Formula Feeding Mamas

ketomommy

I wanted to start this thread because many of us are not going to breastfeed, are going to supplement with formula, or will eventually transition to formula.  

With my first, I assumed I would breastfeed and it didn't work out.  I wish I had a place to go to ask all of the questions.  I had to learn things by trial and error which was uncomfortable for me and my baby.  

Note: This is not a thread to debate the merits of formula vs breast feeding.   Any mom on this board is smart enough to do her own research and make the best decisions for her family.

Please ask any questions or share your best tips.

Happyin14

Take all the samples! And if you are lucky enough to end up with the coupons, keep using them and they keep coming! 

ketomommy

@Happyin14 This! This!  I didn't think I was going to use formula, but I saved the samples that came in the mail.  My DD was born just before labor day weekend so we had to wait an extra day before our first pediatrician appointment.  I didn't think much milk was coming out during a 3 am feeding and DD wouldn't stop crying.  I had DH grab the formula and she drank two oz and went right to sleep.  When we met with the pediatrician the next day she said that decision may have saved DD.  She lost well over a lb of her birth weight and was seriously dehydrated.  

Also, if they aren't sending you coupons, email the company.  Enfamil had no record of me and started sending me coupons and samples after I sent an email.

canuckmomma

Thanks for this thread. I started supplementing formula on day 4 when my milk did not come in and my DS was becoming lethargic. A hospital visit and formula bottle later he was back to himself. I struggled with supply, grew a hatred toward my pump and went down a dark road mentally. We ended up going full formula by 3 months old and never looked back! This time I hope to give breastfeeding a second try but am 100% ready to formula feed! Got our bottles ready and Costco had their Kirkland brand on sale last week. Got us one just to have on hand. 

My best tip for FTMs who are set on bf’ing is to also learn how to make a bottle/sanitize/formula brands/become familiar with pump etc... will save you a frantic 2am google search on how to prepare formula! I did NO prior research or prepping on formula before DS1, and looking back I was rather smug when telling ppl I would exclusively BF... I had NO idea!!! 

Fed is best. 🙌🏼🥰

ketomommy

@canuckmomma No one told me how to figure out which bottles worked best.  Which ones did you choose?  We had a few with DD.  After multiple failures we settled on Dr. Brown's.  They were the hardest to clean but they helped with her gas.

canuckmomma

@ketomommy We got lucky with the ones I had on hand, Phillips Avent bottles ... one was free, another was a gift and when they worked well I just bought more.

nerdtoyourmother

My first transitioned to formula between 6 and 9 months and was totally formula fed from 9 mos until whenever we switched to milk. We loved TARGET brand formula, and it's great that it qualifies for the baby deal that they run every few weeks! 

Another vote for ALL THE SAMPLES! I think every company has a program you can sign up for through email that will send you some - the premixed stuff is GOLD, because ain't nobody got time to measure and shake in those very early days. Also ask your pediatrician! They get samples like WOW and would send me home with 5 or 6 cans if I asked. 

Panaceia

We started formula on day 2 when my milk didn't come in and supplemented until DD started refusing formula...it was when my milk came in fully...so maybe around 6 ish months?

I will definitely have formula right from the start to supplement with this time. I will offer it after feeds. I had very low supply last time and it took 3 months for my milk to come in and close to 6 for it to come in fully so I'm expecting a hard road this time too.

I actually really loved supplementing. I couldn't pump because I didn't have enough milk, so knowing that she would take a bottle if I was out was a life saver. Plus she slept WAY better when she was taking formula. When she started refusing formula her sleep went to pot.

We used the Playtex drop in liner bottles because I just didn't want to have to clean bottles. We also used the ready made enfamil which she would take at any temperature (normally we just gave it to her at room temperature). We'll do the same this time. It was so easy to throw a bottle of formula in my purse and just go and I could keep them beside the bed at night for feedings. It was so easy! Plus since I was tube feeding for the first couple of months I didn't want more work when I already had feeding tubes to clean and prepare before and after every feed.

ameliabedelia-2

I recommend any formula feeders resurrect this thread after babies are born.  Most of us get lots of those check coupons, and on my old board, we would mail them to formula feeding mommas. 

quinniebear

 Just want to say thank you for this thread! I plan to try breastfeeding but if it doesn't work out I'm fine going the formula route and it's good to know what that looks like in advance. My sister and I were both formula babies so I've never had anything against it. We turned out alright lol.

mamanbebe

Has anyone tried HiPP formula with their LOs? I tried most brands with DS and he hated everything except for Gerber. I'd like to try some of the new organic formulas for supplementing but I don't know anyone who has used anything aside from Earth's Best, which was not a win. 

