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South Florida Babies
question for BFing moms re: supplementing
I start work on Monday and I am seriously considering supplementing with a bottle of formula at night for the sake of getting my baby to sleep longer. However, I have a lot of questions/concerns:
So far Emma has been exclusively breastfed. At 5 weeks, we introduced a bottle with expressed breastmilk, and since then, she has gotten about 1-3 bottles of breastmilk a week, either when we are out somewhere that is not breastfeeding-friendly or when we have left her with her grandparents for more than a couple of hours. She does okay with the bottle. Sometimes she takes it like a champ, other times she fusses and spits the milk out. I don't know what the variable is as to why sometimes she takes it well and sometimes she doesn't.
Her sleeping patterns have been really inconsistent so far. She'll have a streak of several nights in a row where she'll wake up every 2 hours, then go to every 3-4 hours for a few nights, then revert back to 2, etc. Earlier last week, she gave me about a 5 hour stretch one night, which is the best she's ever done. Then starting the next day and every day since then, she's been waking up to eat almost every hour and a half. I think she's going through a growth spurt, but it's driving me crazy. I am so tired, and I can't fathom getting up and going to function at work if this continues.
Everyone and their mom keeps telling me that if I give her formula at night, she will sleep longer. Even the lactation consultant I go to admits that they usually sleep longer with formula. My pediatrician, who is very pro-breastfeeding, has told me several times that it is more than okay to supplement with a bottle of formula now and then if I need to/want to. There are just certain things that keep holding me back.
Part of me feels that this is part of the commitment I made to breastfeeding and I just need to suck it up and deal with it. I worry that the formula will affect her negatively. She already has a lot of tummy issues (gas and constipation...whoever said breastfed babies don't get constipated never met my daughter) and I'm scared that throwing formula into the mix will just make her worse since she's not used to digesting it. I worry about things about reflux and allergies.
I also worry that, even if the formula has no negative effect on her physically, that it will mess with breastfeeding. I am definitely not ready to wean her yet - this would only be for her last feeding of the night in hopes that she will give me a longer stretch of sleep. My plan would be to pump during that feeding while my husband gives her the bottle of formula, then we all go to sleep, and when/if she wakes up throughout the night, I would nurse her. During the day while I'm at work, she'll be getting pumped breastmilk. I don't think that it would negatively affect my supply since it's only one feeding and I would be pumping anyway, and I think we're too far into the game now to worry about nipple confusion, but still - breastfeeding got off to a really rough start and now that we have our routine down so smoothly, I am terrified to mess with it and throw things off.
But then despite all those concerns I have, another big part of me feels like it's ridiculous to not try something that could end up being super beneficial. God knows I could use the sleep. Ultimately, I'm not willing to do it if it's going to make her feel bad (physically) or if it's going to mess up the breastfeeding relationship, or if my whole reason for doing it doesn't work (if she still wakes up as often despite the formula). But if it were to work and there were no negative side effects, I would be beyond thrilled.
SO...having said all of that...these are my questions:
1. If you breastfed, did you supplement with formula? If so, when did you start supplementing and why?
2. Did you give your baby formula "cold turkey" (i.e., a full bottle of formula) or did you introduce it gradually by mixing it with breast milk?
3. Did your baby accept the formula or did they reject it? (I've heard a lot of breastfed babies don't like the taste of formula.)
4. Did you give formula at night and, if so, did it make your baby sleep longer?
5. Were there any negative side effects when you introduced formula, either physically to the baby or in the sense of interfering with breastfeeding?
Sorry that this was soooooooooooooo long, guys. Looking forward to hear your feedback.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: question for BFing moms re: supplementing
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. If you breastfed, did you supplement with formula? If so, when did you start supplementing and why? I was unbelievably fortunate and took off a year from work. I did not supplement at all.
With that being said I will answer just on my personal experiences.
Only you will know what you feel comfortable with - so whatever your gut is telling you to do, let it lead you in that direction. The good thing is there is no wrong choice here. Your ultimate goal is to take care of your daughter and get a little sleep so you can be prepared for work.
I was completely committed to giving my daughter bm. I was so worried and afraid of the "what ifs" just like you about introducing formula. I was lucky about the sleep aspect. I know that formula fed babies stay fuller longer - but I got lucky and had a bf baby that loves to sleep. My doctor told me that the weight of the child will also impact sleep - it's not always - but I believe it was the 12 lb mark that he suggested that their stomachs had the capacity for more food (maybe Emma's on her way there with this growth spurt if she's not already there).
