Formula Feeding - Aldrich,MO

I'd like to say, as gently as I can, that there is no ideal time to introduce formula. The best thing is to pump, and to keep her on 100% breast milk. But if that's not feasible, then the next-best thing is to keep her on as much breast milk as you can, and formula feed when you can't.

But, if you need to switch, or make a partial switch, then that's what you need to do. We are all imperfect moms. That's what makes us all wonderful moms.

The ideal time is when you want to. Your baby will adjust and be fine.

I don't think there is anything wrong with formula feeding your child. Both of mine were nursed for a period of time and were sickly babies. So, the "oh nursing them and they are healthy" was NOT our experience. However, once I started feeding formula, they were happier babies with full tummies.

Honestly, I didn't much enjoy the whole nursing experience. I got just as much bonding from bottle feeding as I did from nursing. Plus my husband was able to be engaged in the feeding of his children as well. So, any time would be ideal. Some babies get turned off from breast, others don't want anything to do with formula and others just don't care.

Good luck! Enjoy your little one. They grow so fast!!

Once our daughter was given formula, she gobbled it down and never went back to the breast. I was fine with this. It is a beautiful thing to see your child eat and be satisfied.

I had to go on a business trip for 10 days I needed to know she was going to be ok.

FYI, She started sleeping through the night. This means 11:00 - 6:00am! Bonus!

As moms, we do what we have to do. No regrets. It is not all about what we need, it turns into what does the baby need.

This post will light a fire for many moms on here.

You need to do what is best for you and your child. Don't let people from either viewpoint make you feel bad for your choices. If you choose to use formula, your baby will be fine.

I don't know if your baby would reject breast milk if given formula as supplementation. Personally, I was never a BF'r because it was just not right for me (there is NOTHING wrong with that). I got a lot of flack about it at the hospital and security had to be called in because the BF patrol was SO bad, but bottom line, I made the best choice for MY family and baby.

Our daughter is a very healthy 19yr old who has only visited the pedi for a sickness about 5 times in her life.

Good luck to you.

I see the "Holier Than Thou" contingent has already checked in with pats on their own backs but no real advice....

I'll just say that you know you and your baby better than anyone.
Talk to your pediatrician for recommendations and guidelines.
Do what's best for YOU!
Good luck!

the only 'ideal' time is the time you decide it's right, for your baby and for you. there's really no way to predict how the baby will take it. some love it and never look back, others are horrified and howl for the breast, most fall somewhere inbetween.
yours is right around the age i started mine on formula because i was working and pumping was nigh impossible in the workplace in those days. i angsted and guilt-tripped myself and wrung my hands and second-guessed right and left, while my babies slurped away at whatever was presented to them and did just fine.
if you can breastfeed until it's weaning time, terrific. if you need to start supplementing with formula right now, chances are your baby will adjust to both just fine, perhaps with a grumpy adjustment period. if you simply want to add formula for your own reasons, you don't have to justify your decision to anyone.
but no one can tell you when it's ideal, nor how your baby will handle it. isn't it fun that it's all so individual and unpredictable?
good luck!
:) khairete
S.

I was told by our pediatrician any time was fine BUT to expect...well, any reaction. My pediatrician said my baby's response to formula would be a) love it, give me nothing else; b) yuck! are you trying to poison me?; or c) whatever you give me is just fine by me. He also said some babies are picky about nipple brands/flows while others could care a less. He recommended slow flow/newborn Tommy Tippee nipples. He said most of his young patients who did both breast and bottle seemed to transition most easily between the two with that brand of nipple. He suggested the slowest flow simply to encourage the baby to work hard at the bottle just like he would do at the breast. Again every baby is different so the bottle/nipple reaction is another layer you'll have to figure out. Finally my pediatrician did warn me if I had the rare baby who took to formula and refused to breastfed, then I needed to be mentally and emotionally ready to wean right then and there.

My oldest was formula fed almost from the get go so I only have one baby’s worth of experience, my second. My second was introduced to formula at around 3 months when I had to go back to work and he had to go to daycare. I couldn't produce enough breastmilk to get him through daycare so supplementing was our only option. After talking to my pediatrician we decided to send him to his first day of daycare with formula and let them sort it out. My pediatrician said sometimes not practicing at home is best. He said some babies think “ok, this isn’t home so the food is different; no big deal.” It worked in our case but if you are concerned, then I would introduce it at home. My pediatrician said if I introduced formula at home to let my husband bottle feed. He said a lot of babies get confused when mom with her boobies is offering a bottle with formula because it violates the baby’s expectations. My baby could care a less about breastmilk or formula, nipple brand, nipple flow. In contrast, however, pacifiers were his hill to die on. He was one brand, one style only and it took all of about two seconds to figure it out. If we offered the “wrong” pacifier, he would cry and pitch a serious fit. With the “right” pacifier, he was happy. In my opinion if he had had similar preferences regarding breastmilk/formula/bottles/nipples, it wouldn’t have been a big mystery. What I mean is I think whatever reaction your baby has with formula won’t leave you wondering. Good luck.

