I have a 8 1/2 month old son, who has had just breastmilk (and some solid foods but the breastmilk is mainly what he eats). I recently found out that I'm pregant again (surprised, but very excited!!), and was planning on continuing breast feeding anyways, until my son is at least 1 year. My son actually prefers a bottle during the day, so I have been pumping for a few months consistantly now. Just in the last week, I have pumped half or less than what I have been getting before, I'm guessing that's becuase I'm pregnant. So, right now my son is eating more than I can produce. I was thinking of starting to supplement with formula. I still want to feed mainly breastmilk, but I want my son to be used to formula, just in case I dry up completely and he has no choice. Any sugestions on how to introduce formula, and how much formula I should do at once? I want to at least do one whole (6-8oz) bottle of breastmilk every day, and just mix breast milk and formula for his other 2-3 bottles. This is tough for me - I was hoping to not have to use formula at all, but as it seems it's not going to work out like that. I just want to make sure my son gets enough nutrition and is as healthy as possible. Thanks for all the help and encouagement!
For different reasons I needed to switch to formula earlier than I'd hoped. However, he transitioned fine and is very happy and very healthy at 2.5! I mixed 75% BM and 25% formula for a few days, then 50/50 then 25/75 then finally all formula. His poop will change a bit... but easing him into it will help. Congratulations!!!! Mine are just under 16mos apart and it's been "fun"!
Even though he may prefer the bottle during the day, offer the breast instead. Pumping will not keep up your supply like baby can right now. And it may still happen that the hormonal changes decrease your milk but you won't know until you try.
As far as formula-if you need to go that route eventually-consult the pediatrician to see what he/she recommends to try first. Then add 1/4 formula to 3/4 breastmilk and gradually up it.
Check out kellymom.com There is great info on nursing while pregnant and tandem nursing.
Before you introduce formula there a few things you can do to try and produce more milk, eat oatmeal alot like for breakfast and oatmeal cookies for snack ect, drink tons of water, there is a tea called Mothers Tea try that too, and also you might need to eat more food cuz now your feeding 3 not just two and your body is prob taking all your fluids and nutrition and trying to make care of the baby inside you. Hope this helps good luck!
I became pregnant with my 2nd son when my 1st was 4 months old. He was exclusively breastfed and I wanted to bf until he was a year. About a month into my pregnancy, my milk supply decreased. I tried drinking a lot of extra water and I even bought fenugreek, a supplement that is supposed to increase your milk supply. Neither of those things worked and I eventually dried up altogether. My son detested the taste of formula, regardless of the brand. So, at the suggestion of my aunt, who had a similar problem, I mixed his formula with baby apple juice and drinkable yogurt (made by gerber). I also stuck with Good Start formula because he seemed to tolerate it a little better (if you smell that compared with some of the other brands, it seems to be a little more pleasant). Anyway, I gradually increased the amount of formula in each bottle, and after about two weeks, he was exclusively on formula. Good luck- it was very emotional for me!
I highly recommend the book "Adventures in Tandem Nursing" by Hilary Flower http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Tandem-Nursing-Breastfee...
I got pregnant with my second 2 months after my first turned 2. My first was still nursing up a storm and I was not planning on making him wean. That book helped me SO MUCH!
Every woman is different. In my case my milk changed to colostrom some time in the second trimester and my supply went down some. My oldest didn't care for it much. While he didn't stop all together he did cut back a lot. By the end of my pregnancy he was sometimes going a week before he'd nurse again. I have heard of other mothers who's child didn't skip a beat and just kept on nursing. My nursling being a little older might have had something to do with how my body reacted. I continued to nurse my first for 2 months after my second was born, he only nursed a handful of times though.
Pumping does not empty the breast the same as nursing directly from the breast. You may find the hormones effecting pumping. This doesn't mean your son doesn't get anything when put to the breast.
Best of luck! Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Hi--
I breastfed through a pregnancy and it is challenging, but not impossible. You'll have to up your water intake considerably. Remember, your uterine water replaces itself every 24 hours and you need water for you own body, so the first thing to go is the breast milk. Taking alfalfa and extra b-vitmains also helps. DO NOT take fenugreek--it is contraindicated during pregnancy. Acupuncture can also help. And you'll need to eat enough protein for you, the baby, and the breast milk. You won't dry up completely, but during the 3rd trimester your milk will become more like colostrum. The taste will change and you probably will make even less, so be prepared for that. Your son might wean himself at that point because the taste change. (Mine didn't, but he was very, very attached!!) I'm not sure about the formula part because my son was old enough when I got pregnant that I didn't have to worry about that part. I know goat's milk is the closest to human milk. Ask about it at Vitamin Cottage--they usually know how to hook you up. Also, you can make your own formula--their are recipes all over the place. I don't know it off the top of my head, but I can get one for you from our natural doc if you like.
Good luck with everything--and congrats on the new baby!
J.
It is definitely good advice to offer the breast as much as possible instead of bottle. Maybe only pump when he's asleep to stock up freezer stores. If you still really want to switch to formula or any other alternative, it is a good idea to mix the new thing with a much larger amount of breastmilk and gradually increase. Talk to your doctor about anything you change, but I really don't think introducing juice is a good idea, as one answer suggested. There is no nutritional value and if they end up liking it a lot, you might have a hard time taking it away later.
You can also try goats milk instead of formula. It's the closest thing to breastmilk and it's better than formula. I haven't tried it, but my cousin used it at 7mos with her son. She had to stop breastfeeding because of medilcal issues for herself. Her son now mainly drinks goats milk.
As others have mentioned there are things you can do to try and increase your milk supply before giving up and switching to formula. First and foremost get that baby to breast. The pump is NOT as good at getting the milk out as your baby. Skip the daytime bottles and encourage him to nurse instead. You can also eat oatmeal and look into getting some brewers yeast (which is awesome for you to take while pregnant anyway) to use as a supplement. If you still find that your milk is diminishing there are other options to formula. You can look into donor breastmilk. There are several milk share programs you can look into. www.milkshare.com and/or http://www.eatsonfeets.org/ which is also on facebook here... http://www.facebook.com/eats.on.feets . Also check out www.kellymom.com for tons of information on breastfeeding while pregnant and even tandem nursing if that is something that interests you.