We tried formula once and it was a big fat fail. I had to go on meds and ran out of frozen milk. She refused to eat. Luckily I only had to miss one feeding... although I'm sure if she was hungry enough she would have eaten.
Good luck with your decision. Remember, there is no wrong choice but I completely understand your commitment to breastfeeding because I was the same way.
I never supplemented so I can't answer most of your questions. I've been nursing Graciela for a year and I nursed Cedric for 19 months. I had some supply issues after going back to work, and I considered adding formula, but I just kept pumping like crazy (and taking mother's milk tea, fenugreek and blessed thistle) until she reached a year (just last month) and I started to switch her over to whole milk during the days I work. She's actually still taking one bottle of my milk each day for this week, and then she's done with my milk during the days I work.
I am lucky (for now, anyhow) to work part-time, so the nursing commitment was easier (much!) than if I worked full-time.
It was a little rough in the beginning when she was still waking 3 times a night. I talked to my doctor about it, and he encouraged me to let her CIO. He promised me that it would not turn her into an axe murderer-LOL. So I decided to only nurse her once each night, and after one or two nights, she adjusted to this. She was 5 months old when I did this and I'd been working for a month and was very tired! Once she reached a year, I did CIO again to eliminate that last night time feeding. Again, after one admittedly rough night, she adjusted. Now we are all sleeping all night and it's lovely.
In fact, now that she's reached a year, things are so much easier. I'm no longer pumping at all (as of today!), she is sleeping through the night, and life is good! I am glad that I managed to nurse her this long, and I still love nursing her.
Oh, and just to add that since I never added formula, when we switched her to whole milk, we gave it to her in a sippy cup. So by the end of this week she will be off bottles entirely and only drinking from a sippy cup (or nursing).
Your plan doesn't sound bad, but it will likely affect your supply b/c the pump doesn't often get as much as your baby would. Not trying to scare you, but it is something to keep in mind.
Good luck heading back!
Tania
Jen: I know exactly what you are going through because I went through the same thing when I was Bfing Evan.
1. If you breastfed, did you supplement with formula? If so, when did you start supplementing and why? I tried it a few times at bedtime thinking it would help him sleep.
2. Did you give your baby formula "cold turkey" (i.e., a full bottle of formula) or did you introduce it gradually by mixing it with breast milk? I gave it cold turkey but I think mixing it with BF would be a good way to introduce it. I did the mixing of cow's milk and breastmilk when weaned and that worked, so I can only imaging doing the same with formula would work as well!
3. Did your baby accept the formula or did they reject it? (I've heard a lot of breastfed babies don't like the taste of formula.) First it was rejection after rejection, eventually he took it.
4. Did you give formula at night and, if so, did it make your baby sleep longer? Not at all...he actually woke up sooner than he normally would with breastmilk!!!!!
5. Were there any negative side effects when you introduced formula, either physically to the baby or in the sense of interfering with breastfeeding? Well, his reflux actually seemed to get a bit worse with formula.
And most importantly for me....
I went back to work at 2.5 mths and I was pumping ALL day long to maintain breastmilk production. When I got home, I did not want to see a pump, and all I wanted was the connection with my baby via BFing. Of course there are other ways to connect with baby, but BFing was just special in it's own way as I am sure you already know.
So, I pumped while at work and BFed whenever I was home with baby. Yes, I was tired many nights. Woke up every 3-4 hours for a very long time while working but trust me, you do get used to it and you function just fine.
Do what makes you feel comfortable! If I were you, give it a try! I did and although it didn't work, we attempted it and it really worked out for us in the end. So if it fails, it fails and you just go back to what works! Wish you luck and if you need anything let us know!
BFP #3: 01/28/12, EDD: 09/23/12, MMC (BO), D&C 2/16/12 at 6.5 wks
BFP #4: 05/23/12, EDD: 01/31/12, Early MC at 5 wks
RPL Workup: + LPD (7DPO Prog = 7.8, Endometrial Bx = out of phase)
Elevated Alpha 2-glycoprotein IgA and antiphosphatidylserine IgM -->
Hematologist said not to worry and no need for treatment!
Dx: LPD
Cycle #1(08/2012): Clomid 50 mg CD3-7, Ovidrel CD13 + Progesterone = It worked!
BFP #5 on 09/10/12 (11 DPO). HCG #1 @ 14DPO = 131.6 HCG #2 @ 16DPO = 509
EDD: 05/23/2013
I am not one of those people who think that a fuller belly makes a baby sleep longer. In fact, Sophie started sleeping through the night while I was still nursing her. Some kids are different. Buuuut.....if you want to try, it cannot hurt. I would actually introduce it during the day the first few times so you can moniter her poop and reaction afterwards. If you see no change (well, other than stinkier poops) than you are good to go.
