Making the Switch from Breastmilk to Formula While Teething!

Try Hyland's teething tablets for him, you can get them at just bout any drug store or Meijers. I would actually try like an ounce of formula and the rest breastmilk then slightly increase it over a period of a few days. He is getting old enough I would talk to my peditrician about whole milk or goats milk and a solid food diet. I know they are not supposed to go on whole milk until a year old, but with the difficulties you are having I would talk to the dr.

I don't think you need to use the formula. A lot of moms breastfeed through their pregnancies, teething etc. With solids (I wouldn't reduce these at all), he should be able to get enough milk from you if you nurse consistently. Is his weight a problem? That'd be important to check. The immunity he'll get from you during cold & flu season is good reason to continue nursing, even though it may be a bit of a challenge.

Have you considered attending a La Leche League group in your area? If you go on www.llli.org, you can find a local group and also look up info on your situation by looking in the answers section under Resources.

Good luck!

Hi D., Don't give up on breastfeeding just because you are pregnant. I breastfed my first child all thru my 2nd pregnancy with out any complications. Just increase your fluid and food intake to add extra calories into your diet for the new baby. Lots of moms, nurse during pregnancy and do just fine. My 2nd baby was perfect. I tried nursing both ( the oldest only at night) but there was too much jealousy with my older son towards the new baby. I would recommend gradually weaning baby #1 before the new baby arrives. Good luck. M.

Congratulations, D.!

I got pregnant with our #2 when our first was 10 months old too. It's a bit daunting to have 2 small ones, but you can do it! :) My boys are now 2.5 and 1, and we're having so much fun!

Anyway, I kept nursing my first for about a month when I found out I was pregnant, but it was exhausting and painful! So I ended up switching him a bit early (I think by 4-5 weeks before his first bday) to whole milk. He never took a bottle well to begin with, so milk in a sippy cup worked really well for him/us. He also never took formula, though I tried a few times.

I wouldn't stress over it too much, you've made it this far with breastfeeding and he'll eventually get what he needs.

Blessings!

B.

if he is eating enough solid food he can go straight to whole milk.

Maybe he will like milk better.

My daughter never liked formula either.. she barely took 4 oz bottles of formula.. but once we switched her to milk she liked milk.

My kids are 18 months apart.. I did stop nursing when Igot pregnant with the second child the dr recommended that I stop.

But my daughter was really done nursing by then so it was no big deal.

Keep trying the bottles.. one day he will decide that he likes the bottle and it will be fine..

PS>.. hire help for the first weeks when the new baby comes.. you will need help.

Have you tasted formula? The stuff is disgusting.. no wonder your son prefers anything (or even nothing) else.

Continue breastfeeding (there is no reason not to) and offer a variety of actual foods (like meats, vegetables, fruits and grains, not luncheon meats, chip, fruit rollups and breakfast cereal), making sure he's eating a variety of fats (nuts and seeds, vegetable oils and dairy or animal fats) in his foods. Even if you think he's getting very little breastmilk, you have really got no way of knowing. It remains the healthiest food he can eat.

Nursing will help with the teething as well, as the suction pulls his gums away from his nasty, sharp little teeth imbedded in them, giving considerable relief.

Yes, your supply will diminish for a period. That's fine, and nothing to be overly concerned about. Drink lots of fluids and make sure you're adequately rested.

Have you read the ingredient list on formula? Ugh!

Looks like you already got the advice I was going to give (about continuing to breastfeed through the pregnancy), but I just wanted to say do NOT give your 10 month old whole milk! His gut is not ready for it. Only after 12 months of age is a child's gut considered ready to deal with cow's milk. Formula is made from cow's milk, too.

Congrats on baby #2!

When I made the switch from breastmilk to formula my daughter didn't like the formula either. We put a little bit of rice cereal in her bottle with the formula and she drank it just fine. We only had to do that for 2 weeks and then she was fine drinking the formula on it's own. My daughter is also 10 months old and just now getting her first teeth as well. I feel your pain!! Good luck!

Congrats on #2! Your breastmilk will taste different to him now that you are pregnant. Feed him what he'll eat and nurse him like always, nurse him first. You didn't say why you are trying to switch to formula, but nursing through a 2nd pregnancy is fine. Your milk supply will be a bit different but as long as keep it up, your body will make it for you...the old supply and demand thing! You are smart not to overdue on the painkillers. Could you give him a washcloth with ice in it to chew on? That helped my teethers. This too shall pass!

If he won't take the formula, no biggy, try regular whole milk. And if he likes real food give it to him, just make sure it's something he can eat(pretty much anything mashed and healthy).If I had known what they put in baby formula I think I might have just skipped it altogether. Let him suffer thru the teething without giving to much tylenol or motrin. I didn't have mine until I was 37 (also a boy) and since then I read about everything, and then decide for myself, not always what the dr. orders.
p.s. juices and formula have alot of sugar so do not let him have a bottle hanging in has mouth, feed him and take it away, or else those beautiful baby teeth will decay. Try to get him used to water as soon as you can.
And when he's old enough to talk and he tells you that your the best mom in the whole world, all the sleepless nights and crying will be worth it. Good luck.