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?
Re: Switching to formula...
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.
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".
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.
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