I introduced it cold turkey and she did great. She loved the stuff and treated it no different than if it was BM. To Sophie...food is food and has always been food. LOL. She ain't picky!
FWIW, I weaned Sophie about 2 weeks before I went back to work. I loved nursing her but was OK with stopping at 3 months. I honestly was ready to have my boobs back by then even though I really enjoyed it while it lasted. Its not something I wanted to deal with while I was working. Personal choice.
Let me add....I am a proponent of CIO and allowing my child to self sooth...to a point. I did not rock Sophie to sleep. I always put her down at least partially awake. What helped us was the sound machine. It helped her not only to fall asleep...but to stay asleep. The reason I started using it was to keep her from waking herself up with all the noises she made while she was sleeping. This happened at 8 weeks. By 9 weeks she was giving me 12 hours a night. Also, she was a belly sleeper.
I firmly believe all of those factored in to how Sophie slept then...and how she sleeps now.
Just my 2 cents.
I BF Eli exclusively for six months. It got very difficult when I went back to work FT so while he was in daycare - he was FF. THis was a slow transitioni. We did 1/2 and 1/2 and it took us a long time to find a formula that he liked/accepted. If he didn't like/accept a formula - he would vommit. I continued to BF him in the morning, evening, and weekends until he was 13 months and switched entirely to whole milk.
With Chelsea - I exclusively BF for five months and gave her formula cold turkey until she hit 11 months and moved to whole milk. She accepted the very first type of formula offered so no problems with the transition.
I plan to BF Ben exclusively for as long as I can. Going back to work posed a huge challenge for me. I tried my best to pump at work but sometimes meetings, classes, work just got in the way.
I don't remember so much with Eli -- but Chelsea started sleeping through the night at eight weeks. I did give her a little cereal in her bedtime milk and she was a tummy sleeper. (gasp, and she survived?!) Old wives' tales REALLY do work.
From my two very different experiences - I think you should introduce formula during the day just in case she doesn't like/accept it. The last thing you want is to introduce formula at night and she get sick and then you're up the whole night changing/washing sheets and baby. Defeats the purpose. Good luck and try not to be so hard on yourself...it is a huge commitment to BF exclusively and it is even more difficult when you are a working mom. We do the best we can...she will be fine.
And as for sleeping through the night -- I don't think there is a science to it. They sleep through when they're ready...but if your doctor says the formula bottle will help - then it can't hurt...GL!
I'm really just replying to wish you luck next week! The twins were like Emma where they woke of frequently, but if I was with them, I would just put them to the breast. I had enough of the pumping during the day.
Eventhough I had plenty of milk, I was not an efficient pumper. So I did have to occasionally add a little formula to the BM, and they were fine, but never had stomach issues to begin with. I know we went to the same LC, have you asked her? I remember her talking about pumping may only extract about 30% of milk and usually reduced milk supply, but since you will be putting her to the breasts for every other feeding you are with her, it probably shouldn't make a big difference.
I know ultimatetly you are going to do what is best for Emma (a better rested mom is good for Emma too!). You could give it a try, but you could always go back to bf at night if it doesn't work out. You are not married to the decision you make. If you do decide to try out the formula, I would try it out this week. You don't want to be up with Emma all night right before you go back to work. Even though they never had any issues, I always tried new things over the weekends jic it would give them a particularly rought night.
Good luck friend!
What are you defining constipation as?
After about 6 weeks, it's perfectly normal for BF babies to go several days between bowel movements. Andrew was on a 4-5 day stretch for a while but he was never constipated. His stool was always the same mustard like consistency and he didn't strain to pass it.
I never gave Andrew any formula. He was exclusively BF until we introduced solids at 6 months and then milks at 13 months. I was very committed to breastfeeding and did not want anything to interfere with that relationship.
Some babies generally start sleeping better around 3-4 months.
If you are going to give some formula, you might want to try it before you go back to work. That way if the formula makes her stomach upset, you would know ahead of time. An upset stomach could make her sleep much worse, right?
I'm sure you've heard of people that have had to switch to several different formulas before they found the best one that worked for their child. Cow proteins are more difficult to digest than breastmilk.
You can mix some formula with breast milk to ease into it.
If you give a bottle of formula, you should really pump at the same time to let your body know she still needs milk. Formula feeding can affect your milk supply and then she could be fussy at the breast.
