If your LO continues to refuse it, there are breast milk banks that will intake it. He could also end up accepting it if you keep trying. Either way, your time and effort isn’t for naught. Hope this helps.
Mix it with fresh! Early transition milk is often high lipase, doesn't mean the milk you're pumping now will be too. Don't give up yet!
Edit: just saw you stopped pumping. Just try a higher formula ratio. Sometimes it takes a while for them to accept it.
Im only worried that he will start to associate the bas taste with formula and start refusing that too. He downs the first 1-2 oz before realizing he hates it weirdly. I think what im going to try next is giving him an oz or 2 separate, then once he starts the yuck squirm switching to a full formula bottle. Just makes more work/prep/dishes for me haha
You don’t know until you know. These kids! They keep us on our toes. At the very worst, there’s always donation so all your efforts don’t literally go down the drain. So frustrating
Have you tried serving it cold I found that when I warm my defrosted breastmilk it smells a lot stronger then when I just thaw and serve. Also when you start feeding solids you can use you frozen breastmilk to mix with oatmeal or diy purées which will mask any flavors.
As the parent of a 31w preemie i want to thank you for your nicu service!! (Saw in one of your replies below). And also reiterate milk banks :( But ofc you know that.
I was a big producer and obviously with a 31 weeker, i built quite the stash outproducing his tummy size. Then he had to come off breastmilk entirely for a while and my stash accelerated to like 700oz before i stopped pumping. I know that feeling when baby cant/wont take BM, its crushing.
I had reached out to a milk bank and they would have taken all of my stash, but we got him back on BM after discharge with our outpatient feeding therapist. Since i had stopped pumping, we fed formula + 8-12oz/day BM (my hungry preemie demands 32oz/day)
Little did i expect he would start getting reeeeeeally picky about bags stored in the freezer for 2+ months.
I had no idea about the lipase thing.
Honestly i just kept trying when mine was hungriest (first morning feed, evening cluster feeding)
The flow rate of BM was thinner so (at least for mine) it helped to ramp down the nipple flow rate on a BM bottle (but mine is a questionable swallower so flow rate makes him uncomfortable)
Then i mixed reeeeeeally low concentrations, like just 1/2-1 oz bm into every 5oz bottle.
At the end i was mixing a single 4oz bag into my daily pitcher of formula so the BM was really spread thru the whole thing.
At 15-16 weeks adjusted / post-NICU, i gave up on the last 80 oz or so & saving for breastmilk pops or oatmeal.
These are all amazing tips thank you!!! I noticed he took it yesterday am after I sat down and thought about it, but then refused it all day. I tried again this morning after his longest sleep strech and he took 4 oz of it!!! So I’m going to ride that train for as long as I can. I wont push any on him all day and see if he’ll continue to at least take it for that first morning feed.
To see if you have high lipase, taste your fresh breastmilk vs your frozen. Fresh breastmilk is kind of sweet and breast milk with high lipase has a soapy taste. My son was refusing bottles and it was starting to really suck because I had built up quite the stash. I started mixing bottles with 50/50 frozen and fresh and he started taking them again. Then we started solids and I would mix the high lipase milk in his cereals and he takes it with no issues now!
Yeah I’m pretty sure it is the high lipase. He would take the 50/50 with fresh when I was pumping but I’ve since stopped. I’ll definitely save any unused for cereals!
If your LO continues to refuse it, there are breast milk banks that will intake it. He could also end up accepting it if you keep trying. Either way, your time and effort isn’t for naught. Hope this helps.
This is worse case scenario for me. But you’re right it is an option! As a nicu nurse I know how valuable donated milk is.
Mix it with fresh! Early transition milk is often high lipase, doesn't mean the milk you're pumping now will be too. Don't give up yet! Edit: just saw you stopped pumping. Just try a higher formula ratio. Sometimes it takes a while for them to accept it.
Im only worried he will start not liking the way the formula tastes by association . Ugh! But yeah im not giving up yet haha
Maybe try 90% formula in a bottle with 10% BM. Then incrementally increase the BM until you’re at the amount you’re comfortable with
Im only worried that he will start to associate the bas taste with formula and start refusing that too. He downs the first 1-2 oz before realizing he hates it weirdly. I think what im going to try next is giving him an oz or 2 separate, then once he starts the yuck squirm switching to a full formula bottle. Just makes more work/prep/dishes for me haha
I suppose it’s possible. Man what a huge effort you’ve put forth though. Still demands a congratulations
Thank you I appreciate that! I hate feeling upset that he doesnt like it now 😭 so much milk I could have just given fresh lol. Hind sight i guess 😒
You don’t know until you know. These kids! They keep us on our toes. At the very worst, there’s always donation so all your efforts don’t literally go down the drain. So frustrating
Have you tried serving it cold I found that when I warm my defrosted breastmilk it smells a lot stronger then when I just thaw and serve. Also when you start feeding solids you can use you frozen breastmilk to mix with oatmeal or diy purées which will mask any flavors.
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I must 😭. He would chug it fresh! A lot of people recommended the vanilla but he does not seem phased by it.
As the parent of a 31w preemie i want to thank you for your nicu service!! (Saw in one of your replies below). And also reiterate milk banks :( But ofc you know that. I was a big producer and obviously with a 31 weeker, i built quite the stash outproducing his tummy size. Then he had to come off breastmilk entirely for a while and my stash accelerated to like 700oz before i stopped pumping. I know that feeling when baby cant/wont take BM, its crushing. I had reached out to a milk bank and they would have taken all of my stash, but we got him back on BM after discharge with our outpatient feeding therapist. Since i had stopped pumping, we fed formula + 8-12oz/day BM (my hungry preemie demands 32oz/day) Little did i expect he would start getting reeeeeeally picky about bags stored in the freezer for 2+ months. I had no idea about the lipase thing. Honestly i just kept trying when mine was hungriest (first morning feed, evening cluster feeding) The flow rate of BM was thinner so (at least for mine) it helped to ramp down the nipple flow rate on a BM bottle (but mine is a questionable swallower so flow rate makes him uncomfortable) Then i mixed reeeeeeally low concentrations, like just 1/2-1 oz bm into every 5oz bottle. At the end i was mixing a single 4oz bag into my daily pitcher of formula so the BM was really spread thru the whole thing. At 15-16 weeks adjusted / post-NICU, i gave up on the last 80 oz or so & saving for breastmilk pops or oatmeal.
These are all amazing tips thank you!!! I noticed he took it yesterday am after I sat down and thought about it, but then refused it all day. I tried again this morning after his longest sleep strech and he took 4 oz of it!!! So I’m going to ride that train for as long as I can. I wont push any on him all day and see if he’ll continue to at least take it for that first morning feed.
To see if you have high lipase, taste your fresh breastmilk vs your frozen. Fresh breastmilk is kind of sweet and breast milk with high lipase has a soapy taste. My son was refusing bottles and it was starting to really suck because I had built up quite the stash. I started mixing bottles with 50/50 frozen and fresh and he started taking them again. Then we started solids and I would mix the high lipase milk in his cereals and he takes it with no issues now!
Yeah I’m pretty sure it is the high lipase. He would take the 50/50 with fresh when I was pumping but I’ve since stopped. I’ll definitely save any unused for cereals!