Advice on Replacing Breastmilk with Formula

Start by mixing both Breast milk and formula 3/4 to 1/4. Gradually start adding more formula and less breast milk until she's only taking formula. It will probably take about a week.

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I nursed my son until he was ready to stop on his own. At day care, I sent pumped breastmilk in the bags and used a NUK nipple. I never fed him a bottle. I loved nursing my son and looked forward to our special time together. It dwindled gradually down until he said he was too big to nurse. And that was that.

Even though we were still nursing after he turned one, I did give him whole milk occasionally. I never gave him juice, as it is just a bunch of fruit-tasting sugar water. Breastmilk is one of the most nutritionally complete foods for babies. Also, as a bonus (and I read this before it was my time to experience it) being able to nurse a toddler with a boo boo or who is feeling sick is a wonderful way to comfort them.

BTW, I pumped for 2 years. Best of luck! M.

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Everyone has said what I was going to say, mix them. But he son like Gentlease Enfamil better then Lipil. So you might want to try a small container of that.

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I would start slowly and mix them. Start with 75% breastmilk, and 25% formula. Slowly increase the formula. The taste is very different, and she may not like formula right now.

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Formula is nasty, it's not a surprise she's refusing it. I've had a number of breastfed babies when working in daycare. As has been suggested, try to mix the formula with the breastmilk and then slowly increase the formula ratio.

If you can keep pumping, at twelve months you can just go to milk which she may prefer, especially if you use organic. If you just can't do that and formula is not taken, I'd go ahead and start NOW with the milk (perhaps try goat milk first as it is more easily digested.)

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By 12 months she can start having whole milk, so is it possible to keep pumping for her for just a couple more months?
Whatever you do, good luck & God bless! H. B

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Hello,
With both my children I breastfed and also used Similac. Both took to it fine. My daughter was on regular Similac and my son was on the soy Similac. I didn't have any problems doing both. I hope this helps. I found recently also they have in the Similac Go to Grow. Its for the older babies 9 months to 24 months and it has extra vitamins they need. I used that for the last 2 months with my son before putting him on regular milk. Didn't have any problems with it either.

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Does the enfamil cause her gas pains or some other that breastmilk wouldn't? Just FYI-my pediatrician said that formulas are basically the same; just that some of them (enfamil and similac for example) got the right to say they have something "extra" in theirs before other formula's had a chance to do so. We buy Costco brand and he says it's fine and has nothing different or less than the expensive ones. Don't know if that might save you some pennies these days...good luck!

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Have you tried mixing breast milk with formula. Then after a bit, reduce the amount of breast milk and increase the formula.

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Have you tried mixing them? Like 3 parts breast milk, 1 part formula and then just increase the formula over the next week or two. I did that with one of my kids and also had to do this with another to get him off of formula and onto whole milk. For both, the transitions took about 2 weeks.
BTW, remember, with the breast milk, DON'T use it to replace the water while mixing the formula, add the pre-mixed formula to the breast milk.

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You should probably try mixing the two little by little until she readily accepts the Formula. Start by mixing small amounts of Formula with Breast Milk, every week, do a little more, and eventually she will probably start taking the Formula full strength. Some babies though are picky and stubborn, and she may refuse still, but I doubt it. Good luck!!

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My daughter would not take formula for me when I had to go back to work. I pumped for six months, but had a hard time producing enough for you so she HAD to take formula. We tried enfamil, similac, and she wouldn't take those. We finally tried Good Start and she took it. So maybe try another brand and I am sure she will eventually take something.

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Have you tried mixing them...part breast milk and part formula?

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Hi C.,

I have been breastfeeding my son for 11 months, and recently started giving formula during the day at daycare, too. Good Start was recommended to me. My son took right to it, and didn't refuse. I heard it is easier on their stomach.

Good Luck!

