My 7 month old daughter has been in daycare since she was 12 weeks old. During this time she has taken very well to bottle feeding with the breast milk I pump and save during the day. In the last month my breast milk production has decreased and last week I started having the daycare workers supplement my breast milk with some formula - 1 oz. formula to 4 oz. of breastmilk. I didn't think this small amount of formula would throw off her feeding like it has. When we introduced the formula she started eating less from the bottle to the point where she completely refused to drink anything all day yesterday. I've been adding formula to her cereal at night hoping to introduce the taste of it at home, too, so it isn't such a big deal at daycare. I've also been giving her a bottle at night with some formula mixed with the breastmilk to which I've had a little better success than the daycare workers. I'm concerned with my daughter becoming dehydrated during the day and the constant feedings we're doing all night to make up for the lack of milk intake during the day. I have an appointment with her doctor for her input, but any ideas you have would be wonderful. Up until now she's had nothing but breastmilk and the strained veggies and fruits we've introduced. She's taken very well to all the different veggies and fruits so I didn't anticipate such a revolt against the formula.
My milk decreased quite a bit by the time my son was 6 months old and he refused regular formula. My pediatrician recommended the lactose free formula because it was sweeter and that was the only kind he would take until we introduced regular milk. It worked wonders for us.
Rather than introduce formula, I would work on increasing your milk supply. It sounds like your little girl might be allergic or sensitive to the formula. Contact a local La Leche League leader to help you. They're great! www.llli.org
Little ones have an amazing way of making up for what they miss during the day at night. If you want to continue breastfeeding (great job on that!), consider speaking with a lactation consultant. They can give you ideas on ways to increase your supply, how to fit her schedule into your life, and what you really should be expecting from her and you at this point.
My baby hated the taste of formula at first too, but I found that he would take soy formula because it must taste sweeter. After a while on soy, I started mixing it with regular formula and gradually increasing the regular formula and decreasing the soy, and now he takes the regular formula just fine. The only thing is, he'll only take the brand of regular formula that I started with, so make sure you use the one that you want to continue using. I made the mistake of starting with the most expensive one! Hope this helps!
Formula just tastes bad! Even one part formula added to 4 parts beastmilk is not going to taste good to your baby. When my oldest was born she was in the NICU and couldn't nurse for awhile so I had to pump, but my supply was diminishing so we had to give her a little formula. When we fed her breatmilk in a bottle she ate well, with the formula she seemed disinterested, the NICU nures told me that was because she prefered the taste of breatmilk! Even at a very young age babies have a developed sense of taste. If you are supplementing with formula because your milk supply is too low consider building it up by pumping more often, drinking plenty of water, and taking the herbs fenugreek and blessed thissle to increase your milk supply. Or if you want her to get used to having less breastmilk and more formula, don't mix them together, just have the caregivers give her the bottle of unadulterated breastmilk first and then formula afterwards if she is still hungry. She also can have more solid foods at this age so if she refuses the formula the caregivers can just give her some solids after she has drunk all her breastmilk. Just make sure to go easy on fruit juice! I see that some moms have recomended it, but even %100 fruit juice can get your baby too used to topo much sugar! There is little nutritional value to juice, go for mashed fruits instead.
how about introducing her to a sippy cup
Have you tried a different formula? Perhaps the formula is not agreeing with her stomach. I have several friends who had to try a few different kinds (soy-based, pre-mixed, etc.) before they found one that worked. Good Luck!
Good for you for supplying all of her milk thus far! There are a few approaches that might work. First: Since she's over 6 months, how about just use the breast milk you are able to send her (for example 3 oz), not add formula, but have them give her solids as well. This way she will eat during the day (yea). Second: You could try a faster flow nipple, though it might not work if she doesn't like the taste of the milk. Third: I am unclear if your goal is to wean from breast milk during the day, or if you wanted to increase your supply? Some moms pump once during the night to collect milk, or pump once in the morning (after baby eats but before work). There are medications and herbs that increase milk supply, too. You can continue nursing in the evenings even if you do not use milk during the day. Good luck find the balance that works for you.
