My Son Refuses Formula

Hey K., sounds like a frustrating situation. My first question is will he take breastmilk from a bottle, so you are sure that it is the formula and not the bottle? If so, does he notice if you only mix 1 oz of formula with the breastmilk? A lot of people start with mixing half of each, but I found that we had to start even smaller and work our way up an oz at a time. And of course it helps to wait until he is really hungry. It is hard, but eventually, if he realizes that you wont give in, he will agree. Most of the time babies dont have a preference to the taste of which formula you use, so I would suggest finding one and sticking with it. We prefered Good Start because it was not as yellow, but that was our only real logic. I hope that things get better, good luck returning to work!!

I am an infant specialist, and my guess is that it's the bottle, not the formula, that he dislikes. I have had lots of luck with babies switching back and forth between breast and bottle (and just being weaned off the breast) with the Playtex Premium bottles with the NaturaLatch nipple. The nipple comes in both silicone and latex. You might try fast and slow flowing, as well.
If the problem is truly the formula and not the bottle, make sure that you are warming it to body temperature. Another thing to try is using a higher concentration of expressed breast milk with the formula. For example, start with 90% EBM one day, then do 80% the next day, etc.
One other suggestion for weaning (if that's truly the issue) is to either A) have someone else, such as Dad, give him the bottles for a while, or B) remove your shirt and bra but insist that he take the bottle.
A 6-month-old baby can learn the meaning of "No."

Hope this helps,
L.

I had the same problem. Try mixing Isomil Advance(Soy Based) with the breast milk. That's what works for me. I've heard that the soy has a similar taste to breast milk. Good Luck!!

Hi K.,
My daughter did the same thing with me. I tried to change formulas as well but as it turned out she just wanted the breastmilk and not any formula. The way I solved it was to try and give her a bottle of formula in many different places around the house. I would lay her on her changing table (because she loved her table), then I would try to lay her on my bed, etc - the whole time she would be crying but I stuck with it and finally she gave in and took the bottle. I think it took me about 4-5 days. I also would have my husband try to feed her the bottle and I tried to give the bottle to her at different feedings throughout the day. It was very frustrating but I just talked to her all the way through it and like I said she finally just gave in. It's worth a try. Hope this helps.
L.

Hi K.,
I also use the Horizon Organic and my son loves it. Have you tried warming it up to body temp.? That might be the reason he is refusing it. I would keep trying don't give up on the Organic, it is so important for their immune systems. My oldest who is 7 drank the Enfamil and she was sick her entire toddlerhood..if that is a word, and my 2 year old was on organic and she has NEVER been sick. Not once, so I truly believe that is one the biggest factors. :)
Also, have you ever heard of Melaleuca? They have safe products for your home delivered to you, and wholesale. I just thought I would ask, most people who buy organic food and baby stuff go nuts over the company becuase the products are natural. Let me know.

Rent a good breast pump! Check with your doc or ob or hospital.

This happened with the little boy I babysit. Two different things worked. First, I started mixing 1 oz of formula in a 5oz or 6oz bottle of breastmilk. After 3 days (or even a week if you have the time) add one more ounce of formula (and one less of breastmilk). We made this switch when the boy's mom was going out of town for business. After that, she was able to pump enough breastmilk for him for a while. However, once she started weaning, the other thing that worked was switching him to the "step 2" formula. It's still mixed with breast milk, but not nearly as much. At 6 months he should be old enough to switch to that kind of formula, especially if you're suplementing with breastmilk. You may ask your pediatrician about it though. It may not be recommended until 9mo old.
Another thing to remember is that he will not starve himself. If you need to switch him "cold turkey" he'll be fine. You may first try having someone else give him the bottle, and you have to leave the room when it happens. I really think breastfed babies can smell their mommy's presence and if they know the "good stuff" is nearby, they'll hold out for it! Just keep offering him the formula over and over again. When he's hungry enough, he'll drink it. I wouldn't switch formula during the process. And it's good to remember that he won't remember this :-) When he's 20 he won't come to you and say "I can't believe you weaned me..." Good luck!

Has he been taking a bottle the whole time or is it new to him? That may be part of the problem...if he isn't used to taking a bottle. All I can say is try some other formulas. The similac ones worked well for us. Be patient. You may have to pump some extra bottles for him...also, you might be able to start him on solid food if you have not yet....just cereal....that will help with making him full. Hope this helps...good luck.

hi! try Enfamil with Lipil. That's what my daughter had and she loved it. and since he's 6mos old now u can also add some gerber food with it or cereal. Try the milk 1st then later on u can add some gerber banana, or other gerber products in a jar or some baby cereal. I know pediatricians say its not good to mix anything else in their milk when feeding them in a bottle but as long as u only mix a little bit and u-r watching while feeding them it'll be alright. Worked great with my daughter and didn't have any problems at all. Let me know how he does.

Lexy
____@____.com

Try having Dad feed him. Sometimes with Mom they know there is a breast nearby and will refuse a bottle, but with Dad they'll accept it. Have Dad hold baby in a different position, too. Try baby laying against Dad's chest, facing away from him (like they were watching tv together). Also you can contact your local La Leche League group leader and ask questions on the phone. You don't have to attend a meeting or be a member to do that. LLL leaders are women/mom's who volunteer because they want to help other moms. www.lalecheleague.org You can find a local leader through the International website.
Good luck!!!
Julia

If you decide to pump --- I highly recommend the Medela Pump In Style. Well worth the money it costs!

Hi K. -

I've had three children - breastfed them all - and went back to work with all of them. I just pumped. If you have someplace you can pump at work, that would solve the formula problem. Just a thought!

My son had to switch to Enfamil Nutramigen from regular Enfamil and didn't like Soy either. His pediatrician suspected he had milk protein allergy which caused his tummy to always be upset and irritable. It was a blessing! He is so regulated and happy now. The Nutramigen is very expensive, but we decided it was worth it for his happiness.

We've used Baby's Only organic formula since my son was born (he's adopted). It says "Toddler Formula" on the can, but the company says it's good for infants as well-he has certainly thrived on it- been growing like a weed. How much did you put in the bottle with the breastmilk? When transitioning, it's always best to start with a little and gradually increase- for some babies 25% formula/ 75% breastmilk for a week, then 50/50, etc. works. You might start with less than 1/4 formula, and do 1/5 or something if 25% is too much. Hope this helps! I told my friend to do that when she transitioned him to whole milk at a year.

ask your doctor about kefir. It is a "buttermilk" type probiotic drink that both of my children were on when adopted from Russia. It can be found at health food stores in the dairy section (or health/natural foods). It comes flavored or plain. Ask the dr. first though because of the dairy--it may be better than nothing, however!
Best,
B.