Tonight I finally bit the bullet and made up a bottle of formula for Avelyn to take before she went to bed. As soon as the foreign liquid hit her lips, she spat the bottle out. I kept trying, but she refused. I happened to have a single ounce of breastmilk in the fridge so I warmed it up for her and she happliy gulped it down. So…Steve is presently feeding her while I sit on the couch, pumping both boobs and typing with my one free hand (please, don’t try to picture it), desperately trying to eke out a few more drops to fill her tummy before bed.
Is it normal for a baby to reject formula? I have heard of breastfed babies refusing a bottle, but that’s not the issue since she is already well acquainted with bottles. Any pearls of wisdom? Or do I just need to start pumping every 30 minutes?
14 Comments
Hi Amanda
You can try having Steve give her the formula because if you are giving it to her she can smell you and your breast milk and therefore she wants that. It is worth a try and if it works get him to feed her formula when he is around until she is used to it.
You can also try mixing some formula and breat milk together and slowly increasing the ratio of formula to milk. I hope something works. Good luck!
That’s a good suggestion above :) I have heard of babies rejecting formula if they’ve only ever had breast milk.
Good luck!
I was going to say the same things as wise Nolana. Also, the temperature can matter. Abby liked formula to be warmer than breastmilk. It does obviously taste different from breastmilk so it will take some work and time to adjust.
My niece did this. Mixing breastmilk and formula is a good start (no pun intended). I think I may have had to start that way with Kayla. Also, warmer was better for my girls, too.
My boys never wanted formula after they had gotten used to the mommy juice! It took a lot of tears and for them to just plain give up when it was time for me to wean and do the switch over. I tried mixing it up a bit, but they always turned their nose up at it.
I found my boys HATED powder and good start. I don’t know what you are using. Liquid Enfalac is more expensive but it does taste better even President’s choice brand and older babies who were just breastfed seem to like the taste better. You can buy the kind you have to mix with equal parts water. I’m weird I’ve tasted them myself.
We are having that issue right now. I am trying to wean Katelyn before going back to work since all she’s ever had is breastmilk (and not very much pumped that’s in a bottle). It’s NOT going well. I’m so discouraged as to what to do other than maybe cut her off the boob completely. I’ve tried breastmilk, breastmilk with diluted formula, formula- you name it! I have 4 types of bottles and 4 types of sippy cups. So, if anyone has any suggestions, I’m willing to try just about anything at this point! :)
I had a similar problem. Caleb wouldn’t take formula from me. He would from anyone else, but he knew that I had the good stuff and would hold out. Brandon had to feed him for the first little while until he got used to it and then he would take it from me.
Let me again offer to you the wise wisdom of herbs… I have been using the More Milk Plus from http://www.motherlove.com and while my baby was hospitalized 24 hours ago, we stopped with the herbs (b/c I forgot them!) and sure enough my supply dwindled… Back on the stuff now and I can already feel myself bulking up… Give it a try!
I know a few breast fed babys that are used to bottles that hate formula. It’s just the babys prefrence. Good luck at getting Avelyn fed.
I’ve heard tht happens. Maybe try mixing as the others suggested. Sometimes its just the taste they don’t like. Otherwise I’ve also heard that its good to try feeding the formula to them when they’re really, really hungry (in the morning) for example & refuse to give them anything different. I’m not sure I’d be able to do that though. but that’s what I heard “they” recommend.
All of my suggestions have already been said, so just hang in there. It’s always adjustment for both mom and baby.
Duncan’s done the same thing, but I’m still hopeful that if he’s in the right mood it’ll be fine. I’m crossing my fingers for you!
In my 24 hours of being a father, Ashlea has not rejected formula. We have had to suppliment what Steph is producing until her milk comes in.
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