I had the same thing happen with my son around the same age. My milk supply went way down because I got really sick and we were forced to introduce formula. However, it turned out he was allergic to most of them and that's why he wasn't taking it well. Does your daughter have any physical reactions after the formula? My son always broke out in a hive-like rash around his mouth, so it was pretty easy to pinpoint the problem. Not sure if the allergy can take different or more mild forms. We ended up finally finding one that he wasn't allergic to - once that happened, he had no problems with it at all. On the down side, it was Nutramigen (sp?) and it's pretty pricey...but worth it for the little ones! I'd check with your doc about the possibility of allergies to the formula, but if that's not the case, I'd stick with what you're doing and she'll adjust. You might also want to double check with the daycare providers to see if they're doing anything differently than you are at home to make her less willing to take the formula. Good luck!
At her age she should be doing more solid foods and less milk. Milk isn't the only form of liquid she should be taking in. She can have 16-20 oz. of milk, 4 oz. of juice, and water the rest of the time. Try finger foods. Try different bottles or sippy cups. I like Avent and Nuby. She won't starve/dehydrate herself. As long as she's gaining weight and acts and looks healthy --- I wouldn't worry.
I would talk to the doctors about this, The formula could be upsetting her tummy. My daughter was allergic to formula.If you want to keep breast feeding my friend recommends drinking root beer for some reason when she drinks that and she pumps it doesn't want to stop. You could also try introducing a sippy cup. Its something new and she may take interest in it. I hope this helps and gl.
It may be that the formula you're giving her simply doesn't taste good. Try tasting it yourself (this may sound odd, but I think it's the best way to judge). If you go to different websites, often you can get coupons to try different formulas.
In general, I found that the soy based formulas tasted a little sweeter than the milk based formulas, and my son really liked the one we settled on.
Good luck!
Hi L..
I experienced something simliar when I first brought my little one (also currently 7 months) to daycare. Turned out the temperature of the milk they were giving her was not warm enough -- that was all. They now know if it's not warm enough, she won't drink it. I breastfed from the beginning and had to supplement at times for her to get enough; I supplemented with soy formula at first, then mixed it with the milk-based formula. I continue to give her 1/2 soy 1/2 milk formula. Also, another thing to consider is nipple size...my daughter was taking 45 minutes to get 4-6oz down - I upgraded from nipple size 2 to 3 and she downs bottles within 10min now. Sometimes the solution is the most obvious and we're looking for something bigger than it is. Good luck.
If your supply is decreasing a little now, that is perfectly normal, and all she needs probably. This is about the age she should be eating more food.
Keep in mind, that she will probably be fine with drinking water or very diluted fruit juice from a bottle or sippy cup too, so there is no need to fret about her getting dehydrated.
My baby is 9 mo old, and my milk started decreasing as she started eating more as well. She loves to drink water from a sippy cup though!
I have found that Enfamil Lipil is the most well-liked formula of my two daughters. They have not tolerated any other formula.
If there is any way that you can quit your job or go part time, I would exhort you to do it. Day care can never replace a mom. They grow up very fast, so it won't be forever--but it will be worth it!
J.
This same thing happened to me with my little guy last summer when he was 7 months. Try soy formula- Lipil has a great soy, and so does Carnation. He lost some weight, because he had a hard time getting use to the taste of formula. I was consistant, and did not get frustrated, and he eventually learned to drink the formula. Try a sippie cup- that is how he got use to drinking formula. Make sure the sippie has a rubbery texture. You could also try a different bottle- the only bottle my little guy would take after the breast milk/formula change was a MAM bottle! I swear by them!!! It is a transition bottle that is like a breast nipple and sippie cup cross. You also need to know the taste of breast milk and formula is very different- it is like taking a bite of sugar and then a bite of salt! The sugar tastes was better, but you eventually learn to like the salt too! She will not starve herself- you just have a stubborn baby like I do! Good Luck!
-A.
