Switching to formula...

Knottie1457011059

After trouble with pumping and breastfeeding I think I'm switching to formula but I feel horrible about it. I'm scared he'll get colic or trouble digesting it or it wont protect him like breastmilk would. Any words of wisdom from other ftm using formula or any stm who used it already and had a positive experience?

BrittnieMariee

FTM here - I've had to start supplementing with formula because my supply was too low. I've slacked off on the pumping because it was driving me crazy not being able to do anything else. I was in a constant state of feeding my baby. We weren't able to spend time together and bond, which was killing me. So I try to breastfeed when I can, and then I give DS a bottle or two of formula. The way I see it is that now we get to relax and bond together and he's steadily gaining weight, so I must be doing something right! My doctor also told me that even having gotten a little bit of breast milk was beneficial for him. Do what's best for you and baby and try not to Mommy guilt yourself! You're doing what's best for the two of you by deciding to keep your sanity

monicaP

My oldest was completely on formula by four months when I returned to work, my second was BF until 6 months. My second has severe food allergies. There is so much good about BF, but it is also good to use formula. Just feed and love that baby. I preferred similac sensitive for my LOs.

BrandiLaw87

I had a lot of trouble with supply issues breastfeeding my first. I ended up putting him on formula to ease the stress on both of us. He was always perfectly healthy and such a happy boy. I think formula has come a long way from how it used to be. You have to do what will be best for you and your LO and sometimes that means formula. It's hard not to feel guilty as a mother, but try not to be too hard on yourself!

LoveLee85

@BrittnieMariee I could have wrote word for word of you wrote! My doctor also stressed his two children were formula fed, and they are perfect. Lol Some of the most unhealthy(always sick)babies and kids I know were breast fed forever. I honestly don't think it matters. Genetics play a massive roll, not if a baby was EBF or not!

Boobopgirl

I am a huge advocate of breastfeeding but even I know that there are plenty of reasons it can be best for mom and baby to switch. the big things that matter are 1) baby gets fed 2) baby gets to bond with mama. if switching gives you more adequate time/energy/emotional state for bonding, then snuggle that baby close and stare into his little eyes while he has his bottle. then his heart and his tummy will be full. no need to feel guilty. what he wants is YOU. your smiles. your cuddles. your love.

tlc11934

@bbudden92 formula has come a long way! I have never produced more than an ounce per day so my kids were all formula fed. They are incredibly intelligent, strong and healthy. Formula contains DHA and lutein, nutrients that help support brain, heart and eye health respectively. I work for the leading company that supplies the nutrients to infant formula companies and I can assure you that formula is a lot closer to breastmilk than you think.

Also, the important antibodies that your baby needs typically come from the colostrum. Chances are you already provided the protection your baby needs. My pedi told me to stop trying to BF but I'll continue to give the small amount I have in addition to the 20+ oz of formula my baby wants. She said that baby has already received the important benefits of the breast milk.

Good luck to you! Do what you need to do and never let anyone make you feel bad about your choice.

cjstats87

With my first I only lasted a few months before I was completely switched to formula..with baby 2 I nursed ebf until 6 months and the occasionally gave formula and started to really wean him and switch to formula around 9 months and completely quit nursing at 11 months...baby 3 is here now and I feel like all I do is nurse...it's really hard with a 4.5 and 2.5 year olds but I'm planning to try and stick it out as long as I can stay sane! Please don't beat yourself up! I swore I'd try my best with each of them and what works for you and your family is what's important not what you feed baby!

jbettles

Not breastfeeding is NOT the end of the world. We all know the research about the benefits, but some docs make it sound like you will do irreparable damage to your child if they have even a drop of formula! When we were at the hospital, it was 3 am the second night we were there, I hadn't slept more than 45 minutes since being admitted, and I was falling asleep with baby at my breast, then he would slip off and scream because he was hungry. I asked for a bottle of formula so I could rest. Empty bottle was sitting next to the bed the next morning when the pediatrician made her rounds. She LECTURED me about the formula. I was embarrassed at the time but now I wish I'd told her off. How dare she guilt trip me?? Baby and I were in bad shape emotionally and I did what I needed to keep my sanity. Plus my first daughter only got breast milk for about 3 or 4 months and she is just as perfect as can be!

kate913

I stopped exclusively breastfeeding at two weeks, it was so difficult because I wasn't producing enough I felt like it was all I was doing...I was an emotional wreck. I felt so guilty but with support from my hubby, Doctor, mom, and sister I switched mainly to formula. I can't tell you how much happier it made me. As of right now she is getting formula and one pumped breastmilk bottle a day.

chelseajeanene

I beat myself up about it too but there really is no reason to. I wasn't producing and supplementing with enfamil gentle ease and my son has gained a little under 4 lbs in just his first month! I gave up after 3 weeks and I wish I could have longer but it just did not work out and as long as your baby is eating and is healthy that's all that matters

jwebbbber45678

Exclusively breastfed babies can get colic as well, there is no real explanation for it so don't worry about switching to formula causing that. My baby is mostly breastfed (we give him about 3-5 ounces of formula a day to give me a rest) and he still has plenty of fussy moments. Doctor said it's probably just purple crying. Plus if he does have a bad reaction to one type of formula you can always switch and most likely find one he likes, such as dairy or soy.

