Can you add breastmilk to formula?

[bigglet]

My nearly 9 month old son has eating issues... that is he won't eat. He has never been much of an eater and we have tried everything from my own cooking to tinned canned food etc and everyone has tried. He likes to try and feed himself so the only foods he gets are food that he can hold but he isn't really getting much into him.

Anyway....... it has been suggested that he has formula to help with his nutrients. He is fully breastfed and while I won't be weaning him just yet the formula is basically going to be some of his "meals" just for the added iron, nutrients etc that he can't get from me and isn't getting from foods.

Well........ of course he doesn't like formula and we have tried many times.

So..... can you add breastmilk to formula to get him used to the taste since he loves his breastmilk?
My DH suggested this - I instantly said NO but I don't know why....

[aardvark]

I wouldn't. It would change the balance of what's in the mixture in terms of minerals etc.

Don't panic about the not eating. My DS was 2 weeks off 12 month when he decided to have more than a teaspoon or so of ANYTHING other than breastmilk. He's now 2.5 and a decent eater, and within the normal height and weight range.

I just kept offering food, breastfeeding on demand, and eventually he's decided it was time for actually EATING.

[Sheer Bliss]

Your breastmilk will most likely provide him with all he needs until 12months, so i'd probably not worry either. Studies on breastmilk often fail to take into account that it changes as babies get older. There IS some basic iron in breastmilk, not a lot, but it is also in a form that is easier to absorb than in formula. Unless bubs is showing signs of not getting enough, then i'd just keep offering food and breastfeeding. Breastmilk is perfect, and shouldn't need formula to 'help' it.

If you decide to offer it to him - you can mix them, when DD was in SCN they'd add whatever i expressed to the formula in the tube.

[AliyahBlake]

You can mix formula and EBM - I was told it was OK to do by my ECN. I did it for a few months with my now 8 mo DS (he's now on formula all the time) and he got used to the formula pretty quickly.

[punkbaby]

I wouldnt :) jmo though (beany had a good point on a similiar thread the other day another bh posted)

Tbh though my other girls never had any food till they were like 11 months up until they were 13 months or more they had the breast and they were fine. If you know bubs is content and thriving i wouldnt really stress seeing that milk is the main source of nutrition for the few 12 months plus as your bf his getting all he needs too :)

[Sarahg]

I would definitely mix the two, I did! When I had to wean earlier than planned I used my ebm and formula together. Also when I switched my now toddler over to cows milk I mixed the two gradually increasing normal milk until he wasn't on formula anymore (did this at 12 months)
Good luck

[noniwaldron]

i did this recently, adding about 50mL of EBM to formula to try and get DS to take formula. i was soooo hoping he'd take it as it had taken me about 6 weeks to express that tiny little amount of breast milk, and it worked! i've only done this once though i wouldn't think it would be a problem as an ongoing thing? maybe check with your CHN?

[Ronni78]

Absolutely fine to mix made-up formula with breastmilk.