How can I make my 3&half months old baby to have formula milk?

Question

I'm breastfeeding (not directly expressed via bottle) and want to stop in 2 months time. I'm trying to give her formula so she can get to use to it before I stop completely. She vomited (I mean a lot not just a little a bit as all babies do) couple of times and cryies every time I give her. She's 550gr underweight at the moment, how shall I make it without making her to loose more weight as well?

Answer 1

try putting half breast milk and half formula, this worked with my son, a little bit of sick is normal but this is the best way for their tummys to get used to it. Good Luck and well done for keeping up with the expressing for so long!

Answer 2

I know how you feel. I have a 3 month old. I am breastfeeding and due back in work in 2 months. I have recently started giving my baby 1 bottle of formula a day. At first she would not take it at all, she would cry a lot and I thought it was because she didnt like the bottle. So I started trying her with breast milk in the bottle and she was fine so it was the taste of the formula she didnt like. I asked my health visitor for advice and she said the best way to introduce formula to her was to mix the breast milk wth formula. I did this, starting off using mostly breast and then gradually day by day mixing in more formula.

This has worked for me and my baby now accepts the bottle with no problems. However I did have to try a couple of different brands. At first I tried SMA and it just didnt agree with her. She was very sicky and then I tried Cow and Gate and her nappies were runny. The brand that agreed with her the most is Multipla Aptamil. Maybe your baby would prefer a different brand of milk?

With regards to the plan to stop breastfeeding my health visitor has advised to do it gradually, dropping a feed around every 4 days. However, my plan is to drop a feed every 2 weeks.

I hope this advice has been helpful for you and I wish you the best of luck

Answer 3

It may be quite difficult for you to actually give the bottle to your baby. I have four children and breastfed all of them. Something I learned early, as long as I left the room when a bottle was introduced, the feeding went much better. I also had one child who was lactose intolerant coupled with reflux. I resorted to a soy based formula and made sure to leave him in an upright position for a while after eating.

The cause for vomiting after trying to nurse from a bottle could be the fact that a baby doesn't really need to put forth as much effort when nursing a bottle versus breast. Could possibly be eating too fast, or getting too much air. Try feeding the baby a little bit and then making sure that she takes a little break before returning the bottle for her to finish.

Answer 4

What brand of formula are you using? There are quite a few to choose from out there. I would consult a pediatrician to see what he recommends as well. I gave my daughter Carnation Good Start (I think that's what it's called. it had a hear on it). Also, maybe try less formula and more water until you find she stops throwing up then try to increase it to where it should be. I would try the formula first, but only a little bit, then breast feed after about five minutes to see if she's going to throw up. That way if she does she's still getting the nutrients she needs and not throwing it up. I hope this helps!!!

Answer 5

you can pump your milk and bottlefeed it to her...wean her slowly..i don't know what your plans are, but you know you can continue to pump and even freeze the milk if you want and you can gradually introduce her to the formula--start out doing 3/4breast milk and 1/4 formula..(did your pediatrician recommend what she should have?you should talk to him/her about maybe switching to another type of formula..some kids don't tolerate certain formula..so make sure you talk with him/her. you know if she cries and vomits, it probably means she's not tolerating it and it hurts her tummy..does she have diarhhea with it too?)..then go to 1/2 breast milk and 1/2 formula..don't suddenly stop breast-feeding..just maybe substitute one feeding at a time...make sure you warm the bottle and something that's hard is finding a nipple that she likes..that's more like the breast..they have those aveta?spelling bottles that are good and don't let the air in to help with gassiness..3 1/2 months? I'd give her a few spoons of ricecereal mixed with formula too (if the doc's ok with it)..Make sure the bedtime breastfeed is the last to go..they love the snuggle time they get with breastfeeding, so make sure you hold her for her feedings..that'll make a difference. if she takes a binky,use that kind of nipple...another thing is cheek and chin support..if she has a weak suck. You put your ringfinger and pinky under her chin and thumb on one cheek and first and second finger on the other cheek (firmly but gently) and you give cheek and chin support..alot of times docs add a little ricecereal to add calories to the formula..don't make it like sludge, but you can do 1tsp rice cereal per ounce of formula (if the MD okays it) you may have to open up the nipple with a couple of pinholes so it goes through..and then after you feed her,be sure to always keep her sitting up after feedings for 20 minutes to let her food settle..she can sit in the swing..(don't swing her though )or a feeding seat,etc..if you do put her in bed,be sure to elevate the head of the bed (put a phonebook under the head of the mattress).good luck with your sweetie :)

Answer 6

When i gave my 3 months old son formula for the first time he refused to eat it and i felt so guilty. If your baby vomited try another formula... and don't forget to give a drink is well

Answer 7

my youngest daughter had the same sort of problem as your she was born at 5,11 so was underweight anyway even though she was two weeks late she was seen as a premature baby just based on her weight also the moniter that shows your contractions never showed mine the only way i could prove i was in labour was by telling the midwives that her heart rate dipped everytime i had a contraction weird but just gos to show.
anyway mine and my friends babys were both what i call sicky babys everytime after they fed they frew up wot looked like everythink they had taken midwives and docter tried to put me on this milk for sicky babys well thats along the lines of wot it was called. i started to realise it wasnt working then thought back when i was breastfeeding she wasnt being sick it was because she was always on the breast that was the main reason why i stopped feeding because my two year old was getting no attention.
SO TRY YOUR BABY ON SMA FOR HUNGRIER BABYS ONCE SHE GETS USED TO IT IT SHOULD STOP HER BEING SICK AS MUCHIF IT DOESNT WORK WHEN MY YOUNGEST WAS 3 MONTHS I STARTED TO CRUMBLE A PINCH OF FARLEYS RUSK INTO THE BOTTLE ALSO I STARTED TO FEED HER JAR FOODS IN SMALL AMOUNTS IT SEEMED TO WORK BUT TO BE HONEST BY THE TIME THE BABIES WERE BOTH FIVE MONTHS THEY HAD STOPPED ANYWAY.
JUST TO SAY MY FRIEND WENT TO HER DOCTER WHO PUT HER BABY ON GAVISCON IT DIDNT WORK SO SHE TRIED WOT I DID AND THAT WORKED THE ONLY THING SHE GOT FROM PUTTING BABY ON GAVISCON WAS HIM BECOMING ADDICTED TO IT.

Answer 8

Call her doctor. It might be the type of formula you are giving her that is making her throw it up.

Answer 9

some babies dont take to formula at all u should see ur dr or midwife just to be on the safe.

Answer 10

My son did the same thing, we had to use Lactose free formula.