Baby Doesn't like Formula

Updated on June 21, 2014
L.R. asks from Decatur, TX
17 answers

I have a friend that has been trying to move her daughter more toward drinking formula from a bottle and limit her breastfeeding to two or three times a day. She isn't ready to stop breastfeeding, but does want to be able to put the baby on formula so that her husband and the sitter can feed her a bottle. She hasn't changed the type of bottle she has been using and the baby hasn't ever had a problem with the bottle. She seems to only have a problem with drinking formula. She has mixed a combination of breast milk and formula but the baby doesn't seem to want it if it has formula in it. She has tried Enfamil, Similac premixed, and Soy premixed as far as formulas. She wondered if anyone had any advice to help her shift the baby to formula from any moms that had infants that didn't seem to take to formula. Any suggestions?

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So What Happened?

My friend sent me an e-mail that they tried putting a little apple juice in her formula and are using the soy formula. She seemed to take that okay so they are going one day at a time. Yay! Thanks for all of your helpful hints. I passed them on to her and it looks like she has put some of them to good use.

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L.B.

answers from Wichita Falls on

I just recently went back to work and Im switching my baby as well. I find that very small amounts of formula and more breast milk work fine with mine. Also, I found the nipples that were fat and flat that touch all around her mouth from right up to her nose to her chin makes it feel more like beastfeeding. Good luck to you all.

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

Hi L., I breastfed all of my kids and they didn't take any formula. It was breast milk or nothing... They can smell the formula a mile away. I just pumped and froze the milk so it was always available for sitters and took it also to their daycare in a cooler every day they went. They would thaw it in warm water and feed it to my kids. Best wishes!

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M.T.

answers from Dallas on

Can she pump to continue giving breastmilk while bottle feeding?

1 mom found this helpful
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C.M.

answers from Dallas on

I breast fed all 3 of my kids and they transitioned really well to Carnation good start. They didnt get constipated or bloated. My son was the first he went thur Enfamil, Sililac and others but Carnation was the best and was easy with my other two they didnt have to go thru what my son did. My sister did the same too and her kids loved it. The one we used was the can that you have to mix with one part water. We tried the powder but didnt seem to like as much.

Hope this helps.
CC

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C.D.

answers from Dallas on

Can she pump and store breast milk for others to bottle feed to the baby? Breast milk is the healthiest best choice if that's an option and then she doesn't have to worry about the taste of formula.

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V.B.

answers from Dallas on

If she will take a bottle with breast milk-try a very slow ratio to begin, adding formula day by day. Example: 4 oz. breast milk with 1-2 Tabl. of formula, gradually adding formula as the days go by that the baby is drinking it better. Ease it in, so to speak. See if this helps and don't go too fast. Good Luck

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

It sounds like she is doing all the right things, especially mixing the breast milk and formula. It is probably nothing to do with the type of formula -- all three of my kids transitioned to Similac. What you don't mention is who is one trying to get the baby to drink the formula. If it is your friend, then that is probably the problem. Baby expects breast milk from Mommy and won't take anything else. Instead, another adult needs to do it (Daddy, Grandma, babysitter) and while they are doing this your friend needs to disappear -- baby should not be able to see or hear Mommy (or smell, for that matter!). And even then baby will still fight it. But don't give in -- trust me, the baby won't starve (even though she'll be crying mad!). I just had my husand and MIL put the bottle aside for 15-20 minutes, then try again. It worked with all three of my kids. After a couple of days they became more accepting. Then we gradually decreased the amount of breastmilk in the mixture -- about a week later it was all formula!

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M.S.

answers from Dallas on

My suggestion would be to pick one formula and stick with it, the powdered ones seem better (smell better and a ton less preservatives). Like you were doing mix 20% formula with 80% breast milk and move your way up. Heated up too like breast milk would be and don't have mom feed the bottle. My method with all 3 of mine were stick with it for 2 weeks and eventually almost everything worked out. With most babies and into toddler years being consistent is very important. Good luck.

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D.M.

answers from Dallas on

Back when I had to do the same thing, i found that I had to make the formula very weak so that it would be thinner/watery like breastmilk. And then I gradually made it thicker. It may even be that the flow is too slow with the thicker formula so the baby is frustrated. Best of luck to your friend figuring out a solution.

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K.T.

answers from Dallas on

Tell her to try Enfamil Gentlease. She can probably get a sample from her pedi. It is milk based. My daughter had a growth problem and the pedi wanted me to supplement my nursing with formula to give her extra calories. He said this one was compatible with breatmilk -- we actually mixed it with breast milk instead of water. Anyway, my daughter didn't have a problem with going between this an breatmilk...so it is worth a try.

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T.C.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter did not want to switch and her pediatrition said that it was because the formula is not a sweet as the breast milk and she told me to add Cairo syrup (just a very small amount like 1 tsp) to the formula. It worked but I had to give it to her in a cup (she was 10 months old when I started preparing her for weening at 12 months)- she would not take a pacifier or bottle but the cup worked. Good luck.

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N.L.

answers from Dallas on

Definatley make sure she is heating it up good. My son won't take formula unless its heated REALLY well! But if I were her I wouldn't switch to Formula unless you have to. It can constipate them. I got to a point where I couldn't pump enough breatmilk to give the daycare for the time they have him so every so often they have to give him formula...but breastmilk is best...and the bonus is big boobs and you lose more weight!

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T.T.

answers from Dallas on

What is the problem that she is having? Maybe she is getting too much formula at once and just needs a smaller nipple on the bottle so she eats a little slower. Sometimes breastfed babies are so used to getting the milk a little slower that it is hard for them to adjust getting so much so fast.

G.R.

answers from Dallas on

she can try similac sensitive also she can pump the milk and give to the baby with a bottle.

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D.K.

answers from Detroit on

my baby hates alimentum because of the bad taste and my pharmacist told me that flavoring the formula might help.I got the flavorplus banana flavor and it did help tremendously

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L.S.

answers from Dallas on

I've had great luck with Bright Beginnings Organic formula. While researching formulas I found that one and the Earth's Best one to be most like breastmilk and without all the weird chemicals of conventional formula. They are pricey though so I know not everyone can use them but they both have been great and had no issues with them. Good luck finding one that works!

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L.P.

answers from Dallas on

My son would not take a bottle with formula in it either until I used Nestle Good Start. I also started off putting more breastmilk than formula in the bottle and over time increased the formula. His bottles are still half and half but he has no problem drinking them now. Good luck!

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