Bear14+

@mamanbebe I haven't used HiPP, but I used Holle with DS and Holle Lebenswert for DD. I loved using the European formulas and will do it again this time when I stop BF. I used a great website to buy them and never had any trouble getting them. 

ketomommy

@mamanbebe My concern with HiPP and Holle are my own poor planning skills.  You can't get them in stores in the US.  If I forget to order in time, I am worried we would run out and be in trouble.  Twice with DD I ran out of formula.  Once was on a trip, I didn't pack enough and we had to run to CVS.  Another time I was in the hospital and my parents had to run to the store to get some.  

mamanbebe

@Bear14+ Ah, thank you! I remember looking at Holle because they have a Goat stage 1 and was wondering about that brand. Do you remember what website you ordered from? I've looked at Organic Start but I have never ordered from them before. 

@ketomommy I'm totally with you on that, the nice thing about Gerber was being able to find it everywhere. I'd like to order a pack of HiPP (and maybe Holle) closer to my due date and then depending on how it goes I'll stock up. 

indulgentgypsy

+1 on the Playtex Drop ins! Both my boys hated every other type of bottle. I used a combo of BF, Pumping, and Formula for both boys right from the beginning and will do the same with this mouse - I am really unsure of how pumping is going to go at my school with our weird rotating schedule - I don't consistently have the same prep or break/lunch every day so... 

I would also say - there is NO SHAME in seeing if you qualify for WIC. I did with both boys and it was a literal life saver for formula at times. I will be seeing if I qualify now as we will be a family of 5 and food is SUPER PRICEY in Alaska. If I can get help with formula and milk I will. 

Bear14+

@mamanbebe that's the site I used. @ketomommy does have some valid points. I had a close call with ordering a tad too late once, but for the most part, I was able to stay on it. 

msimi

@mamanbebe my sister and BIL swear by HiPP. My BIL is super particular about ingredients and it's the only formula that met all of his criteria. 

tsa208

When I started supplementing, I used Nature One's formula called Baby Only. It says toddler formula but it is for infants as well. I order it online via Amazon for cheaper, but it is available at Whole Foods in a pinch. My daughter took right to it and it never caused any tummy issues. It is very easy to mix too!

acw452

We also had Avent bottles on hand that worked out. I started formula feeding around 7 weeks. I was nervous that he wouldn’t like the taste but he had no issues with it being different. I just used regular similac and it worked fine for us. I plan to try to breastfeed on my maternity leave again but not past that and will use the same kind again most likely. I second the coupons! There was a way to sign up for them from similac and then they would mail more when you bought more.

Panaceia

@indulgentgypsy is there any way you could just not pump while at work? When I went back to work I nursed DD in the mornings before I left and then as soon as I got home and on demand all night and in weekends. My supply stayed consistent with this routine until we stopped BFing when DD was 3.5. If your supply can handle it you could always use formula during the day or see how much you can pump while at home? I just hate pumping in general though so it's possible this is a terrible idea:)

key33

My advice, if you a FTM and your struggling is its ok to stop and not BF if your absolutely miserable. Don't force yourself to do something that you don't enjoy, not everyone does, not everyone can and it's ok. I really wish someone would of told this me that instead of all the ”breast is best”. Feeding your baby in a way that's best for you is what is the best.

I was miserable for the first 3 months with my first. My supply was horrible, I was supplementing from the get go, I was pumping around the clock and it sent me to a dark place. She was always hungry after bf and I was never able to pump more than a 1/2 ounce a day.

Once I finally decided to quit trying, I snapped right out of the PPD and got to enjoy my daughter. With my second the same thing started to happen, I didn't even bother trying to repeat my mistakes of the first and didn't deal with PPD. I'm not going to bother with #3.

Don't invest in all the same kind of bottles from the start. Try different ones to see what works best. We ended up using Dr. Browns for both kids because of spit up/gas issues. They are a lot of extra to clean but they work for us.

