Dubious about health visitor advice re starting formula

[newkiwi]

I've been trying to get DD (5 and a half months) on formula for a while. Originally she was getting upset and crying so I left it a while. Now she take the bottle herself and puts it in her mouth, occasionally sucks, has a bit of a chew but isn't upset. Yesterday she took about 20ml this way but it was after a feed as I'd been advised to try this when she wasn't stressed.

Today I went to see the kiwi version of a health visitor. She told me the only way to do it is to give DD to someone else and leave the building. That DD will get upset and needs to be really hungry. And that it could take 8 hours.

Is this the only way? It seems kind of cruel. I'm not terribly impressed with the HV here as they can be quite old fashioned. They always ask why I want to give her a bottle as if I'm doing something wrong.

Anyone any advice? I know there are a few threads on this but I don't want to hijack them.

This is the only way it worked for friends of ours, with their dd1. She was doing exactly the same as your dd.

Mum had to go out for most of the day. G refused the bottles until late afternoon.

I don't know of any other way, but I am sure you will get some advice soon.

That won't necessarily work, anyway. When DS started full-time nursery (and he was there over 8 hours a day) it was around 3 weeks before he took more than 25ml of formula. He just saved up and reverse-cycled by feeding all night.

I'd probably be inclined to try a sippy cup instead of a bottle, too.

Sippy cup good idea - my bf baby wouldn't tolerate anything in a bottle but would take water from a cup.
I half agree with your HV, not about the getting upset which seems a bit brutal, but agree with the leaving dd with someone else and the bottle/cup as they will eventually take it if they get hungry.
Its your choice to switch your baby to a bottle, but your baby may take a while to get used to the idea!

Well I wouldn't leave my five and a half month old baby without food for eight hours either.

It is often worth going out of the room and letting someone else give the formula.

I know it's hard, but sometimes experimenting with different types of teats and bottles can help: Try Tommy Tippee Closer to Nature, NUK teats or Breastflow bottles. Some of the more popular bottles have very hard teats which may be a bit of a shock to your little baby. Good luck.

DD1 would only take a bottle (of ebf) from DH when I was out.

DD2 never took a bottle/sippy cup of any kind of milk from anyone until she was 18 months.

It's worth a try though, but definaetly leave and get someone else ot try rather than you doing it.

She's taken EBM from these bottles before so I know it isn't the bottles, just the milk. I've tried three different types so I think she just prefers BFing.

We've had a rough couple of weeks with baby jetlag and I'm so tired. I just want OH to be able to do a dream feed so I can have a decent stretch of sleep....

Will get OH to try today. Fingers crossed. And thanks for the advice all.

Have heard of mixing the formula with breastmilk - I think the purpose is to make it taste more familiar. Then gradually reduce the proportion of BM so that it's 100% formula.