This is my first post and I am hoping you mamas can help. I have a 9 month old who refuses to drink formula. I have been giving her bottled breast milk for the past few weeks (once a day) to start the weaning process and to use up my stores of frozen milk - and that usually goes fine - she fights the bottle at first and then drinks it down. With formula, she is screaming like I am sticking pins in her. I normally would subscribe to the 'when she's hungry enough, she'll eat' mentality however, right now she is at that in between stage where although she gets most of her nutrition from breast milk (I nurse her 4 x a day) she is also getting 3 meals of solids - in essence she is never starving.
So, should I forego solids for a few meals so she gets so hungry she takes the formula? I am truly ready to waen and my older daughter (now almost 3) never gave me this much trouble - any advice would be appreciated - thanks!
Hi K.. I am getting ready to do the same thing when my little girl is 9 months - come August.
I heard that mixing formula and breastmilk will help. Start with 2 ounces of formula, 6 of BM, then 3 - 5, then 4 - 4, etc.
I also heard to use organic formula as it is sweeter. Similac makes an organic one that it easy to find in stores.
I hope that helps!
I had the same problem when trying to wean my son at 14-months. We mixed breast milk and formula together, gradually increasing the amount of formula and decreasing the breast milk. It was tough at first, but now he drinks formula regularly.
HI, Have you tried adding the formula only one ounce per week. So say she would typically drink 6 ounces of breastmilk per feeding. The first week do 5 ounces of breastmilk one ounce of formula , then slowly advance by one ounce a week until your there.You could even start off at 1/2 ounce for the first week , so she could get used to the different taste.Most likely she is rejecting it because the taste is so different than the breastmilk. By introducing slowly in every feeding she should hopefully adjust better to the transition.
Try combining the two, mostly breast milk at first and then slowly increase the ratio to formula.
My son was the same way, come to find out it was the formula. His pediatrician finally gave me Similac lactose free to try and he loved it. Before, I was using Good Start and it has a very strong odor, I think that's what was turning him off...the Similac smells like pure milk. Now if I could just get him to eat solids...all he wants his baba.
Formula tastes very different than breast milk that is why your daughter is refusing the formula. I can't say I subscribe to the 'if she's hungry she will eat it method'. Have you asked your doctor about this? Another source you can ask is La Leche League - llli.org They might have some advice on weaning your daughter.
Hi K.. Maybe she is just not ready. Remember weaning is much more than moving from mom's milk to formula for a baby. It is the forever end of a closeness that she has with you. You have, you will, you always bond with your child in new and beautiful ways. THIS bonding is so primal that some children just need a little longer. Relax. Know that she will wean. Relax.