With the formula itself keep the samples and skip big containers from the start. Much like bottles formula is not one size fits all. We used Enfamil with both kids because neither handled Similac well. We went through regular and gentlease with my first before using AR. She spit up all the time, the AR she was able to keep more down and spit up less. My second used Gentelease almost immediately. 

indulgentgypsy

@Panaceia that may be what I have to do. I do have Lunch every day some days at 11:11 some days at 11:39. I may just establish pumping during lunch or if it works having my DH bring the baby to me at lunch time to get some nursing in. I was on demand nursing with both the boys and they both cluster fed and would nurse nearly 24/7 for the first few months if they could. But this will be the first time I will actually be going back to work. I was unemployed when my 11 yr old was born and in school with my 9yr old and set my classes around a good pumping schedule. 

Sorry to Hijack!!! 

We used enfamil (with WIC coupons, again, see if you qualify it is worth it! I will be going to see if I do when I have time, so probably after school gets out). When we did not have enfamil we used the BJs brand (wharehouse store in the east) formula and that worked great. 

And FTMamas - fed is best! Fed is always best. I have friends who exclusively BF I had friends that immediately FF either because of lack of supply or previous trauma/abuse issues that made BFing a trigger for them, and I had friends like me that did a combo. Fed your baby, the rest is just semantics. 

ketomommy

I'm just bumping this up.  I want mamas to feel comfortable with fed is best.  Whatever works for you. 

sarac986

I dont know if this was mentioned already  but double check with your prescription insurance. Formula may be covered for 90day supply  of home delivery.  DS had to go on nutramagen and we only paid $90 for a 90 day supply. Normally  would have been about $1,000!! My insurance covers the regular formula as well.  Every little bit helps

indulgentgypsy

@sarac986 wow! Never once occurred to me that formula might be covered by insurance. 

ketomommy

I just checked with my insurance Nutramagen and Alimentum are 100% covered if my baby does not respond to milk or soy formula.  

cookie510

I want to try to pump and then supplement with formula - has anyone done that? When do you start pumping? In the hospital?

ketomommy

@cookie510, I tried pumping by day 4.  It just didn't work for me. You should be able to pump right away. 

mamanbebe

@cookie510 You can either bring your pump to the hospital or get a rental pump while you are admitted. If you are not going to breastfeed at all, let the nurses know so that they can get you set up asap.

I had to breastfeed + pump + supplement and that went 20min breastfeeding each side, then supplement while I pumped and I'd save what I pumped to mix with formula during the next feeding session.

If you are not breastfeeding, you would pump at regular intervals in between feedings (you have about 1.5hrs between the time you stopped one feeding and start the next) and just add to that with additional formula, as needed. Newborns only take about 1.5-2oz per feed in the first 1-2 weeks, then that increases over time. 

cookie510

@mamanbebe thanks for the info.  I exclusively bf with my first for 7 months but I tortured myself.  I don't want to do that this time around especially because I have another LO to take care of.  I was kind of thinking of just pumping a few times a day and then using formula when I run out.  I dunno, I'm way breezier this time around with respect to this.

mamanbebe

@cookie510 When I was struggling to keep up with the BF/pumping/supplementing combo I tried to do just that. I pumped a few times a day and supplemented with formula, which ended up as alternating breast milk + formula and 100% formula every other feed. In my situation, my supply plummeted and I was barely pumping any milk after a few days. I ended up going to formula completely at that point. 

cookie510

@mamanbebe I guess we'll see what happens!! Thanks for the tips!

mamanbebe

@cookie510 Good luck!

knormand418

@key33 I feel like you wrote my exact story. I was pumping 24/7 and getting drops, my baby cried all the time because he was still hungry. He was large from the start and wanted double what most babies would eat. The doctor told thought I was force feeding him until he saw my husband who was 6'4 and then said ok feed him however much he wants. By the end of month 2 I felt so detached from the baby and more like I was raising a breast pump. So much pressure to breast feed. I cried all the time and finally broke down and told my husband I couldnt do it and that I was going to formula feed. He was awesome and my life changed within a matter of days because I was finally able to enjoy being a mom! Afterwards I found out I had some immune diseases and it was just never going to happen. My boy is now almost 4, still 95th percentile and is doing well... and guess what - sometimes he eats McDonalds and that's freaking okay too lol. This whole breast milk / formula battle was long forgotten until this new pregnancy. We need to stop formula shaming. This time I am taking no crap and I'm owning the fact I will be formula feeding. My new boy will be full and that's all I really care about. 

hakele

@cookie510 my hospital asked us not to bring our pump and that we could just use the ones that they have there. They really don't want us to overpack. That seems to be the theme of things I've been told. "Don't bring a breastfeeding pillow. We have a boppy in every room."