changing to ff for 6mth old...how?

[lamby79]

hello, my DD is just 6 months and i've chosen to stop breastfeeding at around 7 months as i will be returning to work and work away quite a lot.

My question is, how do i do this? She's never had a bottle and i'm completly baffled by the selection of bottles / teats / formula.

I was hoping to just use a sippy cup but don't think she'll be able to get enough out from one.

Any advice or links really appreciated! I feel completly clueless.

a friend did this, and started by first expressing breast milk into a bottle (tommee tippee "closer to nature" bottles and teats are meant to closely replicate the feeling and function of a nipple) so the baby got used to feeding from a bottle, but still had the familiarity of the taste of breast milk. once used to the bottle, then you can introduce formula milk a couple of times a day.

which brand to use seems to be up to personal choice, but I (and have heard of several other mums who experienced the same) found that both Cow & Gate and SMA Gold caused constipation in my DD. I use Aptamil which seems the most popular in my area (as the supermarket always seems to sell out!!)

good luck!

I would forget the bottles completely and use a sippy cup (free flowing i.e. no valve).

Depending on the quality of diet i.e. plenty of diary such as cheese, yoghurt, milk on cereal etc. you don't need to get hung up on how much formula. In fact if the diet is REALLY good, you might get away with no formula, especially if you continue to breastfeed when you ARE around.