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Hi, C.,
I know you've already gotten responses about mixing formula and breastmilk. I just wanted to add that a friend of mine had a hard time with this. Her doctor recommended even mixing in some yogurt that the baby already likes with the formula. They sell those four packs (four ounces each) of Gerber banana/yogurt juice in the baby food section of the store. Or any other kind of smoothie or Kefir. Transitions are hard. Hang in there!

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You may want to try one of the soy formulas. I went to a lactation consultant with my 2nd child b/c I couldn't get her to latch on and had almost dried up so until I could get my milk production back, she suggested I put her on soy and she took to it fine. Otherwise, I'd do what the others have suggested and mix it. Good luck!

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Do it one ounce at a time for several days to a week or so. For example, week 1 - 7 oz breast milk/ 1 oz formula. Week 2 (or 4 days later) - 6 oz of breastmilk / 2 oz formula, etc. If you get to a certain mixture that she doesn't like, then go back to the previous week's mixture for another week before trying again. Slow but sure, she will switch over and not even know it. She's so close to being one year old, you might wait and only do this with whole milk and skip the formula all together! Or just start the whole milk now instead.

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With my first two babies (girls), I mixed 50% formula with 50% breastmilk as they got older, and then, would warm their bottles, which made a big difference. In my opinion, drinking warm milk/formula is much more pleasant than drinking it at room temperature.

When my first child was an infant, her daycare teachers would warm the premade bottles (which were initially refrigerated) that I left with them for the day. Thankfully, we never ran into any problems.

The last time I used formula was back in 2006 and I always used Enfamil - just the basic type. Back then, they didn't offer all the different varieties that are available today.

Since my breastmilk production levels were always like Elsie the cow, I always stored lots of extra breastmilk in my freezer which extended the time my kids drank breastmilk. This enabled me to not have to buy as much formula powder later on when I mixed the two together...before they started drinking whole milk.

Hope this helps!
K.

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Don't blame her! Have you smelled it!? I was also going to suggest the Good Start as suggested below, I think it is the calmest of all of them out there.
Personally, I always used soy when making the transition, and, never had any issues. We don't drink cow's milk around here, so, that is my reasoning. I kept my kids on soy milk until they were about 2 1/2. We do use organic cow's milk now, skim, for cereal, and, have not had the allergy issues (stuffy noses, gooky eyes, etc.), that my first daughter & myself had when drinking cow's milk before.
I supplement what they supposedly only get through cow's milk, with the juices that have the vitamins & calcium added, and, with children's vitamins & minerals. I don't buy into them needing the "fat" in milk.

I use and have used Enfamil with both of my children. What has worked with me for both is a mixture of breast milk and Enfamil WARMED to body temp in the Avent bottles since the nipple is more like sucking on the breast. Good luck!

Have you tried to give a bottle that has half breastmilk and half formula? When I switch my children over, I always try to switch slowly. I start with 3/4 bm and 1/4 formula for a week, 1/2 and 1/2 for a week, and 1/4 bm with 3/4 formula for a week. I never have problems switching them. The taste of formula is so different, your daughter probably doesn't like it. So, if you switch her slowly, she make take to it better.

Good luck and God bless!

J.

C., I wrote my daughter and asked her what she has found.

Hon, Which infant formulas have you found, after researching, to be the best of the bunch? Mom

Earth's Best by Horizon Organics

HOpe this helps,

I was lucky that I never had to go to formula (not that pumping didn't become a big drag), so I haven't dealt with this specifically. However, my breastfed daughter loved goat milk. I pumped up the fat content by mixing it with some full fat plain yogurt. I also felt like the yogurt helped with any potential digestive upset. Greek yogurt is a great way to get some extra fat and calories without the sour taste that some have.

Also, at the farmer's market hosted by Urban Harvest, there is a goat farmer who has fresh (pasteurized) goat milk. It tastes fantastic! Even I can drink it though the Meyenberg isn't bad.

I did the same, pumped for months... I tried Enfamil but she didn't like it... I switched to Similac and she liked it... might just try that??
Good Luck!