breast to bottle - urgent help needed

[Loujo]

help help help help help!!!

have read the faq section on this as well as the BW section but still not working!

I have exclusively BF my lo for 6 months.  He has had a bottle of EBM at the wknds most wknds.  I have decided to give formula for his 11am and 3pm bf.  He is already on solids for 3 meals a day.

We started trying to transition him onto formula on saturday.  He will take a bottle beautifully from me or his dad or anyone really and quite likes it and wants to play with it and will try it... as long as it has breast milk in it... he hates the taste of formula... either that or he hates the taste of formula coming out of his bottle... 

So these are the things that I have tried...

Mixing formula in with his food to get the taste of it - he will eat it mixed in
Giving it to him on a spoon - he will let it dribble down his chin and I don't think he actually swallows any
Waiting to give it to him when he is REALLY hungry - he refuses it and claws at my boob
Mixing formula with BM - he will take and ounce if we really perservere putting it in his mouth but he is very upset at this
Offering him a bottle every 20 mins - did this for 2.5 hours today.
Offering him a botle after his meal - he moves his head away and cries.
Offering different types of formula - have tried sma gold, cow and gate and aptamil

Someone pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help! 

Louise
xxx

[LŠuren]

Hi Louise

I think the best option is to stick to one formula and perserve - believe it or not they all taste different so it may confuse your Lo even more - I personally use Aptimel.

As for the getting your LO to take the bottle, tracy suggests that you really make him wait it out until he takes a bottle - trying every hour the first day.... see this post
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=67858.0

Let us know how you get on

Lauren

[Loujo]

Thanks Lauren.

Just thought that I would give an update...
Saw my health visitor yesterday who told me a mix of interesting things that I thought I would share with you all as follows:

'Don't worry if your baby will not take formula during the day.  Babies will often make up what they need by increasing the amount that they take from you first thing in the morning and last thing before bedtime if they don't take milk during the day.  Just make sure that you offer plenty of water with food and make sure that you give 2 courses at each feed to ensure that he is getting the right mix of nutrients that he isn't getting from formula.  At your normal 11am and 3pm feeds ensure that you offer water and milk so that he has the option of either.  If he doesn't take either then don't worry about it.  Babies will drink when they are thirsty and eat when they are hungry.  Babies can quite happily survive like this, taking just 2 milk feeds a day.  With regards to how you feed him, try feeding him away from you, lie him in a bouncy chair or playnest so that you are not 'nursing' him and so that he is as far away from your breast as possible.'

So I went home, made up a bottle of 3oz and lay him in his playnest at about 3.30pm.  He guzzled the whole lot in an instant!  I am keeping my fingers crossed that this happens today too, but it is a really hopeful start and I am going to make sure that he is offered milk, but if he doesn't take it then I am not too worried as he will take what he needs.  I have had to adjust my new routine as follows:

7am bf
8am solids
9.45 sleep
11.15 wake
12pm solids
2pm sleep
3.30 formula feed
5pm solids
6.30pm bf
7.00pm bed

keep your fingers crossed that today goes ok for me!
Louise
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