Bf to formula- how much to offer?

[MsPea]

Hello,

Dd1 is 8 months old and has been breastfed on demand until now. She currently takes 4 or 5 feeds in 24 hours. For medical reasons I have to switch her onto formula. I plan to swtich her over one feed at a time, adding one formula feed every week or so. But how much should I offer her at the first feed?

Thanks.

[chilledmama]

I would stick 7oz in a bottle and make it up (should give you around 8oz), your LO will take what they want (benefit of BF). You don't need to worry unless you're trying to control intake for weight reasons (highly unlikely)!

[mears]

Is she in solids? If so, 7 oz might just be a bit much.

There are very few reasons why BF needs to be stopped, even for medical treatments. Breastfeeding can continue despite painkileers, antibiotics, antidepressants, blood pressure tablets etc. Just be sure that you actually need to stop incase that advice is incorrect.

[MsPea]

Yes, she's on solids and a big eater. Unfortunately I do definitely have to give up- have checked this out very thoroughly.

[chilledmama]

Sorry, I wasn't clear...I meant that as you don't know how much she will want it will be easier to make up a large bottle. It is highly unliekly that she will take all of that but BF babies only eat what they have room for therfore she will stop when she has had enough.

[plibble]

At that age (and still, actually, a couple of months later) my formerly bf daughter was on 2 x 7oz bottles and 2x 6oz bottles a day. She leaves whatever she doesn't want and is now about to drop one of the 6oz bottles of her own accord.
I think that to start with I probably made up 4 x 8oz bottles each day and tried to figure out how much she really needed.

[MsPea]

So basically I don't need to worry about overfeeding? Somewhere I have picked up the idea that you can overfeed a bottle fed baby but not a breast fed one.

[chilledmama]

Really difficult to overfeed, you should be fine. If she turns into a complete Lardy, give her less!

[MsPea]

Great- thankyou!