Formula Suggestions

MegsB1112

Hi ladies,

I'm planning on breast feeding, but I'd like to be prepared in case I can't keep up, or in case baby girl takes after me and refuses to breast feed, so I want to have some formula on hand. There are so many different kinds, so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or recommendations.

Thanks!

sephora468

This is tricky to answer because babies can be picky and haven't different needs. With DD1 she started on Enfamil but then was fussy. Pediatrician recommended I switch to Soy or a different brand. So I chose Gerber gentle and that was the formula we used.

nicolemummyof2

My daughter was very difficult. She wouldn't eat at first. And everything made her sick so we had to put her on soy.

jmorneau09

I agree with pp. Every kiddo is different and it's impossible to predict which formula is going to work. If you end up needing it you can often get samples from the pediatrician to help you figure out which one works best. Also, if you do the research and comparisons you can often find a generic that is exactly the same or very close to the name brand. For instance my first seemed to yarf up every brand except the original enfimil and after much comparison of ingredients I was able to figure out that the Walmart brand is almost identical as far as ingredients and the amounts of ingredients and it was considerably cheaper.

ALITAYLOR23

I loved the enfamil. I tried similac but the consistency was too much for my daughter and enfamil is more powdery light substance. (According to my pediatrician) I say buy small cans of two different kinds and try them out IF by chance you can't breast feedb

beaseg

For me my hospital sent every mom home with a starter pack of their sponsored formula. Some was enfamil, some was similac. They said to use what they give you and if it doesn't work, talk to baby's pediatrician and they can offer others. The kiddo I nanny used target brand and it worked beautifully for her. So agree with pp- to each his own! 

kat0217

I just want to throw this out there... If breastfeeding is important to you, having formula on hand isn't a great idea. When you're tired, sore, and frustrated, you're a lot more likely to give up on your breastfeeding goals if you have formula on hand than you would be if you don't have any. It's kind of self-sabotage because there will be a point when you are more vulnerable to giving in.

LaurenD4

If breastfeeding is difficult, you could try pumping the milk to give to baby. I had a baby who couldn't breastfeed due to a tongue tie, and I pumped for her until she had the procedure to correct the problem. I also worked with an IBCLC to get her on the breast once she was ready.

ali0608

I totally disagree with not having formula on hand. If breastfeeding is important, you will work hard at it. Don't get me started on breastfeeding. I hate how moms pressure others to breastfeed even when it might not be the best thing for mom or baby. All research that says it's so important do not control for economic or social class or any other lurking variables.
We went with Similac since that's what they gave us at the hospital. You can get free samples of most of them. You can sign up online, I believe.

kat0217

No one is pressuring anyone. She said she plans to breastfeed, so I replied accordingly. If she had said, "I plan to formula feed," I would not have said that. I'm simply offering advice that can help her reach HER goal that she clearly stated.

But since you brought it up, @ali0608 -- why is offering advice about breastfeeding seen as pushy/pressuring, but doing the same with formula is not? I realize some are pushy about it, but my advice was not, so have you considered why you took it that way? Genuinely asking, not at all trying to be snarky.

blitzy23

Don't forget breast milk banks! That's an option that may be worth considering.

ali0608

This is probably too long to type in my phone. I still see the concept of not having formula around as pressure that you need to make breastfeeding work and formula is bad. After having my son, I felt so guilty for "failing" at breastfeeding when I started feeding him formula. And I believe a lot of the guilt that I had was created by this push that breastfeeding is best. I know this is my own personal issue, but I just hate the stigma of formula these days. The guilt comes back when I hear things like this. Which is sad since my son still has food issues and has had years of therapy to overcome his issues. Breastfeeding wasn't going to work for us. Formula was my lifesaver.
I still believe you won't stop breastfeeding if you have some formula around.

kat0217

You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty for and I'm so sorry you felt that way! Thank you for sharing where you're coming from on that. Please know that when I offer advice on breastfeeding, it's only to help someone who wants to breastfeed, not to shame those who don't.

As far as the issue of having formula on hand...the way I think of it is when I'm on a diet, I'm way more likely to give in to junk food if it's sitting in my pantry taunting me. The same concept applies to having formula easy to grab at 3am when you're exhausted.

Switching to formula because you genuinely need or even just want to switch to formula is one thing. Giving in during a moment of weakness and then regretting it (and potentially making it even harder to get back on track with breastfeeding) is something else entirely, which is what I think you would risk by keeping it on hand.

It's still totally up to the OP if they want to have it on hand, and I'm not judging either way. I just wanted to share that information, because I've known several women who felt like they "gave in" to formula before they really needed to just because it was right there, and they regretted it and had their own guilt for that.