No. I know lots of women who go back to work at three months and breastfeed in the AM and PM and use formula during the day. Don't know if it will work for you - every baby is different. Good luck!

Anytime is fine. My oldest had to have formula just an hour after he was born. He did just fine switching between the two.

You will never know how your baby reacts until you try as each and every baby is different. I know a lot of breast feeding mom's use the playtex drop ins because the nipple on those is more if a natural nipple. And the baby has to work for the milk. Either way is the right way for you if you are going to work and need to use formula have dad feed the baby when your not in the room to get her used to the bottle as quickly as possible so you know the baby will be alright without you there to feed her.

You need to do what works for you. Probably the best thing would be to do some research and find nippled that are similar to the breast and require more sucking action to get the milk. Low flow, at least so she has to work in a similar way to get the milk to flow.

I breastfed for 2.5 years because I could, but for the first 4 months I needed to supplement because I got Shingles right after I gave birth and it screwed everything up. Obviously the longer you can just do breastmilk is great, but you have to do what works best for the both of you.

It's best if you can keep up the breast milk for as long as you can to 6 months to a year.
My milk supply dried up at 5 months (pumping at work just didn't help keep the milk flowing no matter how much I nursed at home) so we transitioned to formula and that was fine until our son was ready for solids.
I tried him on baby food from 7 months every so often but he didn't really take to it till right around his first birthday.
Formula kept him fed until he was ready to be done with it.
If your milk is drying up or breast feeding is difficult and you just can't stand it anymore - then formula is a fine option.

Do you NEED to stop breastfeeding? Is there a medical reason to stop?

Be sure and talk to the pediatrician. They'll be able to understand what's going on with you and will be able to help you make the decisions here.

All 3 of my kids have juggled both, usually earlier than 3 months. With my 4 month old I started him around 10 weeks when I had to go back to work, I would pump breastmilk each day but it wasn't enough so he started taking a little formula too. He is 4 months old now, primarily drinking formula but I still nurse him a few times a day and in the middle of the night. I've just never been much of a milk producer.

I would first make sure she can take a bottle of breastmilk. Can you pump some (if you haven't) and get her used to drinking from a bottle? I think she is probably at a good age to try a bottle, if you wait too long, they will refuse (like 7-9 months I think)

None of my 3 kids ever had issues juggling formula and breastmilk, once they were drinking from a bottle anyway. It DOES turn them away from breastfeeding a bit though. The bottle just comes out so much faster and easier for them. Sometimes my 4 mo old seems too impatient for the breast and it takes awhile to calm him down into it. But at night and earlier morning he prefers to breastfeed. Your supply then begins to dwindle as well, if she gets a bottles of formula every day. So it depends where you are with the breastfeeding and if you are okay with that. Personally, I am fine with just breastfeeding a few times a day now for the comfort aspect and to keep something flowing. Mostly, I don't want to get up in the middle of the night to make a bottle so it's nice to keep the option of breastmilk :)

Sorry if this post seemed to be "all about me", but I can only speak from my own experience, I don't know what will happen with your little one and how much longer you plan to breastfeed. But it is possible to do a combo of both, if you want.

Some babies hate formula and won't switch.
Some babies love formula and never go back to the breast.
Some babies will go back and forth. There is no way to predict which choice your baby will make. Be prepared for any of them.

One thing that is for sure is that if you start using formula instead of some nursing sessions, your supply will drop.

I would suggest that if your intention is to stop breastfeeding - maybe immediately - then go ahead and try it. But if you really want to keep nursing, then I would not chance it.

I hesitate to answer because the bottle vs. breast battle is a heated one. BUT- if you have decided to move to formula, then wean it in and nursing out slowly. Finding a formula that works may take time. She may reject it or reject breastfeeding- wait and see.
One last thing- breast milk is so healthy and great so make sure you read the labels on the formula to make sure you're swapping not downgrading. If the first thing the label says is "high fructose"- run.
Good luck mama!

From the way your post is written, it seems like you have the perception that you need to give your baby formula at some point. Is that the case?
Many people combine breastfeeding with formula. If you need a break at night, if you have trouble puping at work, etc, you can give formula every once in a while. You can give formula every day for one feeding and breast milk for the rest. No rules :)
One warning- baby poop changes color when you give formula! It goes from yellowish orangeish to more green-brown. That part is normal, don't panic! Formula is harder to digest, so the result is different on the other end, so to speak.
If you don't actively want to formula feed, there is no reason to do so. If you choose to feed some formula, continuing to breastfeed as long as possible in addition to the formula still gives the baby most of the benefits of being exclusively breastfed.

Sorry, I never used formula with my three babies. I just nursed until they weaned.