faff to use as it involves bags and is only sold in independent chemists.

CharCharGabor · 07/03/2009 20:29

Is that the Playtex one hercules1? I've heard of that, drop-ins or something.

hercules1 · 07/03/2009 20:29

Yes, playtex. Only one we could get to work. That and me not being there.

chipmonkey · 07/03/2009 21:25

hercules, I got the Playtex bottles for ds3 because of you and they worked!
They are a faff to get but I have found a US site that does them quite cheaply for very little shipping. I got them for ds4 too because we were going on hols and in that situation they were quite handy as I could express into the bags and all we needed to wash and sterilise were the teats and bottle tops.

hercules1 · 08/03/2009 21:09

I'm glad someone was successful after my advice! I was also advised about them on mumsnet!

fall08baby · 09/03/2009 10:02

I've just started to introduce formula to my 4 month old son (I'm going back to work in a month so I need to wean him off his daytime feeds.) I use teats that match the breast and first introduced the bottle to him a couple of times with breast milk back when he was about 2.5 - 3 months old. I was worried because he won't take a dummy but he did take the bottle.

When giving him formula I had to distract him from the feed in order to get him to take it. This was great advice I got from a friend who did the same with her baby. She distracted her baby by holding him outward, walking and singing while her partner gave the baby the bottle. I used my sons favourite book. I held up the book for him and got him interested in that while I fed him. It worked well and I only had to do it two or three times, now he drinks the formula without a problem (and takes the feed from either me or my partner). I also sat him in his rocking chair rather than holding him, which I think may have helped too.

I was amazed at how easy it was. Hope this helps.
Good luck.

Flip