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Original poster

Loves Mummy Milk Hates Formula !!!!

16 replies

Elixir · 28/02/2002 13:58

I have a 5 1/2 week old daughter who loves her milk but won't transfer to formula !!! Please help before I become destined to developing metre long boobs !!

OP posts:

Bozza · 28/02/2002 21:37

Elixir is it the formula or the bottle that your DD doesn't like? I had a terrible job getting my DS to take the bottle (using expressed milk initially) at 12-13 weeks because I was returning to work at 15 weeks.

If it is the formula you could try a different brand. I know going through all the brands could prove expensive but rather than buying a big tin of each you could try one of the 7 oz ready to use cartons. I think that one of the threads on here will say which is supposed to be the most like breast milk. Also you could try mixing expressed milk with formula.

If it is the bottle I'm afraid you will have to persevere. You could try various kinds of teats (silicone, latex, variable flow, slow flow, orthodontic etc). Also (although this didn't work for me because DH was too soft) you could try getting someone else to give the bottle because your DD will associate you with the breast and also be able to smell your milk. By the way none of this worked for me but my DS was older and its still worth a try for you.

In the end I just had to set aside a day when after his 10 oclock feed I refused to feed DS apart from by a bottle. It took about 6 hours - most of which I spent pacing around comforting him. 6 hours may not seem a lot but I think he would normally have had two feeds within that time frame it was... And, of course, I felt so guilty the entire time....

Original poster

Elixir · 01/03/2002 12:33

Thanks for your tips Bozza .. am afraid we had another failed attempt here today !!! I don't think it's the milk,as even with expressed milk she will not suck from the bottle !

I will try different bottles I think - otherwise it looks like I'm going to have to go the same route as you and get all 'tough' ( and then go and have a massive glass of wine to calm my nerves and remove my serious guilt complex !!!!) The joys of feeding !!!!! when will they end ???!!!!

OP posts:

jasper · 01/03/2002 20:15

Can anyone suggset to Elixir the name of the teat which is mean to be closest to a nipple? I know it has been mentioned here befor and may be tricky to get a hold of. I can't remember what it is called

Bozza · 01/03/2002 22:06

My DS ended up on a bog standard latex teat. I know the orthodontic ones are supposed to be better for breast fed but that didn't make any difference in our case.

Bozza · 01/03/2002 22:09

Elixir is your daughter 5 weeks or 5 months because I'm sure I read on another thread that she was five months. If so have you considered trying her with a cup. That would be great because then you would miss out the going from bottle to cup stage.

Eulalia · 02/03/2002 11:02

Elixir - why do you want to transfer to formula at age 5 1/2 weeks?

Yedl · 02/03/2002 19:10

Jasper - I'm afraid no teat is 'closest' to the real thing. If you think closely about it - a teat reaches to just behind the baby's gums and baby sucks on it almost like a straw. When a baby latches on to the breast, the nipple reaches all the way back to baby's soft palate (have a feel in your mouth with your tongue and you'll discover just how far back that is!) Also a teat, whether rubber or silicone, is pretty rigid in comparison to a soft, pliable nipple and breast.

Maybe Elixir would consider contacting a breastfeeding counsellor - they often help with calls like this, not just sore nipples & mastitis ;-)

The number I have for the NCT breastfeeding line is 0870 444 8708

Pupuce · 02/03/2002 19:21

Elixir, have a look here at what Marina suggested - Playtex teats (no experience of it myself)

www.mumsnet.com/s/Talk?topicid=4&threadid=1649&stamp=020221101453

jasper · 02/03/2002 21:35

Yedl, thanks for your comments.Please don't take this the wrong way but I don't need an anatomy lesson on nippples! Or mouths!!
I was not suggesting that a teat can mimic a nipple particularly well, but I recalled a discussion here a few months ago on the same subject and someone had success with a fairly obscure brand of teat which claimed ( rightly or wrongly) to be more nipple like than most. Looks like Pupuce has done the search and has come up with the brand.
As Elixir asked for help getting baby to take formula and not help to continue breastfeeding that is why I addressed her query.
Hope this clarifies!

MalmoMum · 03/03/2002 00:00

Yedl. Welcome to the board! It's a great site. Did you see it recommended as well?

Yedl · 03/03/2002 22:23

Jasper - no offence taken!

Incidentally, my experience of breastfeeding counsellors is that they can also help mums make the change to bottlefeeding if that's what they desire. None of the ones that I have had contact with struck me as breastfeeding fascists! Maybe I've been lucky.

Thanks for the welcome, MalmoMum. Mumsnet's been mentioned by a few of my email pals - I've just taken a while to take the plunge!

SueDonim · 03/03/2002 22:40

Yedl, NCT bf counsellors are most definitly not the bf Nazis. They are trained to give information and support for parents to make their own decisions, whether that is for bf or ff. I just wish I'd known about them when I had my babies.

jasper · 04/03/2002 04:57

Yedl I must say that has been my own experience too. Sometimes the "party line" of, say the LLL seems to be on the "breastfeeding fascist" side ( what a great expression!)- I mean in their literature and websites, but when face to face witht real live counsellor, my experience is they are far more ready to see the whole picture and help with the transfer to bottle feeding if that is what the mum wants.
Hope you enjoy mumsnet and keep contributing.

AliH · 06/03/2002 14:51

Elixir - I went through this with my dd - I needed to give up breastfeeding for medical reasons, but she would not let me. This sounds bizarre but believe me I won't bore you with the stories about us trying!

Anyway, I tried just about every teat on the market, and eventually one from Boots did the trick. I cannot remember what it is called, so forgive me whilst I try to describe it.. It has a strange shape, being slightly flatter on one side, and has multiple holes (three at least) to simulate a nipple. It was also made of soft clear latex, not the brownish type.

Sorry, quite vague I know, but I remember that I was grateful for any tips from anywhere. I wish you success and a strong consternation whilst trying!

bettys · 06/03/2002 15:13

Boots bottles and teats were the only thing that worked for my ds too. Not sure if the ones that did the trick are the same as AliH's but in appearance they're longer and slimmer than Avent bottles, with clear teats and turquoise rings. I can't think what they're called either.

bundle · 06/03/2002 19:38

Elixir - my dd is one of those Playtex babies (wouldn't take any other kind of bottle at 6 months when she went to nursery 3 days a week) - they're the disposable kind, used a lot in the States and available from some independent chemists here. the avent bottle liners do just about fit at a push.

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