Formula can be a slippery slope once you start introducing it because then it can be more convenient to supplement than pump at other times. Just be careful. Some women can get into that habit and then wonder where their milk supply went.
But don't feel guilty if supplementing is what you want to do. You have to make breast feeding work for your family. Good luck!
i pumped for about 5 months, and my son was strictly on a bottle with BM starting at 3 weeks. he never had any problems with the bottle. when i went back to work at 3 months, i couldnt keep up with the pumping -- it was really difficult for me to stop what i was doing at work, go somewhere and pump, wash the parts, blah blah blah several times a day. so i introduced formula. he didn't even flinch. it was as if nothing changed. he had no stomach issues and he sucked it down. so slowly i incorporated more and more formula and i have to say, when i gave up the pumping i felt so free! and i got much more work done at the office. lol.
i think i went cold turkey with the bottle of formula. cant remember.
my son never had sleeping issues, so i can't say. but i do think they sleep longer when they're full.
i get that it's a tough decision. do what feels right for you. but i have to tell you, for me, it was the only way to go once going back to work.
good luck.
Thanks so much for all the advice, ladies. We ended up trying it last night and it didn't really work. DH tried to give her the formula and she wasn't really a big fan. She managed to get down an ounce and a half but we didn't want to keep forcing her. So after that ounce, I let her nurse, and after nursing, I offered her the bottle again and she took another ounce. So she basically had 2 oz. of formula and however much breastmilk. We have her a good burping, she spit up a little bit (normal for her), and we put her down for bed with what has to have been a very full tummy...yeah, she still ended up waking up 2 and a half hours later lol. So much for that.
I don't think we'll try again because I have a feeling it won't make a difference in her sleeping patterns, plus I feel bad forcing her to drink it when she obviously doesn't like it. It's just not worth the hassle.
Jess, Emma has been sleeping on her tummy since six weeks
Big no-no, I know, but she just would not take to sleeping on her back. She would wake up every 30-45 minutes on her back. We switched her to her side with the help of a sleep positioner at like 1 or 2 weeks old and she started to sleep a lot better, and finally at 6 weeks or so we went to full on tummy. She's always had really, really, really good head control, so I felt okay doing it. I take a lot of other SIDS precautions so I don't worry too much about it.
She goes 5-6 days without a bowel movement, which I know is perfectly normal, but when she gets to about the 4th day or so, she seems to get extremely uncomfortable. She fusses and cries, gets extra gassy, and strains as if she's trying to poop, but all that comes out are really smelly farts. This will go on for about 24-48 hours until she finally poops. The poop itself is the same exact consistency...it's not hard or anything. But still, I can tell that she's uncomfortable and it's hard for her to get it out.
Last night, on top of nursing her after she got the ounce and a half of formula, I still ended up pumping anyway for good measure, just in case she had extracted less breastmilk during that nursing session since she should have been already at least partially full. My lactation consultant advised that supplementing with one bottle of formula or expressed breastmilk in a 24 hour period should not interfere with supply. Still, I'm very paranoid when it comes to supply, so I know I would end up pumping anyway any time I supplemented, like I did last night in addition to nursing. Regardless though, doesn't look like I will continue supplementing any time soon, so it's kind of a moot point.
Supplementing will affect your supply if you don't pump to make up for the missed feeding so keep that in mind.
We supplemented for the first time around 5 months when I got really sick and my supply crashed literally overnight. We gave it to her "cold turkey" because I had no other choice and she did fine. I wouldn't mix it with the breast milk so that you don't run the risk of throwing out what you pumped. I would do maybe 2oz of formula and 2oz of bm (or however much she drinks) in separate bottles.
Formula didn't help DD sleep longer. She didn't start STTN until 6 months and because she was ready for it.
Some side/off-topic tips for going back to work: Going back to work is hard, especially when you are nursing and your baby isn't STTN. When I went back to work at 12 weeks, DD reversed cycled so she was eating every 4 to 5 hours during the day and at night it was every 2 hours. It was awful. What I would suggest is putting her on a schedule during the day, say every 2-3 hours. You really should feed on demand but making sure she eats frequently throughout the day will help a lot at night and will prevent the reverse cycling. Most bf babies get hungry every 3 hours anyway so it's not a huge stretch. Also, when you get home try to hold her as much as you can. When DD was waking every 2 hours, my LC explained to me that it was because she realized she doesn't see mommy until night time and was waking to spend that time together. So when I got home from work, I would "wear" her so she'd get a lot of that closeness before bed.
GL!