[SilverSky]

Would you consider adding a *tiny* amount of milo to a bottle of formula to see if baby will take it?


Baby is 8 months old and refuses formula and cows milk but drinks water from a bottle. I can't express any more than 20mls at a time. I need to be away for a night and am worried baby won't settle without a tummy full of milk. Add separation anxiety on top of that and I'm very worried!


Do I need a flame suit on?

[bikingbubs]

No i wouldnt.

[~kacee~]

Flame suit: yes, milo: no.

[Frockme]

No. Don't do it. You'll end up having to add it every time she has one or she won't take the bottle, so back to square one. Not good for teeth or anything really.

I think you need to persevere getting her to take it. Don't give in. Maybe make up a bottle, then add breast milk to the top so it smells like BM and may taste like it at first too.

Change formulas?

[her mum]

I'd say no.

Theoretically your 8 month old doesn't know what Milo tastes like any more than they know what formula tastes like so it's not going to be something that they automatically recognise as a pleasant addition.

If they're on solids and you want to try to change the flavour, could you maybe add a little pureed fruit to the bottle, or some carrot or something?

I definitely wouldn't go Milo though. It has a heap of sugar and you really don't want to have to get into a situation where you're adding it to every bottle as that can't be good for your little one's health.

It might be different when you're away too, but I would definitely add something fresh before I tried Milo.

[jules77]

No I wouldn't.

A the end of the day, it's only one night. If your baby just ends up having solids and water it won't hurt. If they are unsettled for the one night, it won't hurt either- might be tiring for whoever is looking after bub but they will be ok.

[Bluenomi]

I suspect it is the bottle he's refusing. DD hated the bottle. Didn't matter if it was EBM, formula, cows milk, she just hated the bottle. Adding something like milo wouldn't have helped.

Either start expressing more (which I know is easier said than done since I never got more than 30mls a session myself) or don't leave him for the night.

[stressnless9]

I wouldn't give Milo!

my baby is almost 1 now and i make choc & banana smoothies with raw cacao that he drinks out of a sippee cup because im trying to get him to not have so much formula! he loves it and its very healthy.

[elizabethany]

First off, are you planning on weaning off BM at this point? If you want to continue to BF, I would try to express more, even though I know it is difficult.

If you want to move to formula, you can try other brands, as they all smell and taste different, and you can add BM to the formula to make it more appealing.

I found that the swapover time, while DS was getting both BM and Formula, he was very unsettled, and didn't want either the bottle of the breast. He was much happier when it was one or the other full time.

I would not consider adding anything else to the bottle. You could have breakfast cereal or rice cereal with formula for meals to help them get used to the taste as well.

If this is only for one night, I would try to stock up small feeds of BM beforehand, at 8 months it is more the soothing feeling of sucking that they want, rather than a full feed.

[MakeLoveNotBacon]

So he will have your b'milk from the bottle? I would build up a stash of 20 mls at a time. I was a hopeless expresser too and that's what I did when I had a night out. Built up enough for a bottle over a few days of expressing.

Otherwise try a cup. Chances are he will take a bottle if you're not there.