Breastfeed Baby and Formula Question

After baby eat, pump...do this for a couple of days and you'll get enough milk to last during a night out. The rule of thumb is to feed 1 - 1.25 oz of breastmilk per hour you are away...gone for 5 hours, 5-6 oz of milk should be plenty. When I am away 7:30 - 5, I leave babysitter 12 oz of milk...sometimes baby comes home with a bottle...
WHen I am around my 7 month old, it seems like he nurses that frequently too...so I don't think anything is wrong. JMO.

No matter how much she eats, you always have milk in your breasts... ALWAYS. I'd buy a cheap manual pump and pump for 20 minutes before you feed her EVERY TIME you feed her, that way you will quickly start up a supply of expressed milk. After her feeding, pump again for another 10 minutes in the same container. The first few times you pump, you may get little to nothing out, but the more you pump the more you will be able to express and freeze.

Formula introduces foreign bacteria and proteins which will inflame and irritate your baby's open GI tract. It take over 2 weeks for the effects of formula to leave a baby's system.

Yes, every 2 hours sounds right... but don't worry it will not always be this way. Some days will be a lot less and during growth spurts it will be a lot more ;)

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http://www.wellsphere.com/parenting-article/does-one-bott...

Which also contains 2 additional sites for info.

The point of these articles is to point out that, yes, it can hurt. Babies are born with "gap junctions", or spaces in between the cells in their digestive tract. Foreign proteins in formula can get into these junctions and form immune complexes, which can lead to sensitization and allergies later in life, especially to cow's milk. Colostrum coats the intestines and fills in these junctions.
Formula can't perform this function, and introduces foreign bacteria into the infant's digestive system. The "bad bacteria" in formula can also cause overgrowth of the bacteria that have colonized the infant's gut, which can lead to diarrheal illnesses and NEC, or necrotizing enterocolitis.
Why is that a problem? Have you been hearing about the "good bacteria" that formula companies are starting to add to their product, in their quest to once again be more like breastmilk? (A goal they will never attain, because breastmilk composition changes throughout the day, week, and as the baby grows to continually meet his developing needs!) A baby who is breastfed has the benefit of this good bacteria until solid foods are introduced. Getting this bacteria from formula, however, can pose a problem, because it can overcolonize and cause sickness- say if one can or bottle contains more than the amount the baby needs.
I found it interesting in the second article that after supplementation with formula, it can take 2-4 weeks for the good bacteria to recolonize the digestive tract, if the supplements are stopped. So even small amounts of supplementation can change a baby's gut in as little as 24 hours. Is this really good for babies?

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The human digestive system has a layer of mucous that protects the gastrointestinal tract from microbes and other contaminants that may be present in food or liquids. In infants, this protective barrier is immature, which puts your baby at risk of infection. Antibodies in breast milk help protect your baby until his digestive mucosal lining matures and he increases his ability to produce his own antibodies, which happens around the age of six months.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/252816-infant-digestive...

The infant's protective mucosal barrier is immature at birth. As a consequence, pathogens and other macromolecules can potentially penetrate the intestinal epithelium and enter the infant's circulatory system. This can increase the infant's risk of infection as well as the development of allergies. "There are antibodies and other large immune molecules present in breast milk," says Brenna, "that can help support the baby's immune system." The main antibody providing protection in breast milk is called secretory IgA. As the infant's digestive system continues to develop, it will become much less permeable to large molecules. This coincides, however, with the baby's increasing ability to make his or her own antibodies.

http://www.thevisualmd.com/health_centers/child_health/in...

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Amazing medical info about all things digestive and feeding in infants and newborns!!

http://anhi.org/learning/pdfs/bcdecker/Gastrointestinal_D...

Supplementing is a great idea. I did it with both my babies. I had an oversupply problem- a pretty big one- so pumping was completely off the table for me. I could never create a stash without creating a huge problem with my supply. Anyway, my son took Enfamil. My daughter actually likes the Target sensitive brand. No real difference I have noticed from brand name to generic (just costs a lot less).
Hope this helps!

My son did not like the regular formulas... He was very gassy and had diarrhea. So we tried with similac sensitive and he did great!!!. You can always call each formula company and ask them for samples.... they are always welcome to send you samples for you to test them. Don't forget to test the same formula several days to check for reactions... Do not mix them otherwise you won't know where the problem is coming from. My ped told me to test it at least for 4-5 days in a row.
Good luck
N.

You are doing PERFECTLY! And you CAN pump enough for a freezer stash. Personally I suggest pumping last thing at night and then first thing in the Morning. You might not get anything at the bed time pumping but it "puts in the order" for your body to make more while you sleep.

As for formula, everyone gives away free samples. I signed up for all of them, even the formula companies clubs/lists. (just google "free formula samples" and start filling out forms) Then I kept a few for emergencies and donated the rest to a woman's shelter. The checks and coupons they send you are VERY handy for trading with bottle feeding moms for GOOD diaper coupons!

please do not listen when someone tells you that your babies GI tract is "open" the formula will not do anything negative to your child unless she has an allergy.

http://breastfeeding.about.com/od/breastfeedingbasics/a/i...

I just looked this up and read through about 15 articles, many of them from breastfeeding sites, and none of them said anything about formula introducing foreign bacteria into the infants GI tract. obviously "breast is best" but it's not like it's the only way to go.

Contact a lactation consultant right away, to figure out your rhythm. You can probably have enough milk to pump, but I think that your baby might be in a growth spurt and drinking more. I nurse on demand, too, and those growth spurts really have me wearing my baby! There's no getting away during those times.

Regarding the formula, I think that you should decide what you want in a formula and try a little to see if she likes it and if her little body likes it. I supplement with formula, maybe about 2 ounces each day, when he runs out of milk. Also, he has formula on weekends if he has a sitter, since I nurse all weekend. At 5 months, he was eating brown rice cereal almost every morning. That helped to fill him up. If you're ready for that, then you can pump while he's full, since your body is used to feeding at those times. That will keep your milk flowing and give you milk to store.