breastfeeding vs. formula = guilt

jonnygurl76

i have only breastfed my 3 week old LO and i am finding it exhausting...i am feeling guilty about switching to formula.  my dr. says i should supplement with formula at night and breasfeed during the day...does anyone else do this? is it working? will i still have a sufficient milk supply?  i know breastmilk is best and feeling guilty about not wanting to be feeding 9-10 times day & night .....

hanson4

This is what we did and it saved my sanity. I cannot imagine nit being able to trade off nights with DH. My supply did not decrease at all, but I did have a few uncomfortable nights before my body adjusted (I started by getting up at 2 am to pump then gradually dropped that pump). And I know others will dispute this, but my LO definitely sleeps linger at night w/ formula, so we didn't have to get up as much. Don't feel guilty if that's what you want to do-your baby is still getting the BM all day long. And I know I'm a better mom when I actually get some sleep.

bexie

This is just my opinion, ultimately the decision is yours.  The first 6 weeks or so are the hardest.  There is just so much going on.  If you start supplementing before your supply is totally established, then you are risking supply issues.  No one can say if you will have them or not.  I have low supply and have to supplement with formula.  I can tell you that at least in my experience, giving formula is not easier than bfing.  Someone still has to wake up and feed the baby, then you have all the bottles to wash. It will get better.  Eventually your baby's feedings will space out, and the night feedings will lessen to just one or two.  If you really do want to switch to formula at night, try talking to an LC first, just to make sure you're not going to hurt your supply. 

janice74

I totally agree with Bexie.  I also supplement, but I think it is important to try not to for the first 6 weeks.  Your supply is being established, plus you will find it gets easier after that.

I give LO a bottle of formula, or breastmilk before bed, (and then I pump before I got to bed) but once he wakes up, I bring him to bed with me and let him eat as much as he wants all night (and it has gotten better).  I don't have an overabundant supply, so I think it helps to have him breastfeed as often as possible.  

AggieGrl

I have a low supply and LO has latching issues my nipples are just too small for him to get a correct latch on.  I now pump and supplement with formula.  DS gets breastmilk all day and 2 bottles of formula at night.  I pump at night and freeze any extra I have each day.

I had major guilt about it at first.  I think its totally normal to feel this way given all the opinions on the internet and at the hospitals about formula feeding.  Some of this stuff borders on propaganda and scare tactics IMHO.  I've even seen people on these boards refer to it as poison.

I try to look at it this way--my combination approach is working well for DS.  He gets the benefits of breastmilk, and the formula gives me some peace of mind and some extra sleep. I actually feel good about giving some formula because I know he is getting a good balance of vitamins/minerals.  My diet isn't 100% perfect all the time, and nobody can test my breastmilk to make sure it is absolutely complete.  The formula is a good source of DHA too.  I have problems taking oral DHA supplements, so this is important for me.

 

little__bit

You're at a difficult time.  Please trust me when I say that this is a very short period; in a few months, you'll look back and think of this as a tiny blip in your LO's infancy.  I had the same experience as you for the first month, but I'm happy to say we're still very successful BFers.  (DS has never had formula.)

Supplementing can hurt your supply, especially in the early weeks when your supply is not established.  I would stronger encourage you to avoid supplementing.  If EBFing is your goal, formula will undermine that.  It's OK to choose to supplement, just be aware that you risk a cycle where supplementing decreases your supply, making supplementing necessary, which decreases your supply further, and so on.

 Are you co-sleeping?  Co-sleeping and nursing in the side-lying position saved me.  DS could nurse for a few minutes before falling asleep again. 

jonnygurl76

thank you everyone for your responses! 

i have been trying to wait it out, i originally commited to myself to EBF for the first 6 weeks, i heard it gets easier after that.  i just didn't know it was going to be so draining.  i do pump once a day so my husband can give a bottle for 1 of the feedings during the night. 

i am not co-sleeping, our LO only stays asleep if she is in her crib in the sleep positioner--she hated her bassinet.  still not sure what we are going to do, i feel it might be best of both worlds if she is BFing during the day and supplementing at night.  ::sigh::   i just want to do what is right for her and for me at the same time--i just want to be a good mom.