Help- Advice needed bottle or cup when weaning.....

[JenniferR]

Hi there
I'm starting my baby on solids and have been exclusively BF until now. Baby is 6 months in 3 weeks time and I've only been giving her baby rice with breast milk, will start proper solids at 6 months.
However I return to work in January (she'll be 8.5 months) and will need to start getting baby used to formula.

I wondered whether anyone can let me know, should milk feeds be given from a cup or bottle at 6/7months? I am clueless on this and Health Visitor hasn't really been much help.
Also, as baby won't take formula I'm going to try and mix it with breast milk initially. Has anyone done this before and if so what ratio of breast milk to formula have you used?
And one final question.....is it really bad to give formula during the day but BF first thing AM and last thing PM? Just want to try and give her breast milk until she's 12 months but won't manage whilst at work.
Thanks for any tips or advice.
Jx

I can't speak from experience as DD won't take formula at the mo, but a friend went straight from BF to sippy cup and bypassed the bottle as its just one more thing to wean them off eventually.

Another friend started with 50/50 BM/F and then 25/75, then all formula.

I see no reason why you can't combination feed for a few months. That's what I'm hoping to do.

I've started on sippy cup with my 5.5 mo DD. I've got a tommee tippee free flow cup with water in it. She delights in sticking it in her mouth now but I don't think much goes in. I've also tried formula in the tommee tippee "first sip" but use a teat with it. She puts it in her mouth, bite on it etc, but at least she's not cross!

I haven't made up my mind whether to insist on formula for her during the day now I'm going back to work in just over a month. Problem is to wean her off the breast involves lots of crying and I can't stand it.

lilham, I feel the same way. I hate her crying, we tried her on formula a while ago and it was awful. Just tried giving her some with a teaspoon today and she went crazy, really crying. Can I ask what you'll do when you go back to work if you don't use formula? I've tried expressing but just don't think it will be enough.
Thanks for tips on BM/F mix cantmakecarrotcake. I'm going to give it a try. Did it work for your friend?
It all just makes me so anxious and now I've got neighbours, family and friends saying 'just wait until she starts teething'- no end of stress ;)
x

Yes, it did work for her. But I do wonder if some babies take to formula better than others so I'm not guaranteeing success!

JeniferR, my DD is a bottle refuser. She won't take a bottle of EBM either. I'm planning on sending formula and hoping she will drink it when I'm not there.

But at 6/7 mo they should be able to use a cup. It took my DD about 3 days to start putting the spout bit in her mouth. I help her by lifting the bottom up. She started with the cup at 25wo, fyi.

Dd1 went to CM at 8 months and she took very little BM from the zippy cup. She would drink water from sippy cup but not my expressed milk. She wouldn't take formula either.

So we focused on her having cheese, yoghurt etc during the day (I still bf mornings/evenings/nights) until she was 12 months - then she took to goats milk quite easily.

DD2 is 5 months so I will be trying cup soon as I return to work in one month. Have brought interesting brother max cup/feeder - hope it works

Hi all
Just wanted to let you know. I tried Hipp Organic formula and although I don't think she drank that much she didn't scream and fuss like she did with other brands. It also smells a lot less harsh and I tried it and it does taste a bit better.
Just wanted to share this so you could give it a try if you haven't already (just buy a carton and not powdered pack as much cheaper and no waste if doesn't work).
Jx