baby refuses formula?

Question

i've been breastfeeding my 3 month old son and haven't had any difficulties so far. i can tell that my milk supply is slowly starting to go back so i started feeding him a couple bottles of formula here or there. he seemed to be fine and didn't give me any problems about it. but now, a few days later he just won't drink it and totally refuses it. he will start day care next week and i'm worried that i won't be able to pump enough milk for during the day (i'm very limited w/ taking breaks at work). any suggestions???

Answer 1

First of all, good for you for breastfeeding at all! Hooray!

And on to your questions..

Your milk supply should be fine if you are nursing on demand (whenever the baby wants to nurse). Because you have given bottles your milk supply will slowly lower.

If he refuses to drink formula can you blame him? Breastmilk is very very sweet and warm (just right) and he gets to snuggle his mom while you feed him. Formula (taste it) tastes totally repulsive tasting, so this is probably a shock for the lil guy.

So, I suggest, be patient. Pump and mix some breastmilk with the formula. For example, use two ounces of breastmilk in place of water, then measure out the rest of the water needed for the formula. Try that. Then slowly lower the amount of breastmilk, down to 1 1/2 ounce in a few feedings, then 1 ounce over a few feedings... until you are finished with the breastmilk and just mix the formula with water.

One thing I would like to say is that if you are eating correctly, not smoking, and nursing on demand you should have more than enough breastmilk to pump a couple times a day at least. I was in the military and my daughter was in daycare. The military does not give you breaks for breastfeeding, but I talked with my boss about the importance to me. He allowed me to take "bathroom" breaks once every three hours (which is all it takes to pump) and pump in the bathroom.

I wasn't always able to pump enough for my daughter's daily needs, but I had a hospital grade pump, drank a TON of water and tried my best. She was half formula fed/half breastfed and thrived.


It was worth the sacrifice.


BTW, DO NOT give your three month old water. DO NOT give your three month old any food. If in doubt please call your son's pediatrician and talk to him/her about it. Read "What to Expect the First Year" and/or "The Baby Book" by Dr Sears (or visit his site at http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T020100.asp. Lots of help in those books/website.

Answer 2

First of all, refusing formula could be a sign of allergy? Are you giving him milk-based formula or soy? Both are highly allergenic, but milk a little more so. A person cannot be allergic to something with the first exposure, but it can happen the second time or the thousandth.

If your milk supply is dropping, the way to increase it is to nurse more often. Do that now before you go back to work, as it will only be more difficult then. Usually nursing at least 10-12 times in 24 hours is what is needed; if it's been 2 hours since the beginning of the previous feeding during the day, pick up the baby (even if you have to wake him) and nurse.

As for pumping, there are things you can do to help. First of all, know that most women need to pump 3 times to have enough milk for 2 feedings. So you may need to pump at home in addition to at work. Do you get bathroom breaks at work (yes, there are actually employers who limit these, but I hope you're not in that position). You may want to try the Whisper Wear pump. I haven't seen any unbiased data on its effectiveness, but a lot of women have very good results. The nice thing is that this is the only pump that you can use in public--it is incredibly quiet, and it is worn entirely inside your clothing. You just need to step into a private room (bathroom or otherwise) to empty it. You can pump constantly all day this way if you choose to.

In any case, do not give water, cereal, or anything else. The only acceptable food for a baby under 6 months old is breastfeeding (or formula). Every health organization worldwide (including the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Health Canada) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months; anything else can do serious harm to your baby.

Answer 3

As a mom who has breastfed three boys, I would suggest that you keep pumping and remember that it truly is supply and demand. The less the demand for your milk the less supply there will be. Pumping can be successful for you and baby but it takes patience for both of you. You might try a different bottle. My sons refused a bottle until I tried Avent. They are the most like the breast that I found. Also you will need to find the formula that your baby prefers if you choose to use one. Please consult with your baby's doc before introducing water, foods, and maybe he/she could offer suggestions for a formula also.

Answer 4

to get more breast milk try fenugreek ( i don't think I spelled it right), it works good. maybe it hurts his belly, I know my girls refused to eat, then I found out that they had reflux and refused the milk because it was associated with pain. He may just like the boob better, and is refusing it because he don't like the plastic nipple. You know there are laws to protect you if you need to pump at work, they cant refuse to let you. I would check into it because you may not have the option.

Answer 5

mix the breastmilk with the formula (e.g. half breastmilk/ half formula) if he doesnt take that try 3/4 breastmilk, 1/4 formula...then gradually reduce the amount of breastmilk and increase the amount of formula until it is all formula. But, I would pump as long as you can! It is so much healthier for him!

Answer 6

if it is a taste issue, try mixing half formula and half breast milk and slowly add more formula to the mix...this will more easily transition him. Also my pediatrician told me that Nestle carnation good start tastes more like breast milk than the other formulas so you may want to try that one. if it is a bottle vs breast issue...keep at it!! if he's hungry he'll eat it, try distractions like toys funny faces even tv...eventually he will come around

Answer 7

You baby is refusing to cooperate with your very bad plan for his life. Listen to him.

NICHD has been studying the separation of children from their mothers for decades. What they've learned is that if a child enters day care before age 3, and for most kids, before age 5, they are seriously damaged by this. First, the attachment between mom and child is damaged, the dad's approval of the child is damaged, the child's IQ is damaged, the child's social skills are damaged. The child is at great risk for depression and anxiety.

And, guess what - these results hold true even if daddy is the caregiver, if a full-time live-in nanny is provided, or if the day care is of the highest quality.

Why? Human infants evolved to need their mother's arms and mother's milk to grow optimally. Separating from mom floods a baby's brain with stress hormones, impairing the child's ability to learn and to regulate its emotions.

In addition, and perhaps most critically, the baby is currently forming his view of the world. Is the world reliable, a safe place, can i trust? Now picture him in day care, screaming for mommy (oh, they'll lie and say he doesn't) and you never come. What does he learn about you and about life? What does he learn about his effectiveness to get his needs met? What does he learn about what you think of his needs for love and affection?

Do you really want to teach your poor dear baby all those things? Last point, day care is far harder on boys than girls. Please don't do this to your child. He didn't ask to be born; he desparately doesn't want to grow up in an institution with a mommy who schedules in a few 'quality' minutes for him every day.

What you will miss by abandoning him to day care is immeasurable. My friends and I who actually raised our babies are always amazed by how totally detached from their kids our working friends became, how utterly unaware of children's needs and rythyms they became.

Day care is a lousy way to grow up. Up and Out in the rain, out in the freezing, out in the sweltering, never with mommy to share excitement, loyalties to the primary caregiver (who must become 'mommy' if she's gonna do a good job.) Why would you do this to your kid?

Source(s):

http://www.geocities.com/wellesley/garde... = lots of info on harms of day care
The Irreducible Needs of Children, a book by Brazleton
http://www.naturalchild.org wonderful site on kids' true needs

Answer 8

Try goats milk, my niece had the same problem, she is now 14 years old. You can find goat dairy farms and it is not expensive.

good luck

Answer 9

try giving him some water.. on and off during the day..he might be thirsty! this will also allow you to not have to pump so much!
maybe also a little cereal, make it slightly thin, this will fill his belly longer.

Answer 10

MILK WHAT YOU CAN NOW AN FREEZE IT,
IT WILL B
OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!