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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Abinormal
member
Formula Mommas, why did you choose to formula feed?
Abinormal
member
This is not a judgement question. I am currently debating whether or not I want to continue with breastfeeding (there have been a lot of complications, issues etc.) and I wonder what reasons people have for formula feeding from the beginning. Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Formula Mommas, why did you choose to formula feed?
Supply issues and PPD
I started in the hospital when I couldn't get DD to stay latched for more than a few mins. Our second night in the hospital she cried to an hour straight and I tried nursing but she wasn't getting enough.
When we got home, I still tried to nurse and also pumped but she wouldn't latch and pumping was getting us enough to feed her so we gave up.
DS was 9lbs 15ozs when he was born. The nurses told me I would probably have to supplement. I thought they were crazy because DD was 8lbs 13ozs when she was born and I had no problems EBF her for 6 months before I started supplementing. Well I'm big enough to admit they were right and I was wrong! I needed to supplement with DS. I would nurse him for an hour (30 min each side). He would still be hungry and I would have to follow with 4 oz of formula. It got to be too much. I felt like I was nursing 24 hours a day and it was doing little to fill him up. Now I FF him during the day and nurse at night. It seems to be the perfect solution for us. He is full during the day and I am able to get him on a schedule (most of the time) and at night he is still getting all the nourishment from me.
Goodluck with whatever you choose to do!
Not trying to stir up anything, but no matter how you write it, this question still always sounds judgy.
For us, LO wouldn't latch and lost over a pound while in the hosp. so the pedi rec'd supplementing. He really wouldn't latch well after that so I pumped. Tried everything to keep my supply up, but I think I was just too inconsistent with my pumping (I still don't know how new moms manage to pump every 2 -3 hours with a screaming infant). I pumped for the last time on Christmas Eve Eve. Still feeling a bit guilty because LO is having some constipation since we switched to EFF.
this exactly
I had a breast reduction so I had a really bad supply. I was BF LO for 45 mins then he would CHUG 4 oz. It got frustrating & I decided to give up. (I would pump too & only get 1oz. combined)
I BF for 6 weeks.
THIS!
Proud Mama to Mickey (12.03.09) and Nemo (06.06.13)
My DS was stuck in the NICU for the first five days of his life. He had breathing problems when he was born so he couldn't eat ANYTHING until he was 3 days old. They had a catheter stuck through his belly button instead. I was forced to supplement because I hadn't nursed those first few days and the nurses forgot to have me pump. He latched on perfectly and was very happy with breastfeeding. After he was home I had to ride in a car with his biological father for a day and a half and I refused to take him out of his car seat while the vehicle is moving. Eventually my supply wasn't enough to fulfill his hungry tummy so I decided to bottle feed. It was a very hard decision for me to make and I still regret staying in that car. Breastfeeding was a great joy to me and I would like to have another baby and breastfeed for as long as I can.
My milk never came in. I tried multiple lactation consultant visits, pumping, tube feeding, fenugreek, blessed thistle, dark beer, oatmeal, etc. Even though I was only able to pump 2-3 ounces a DAY, I still did it so that I could give my LO some extra immune boost...until I had the worst case of mastitis that my dr. ever saw. I ended up in the ER twice, in the hospital for three days on IV antibiotics, and I am still facing a likely possibility of surgery on my breast due to the inrfection. I am now eclusively formula feeding, and after all this, I don't even know if I want to try BFing ever again.
My milk never came in so we had to figure out a way to feed LO
LO spent 31 days in the nicu, so I pumped. When she came home she had a really hard time latching her tiny mouth on and I was PANICKED that she would not get enough. She was only 3lbs 12 oz when she came home, so she couldn't afford to lose any weight. I started supplementing bottles of formula along with still feeding her bottles of breastmilk and quickly fell into PPD due to the strain.
Had I had a full term baby and no latch issues, I might have tried longer than I did. I also wish I'd had more support from other women who BF in my family.
I had several reasons:
I was on medication that I am not 100% convinced would not cause an issue with LO later in life (although they say my meds only are secreted in small amounts in breast milk and there is no known issues - I did not want to take the chance).
I am going back to work in 6 weeks and it is not a pump friendly environment. I did not want to get DS hooked on something and feel guilty about it later.
I along with all my sisters were formula fed and I feel 100% comfortable that I am not causing harm to my child for not doing it.
After 7 years trying to concieve, 3 failed IUIs and 2 failed IVFs, my third IVF was a success!
My Christmas baby turned into a turkey bird! Dillon Richard was born at 34 weeks, 5 days on November 28, 2009 after 10 weeks on bedrest for preeclampsia.
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v705/arriinthere/PJ/?action=view
I had a breast reduction 2 years ago & the chances of BFing were sketchy, plus my surgeon told me to BF 2 weeks max IF I could do it.
2 weeks wasn't worth the stress of trying to get damaged breasts to produce.
So we FF from the start.
fwiw, my milk never came in. So it wouldn't have worked anyway. ::shrug::