PreggersinParis

jbettles said:

Not breastfeeding is NOT the end of the world. We all know the research about the benefits, but some docs make it sound like you will do irreparable damage to your child if they have even a drop of formula! When we were at the hospital, it was 3 am the second night we were there, I hadn't slept more than 45 minutes since being admitted, and I was falling asleep with baby at my breast, then he would slip off and scream because he was hungry. I asked for a bottle of formula so I could rest. Empty bottle was sitting next to the bed the next morning when the pediatrician made her rounds. She LECTURED me about the formula. I was embarrassed at the time but now I wish I'd told her off. How dare she guilt trip me?? Baby and I were in bad shape emotionally and I did what I needed to keep my sanity. Plus my first daughter only got breast milk for about 3 or 4 months and she is just as perfect as can be!

@jbettles
This happened to me too!!! It was my third night at the hospital (after I was told I needed to stay a forth night b/c baby had lost 10% of his birth weight) and a nurse came in around 6am for checks and asked when the last time I fed him. Because he was losing so much weight the Dr. prescribed supplementing with formula, so I told the nurse that I had fed him formula the entire night. She asked me three times why I didn't offer breast and I told her because he was simply not eating. She jotted something down in her notebook, gave me the side-eye, took the formula off the table and left the room! I was embarrassed at first, then I got pissed. What if I didn't want to breast feed at all?! I think it is horrible for medical professionals to shame us into doing what is BEST for our baby.

Now I offer breast when I can (2-3 times/day), I pump (every 3 hours IF I'm home, if not, I do it when I can) and supplement with formula. Me, my baby, my husband and my nipples are very pleased with this arrangement. We have to do what works for our families!

JessicaS0914

I would find a new pedi ASAP. I have 2 kids now and have been to 2 different group practices, so many doctors. They've always asked how we were feeding for the records, but they have NEVER shamed me for using formula. Their primary focus is the health of our child. If they are not thriving on breastmilk, then they SHOULD recommend formula. With this LO, I nursed for a week, then made the choice to switch to formula. At our 2 weeks follow up, the doc seemed confused b/c he'd seen my nursing in the hospital, but just said "Ok!" Then proceeded to call my son 'a fine specimen of the human race'. He'll be just fine.

Sematti

I pump and feed my daughter formula. when I go back to work in January I plan to have her completely transitioned to formula. Her doctor was perfectly fine with this plan. No shame at all. In the hospital I was trying breast feeding and it wasn't working and she was hungry and unhappy. I asked for formula and they gladly gave it. One of the nurses even said she wished she had saved herself the stress and had supplemented with her child. Nothing wrong with formula (in fact I was never breast fed) and I'm sorry some of you are encountering such rude and judgemental medical professionals!

CRooney89

I am formula feeding as well. I was dead set on breastfeeding, but by night 4 my nipples were so bruised and bloody that every time my baby wanted to eat I wanted to cry. He was stressed out, I was stressed out, and it was just not working. Since we have switched to formula both of us are a lot happier and feedings are so much easier. I wish I could've breastfed him but it just didn't work out, and that's okay. I was afraid to tell his pediatrician but she was so supportive and told me to tell anyone who says otherwise to "mind their business"

ElleMF728

I nurse when I feel like it and pump and supplement the rest of the time.  DS2 is happy and fed, DS1 is happy he gets a bit more attention and I am happy and healthy and my nipples feel great!  I hate the guilt trips about formula feeding and I refuse to feel bad about doing what is best for my family.  

We use Enfamil Gentlease and find it to be really kind to baby's tummy. 

InesCH

Breastfeeding since day one for me was close to a nightmare. Bloody, sore nipples, relentless cluster feeding, the thrush-I was going crazy. I was crying every other day and so exhausted. I felt sad and trapped and stressed, and most of all I felt that I was not bonding with my baby. One night, pretty early on, out of despair my husband ran out in the middle of the night and got formula.

Now I breastfeed when my LO takes it, pump and use formula. I felt guilty about the bottle, but yesterday at our 1 month pedia visit, the dr was happy with our LO's weight and everything was perfect. She said "keep doing what you're doing, the baby is great".

After that I felt so relieved. I know I didn't try for that long, but I think, at the end, BFeeding is not for me. I'll do what I can, as long as I can, and keep my baby happy and fed. A friend always tells me "happy mommy, happy baby".

AmandaNacora

After 2 1/2 weeks we had to switch to formula because I had supply issues. She does fine on Enfamil and Similac. We switched from one to the other without any issues. She's gaining weight, growing like crazy and has only spit up a couple of times. I would start with regular formula and then switch to ones for special needs if you need to.

FatPony

Glad I'm not alone

rachellegiacco

I'm going through the same. I feel bad but mostly because I know im disappointing my husband because formula is so expensive I know it bothers him that I have the ability but I'm "choosing" not to do it.
What I did was breast feed at night and formula in day time. I used the sensitive formula from the start. It didn't hurt her tummy and it helped me to produce less and less.
As for health of LO I really think formula and breast milk are pretty similar. Kids are healthy and growing whether they nursed or not.

bryanajay

I'm a ftm as well and I give my son both! Breast milk during the day and formula at night! It took us a while to find a formula he likes, but we found one and its gerber gentle (in an orange package) he loves it. It even says closest to breast milk in the package. He's been doing fine with both.

mmd091909

First off, don't feel horrible. There is nothing wrong with formula. You do what is best for you and baby.

My first had breastmilk for 6 weeks and then was completely on formula. He was hardly ever sick, and if he was it passes very quickly, had 1 ear infection his first year and slept trough the night at 6 weeks. My second I was able to pump and feed breastmilk for an entire year. He seems to always have colds, it takes him weeks to recover anytime he is sick, he had 9 ear infections in the first year.

I know research says that breastmilk is always the better choice but my second didn't seem to get the benefits of breastmilk.

Anyway.. Like I said, do what works to make you an baby happy. That's all that matters