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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
KelsoXOXO
member
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
Wanna switch to formula... have some questions
KelsoXOXO
member
I gotta be honest, I seriously hate BF-ing... I can't even enjoy the bond of it because of the pain, how I can never get in a comfortable position, and the fact that she eats for almost 2 hours at each feeding. I'm in pain because in the beginning she wasn't latching on right, so I'm suffering from that with cracked, bleeding nipples. It's been a month and they still hurt and don't feel like they're getting better, and she even latches on right. I can't take her anywhere or let her stay with DF while I run an errand or something because she just constantly wants to eat. Last night at 5:00 she was eating and would fall asleep and right when she woke up or I set her down she'd root around and cry to eat more, and that went on until 11 or 12! I'm so sore and tired and we are just ready to switch to formula..
I talked to her pedi about switching and she said I should keep BF-ing because she's growing and healthy and doesn't need formula. Isn't formula just as good? Is she just saying this because she has to?
For those who have switched, did you do it gradually like half breast milk/half formula and then go into full formula? Or did you just go straight into formula? What's the best way to do this?
I talked to her pedi about switching and she said I should keep BF-ing because she's growing and healthy and doesn't need formula. Isn't formula just as good? Is she just saying this because she has to?
For those who have switched, did you do it gradually like half breast milk/half formula and then go into full formula? Or did you just go straight into formula? What's the best way to do this?
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Wanna switch to formula... have some questions
DD1 born 5/24/10.
Missed M/C at 14 wks Feb 2012.
DD2 born 5/14/13.
Missed M/C at 9 wks July 2015.
Formula will give your baby what she needs, but no it isn't "just as good". What are you doing for your nipples? Due to a bad latch I was in white knuckle pain & in tears to nurse. I used ice packs, cooling pads, and lanolin, as well as expressing BM on my nipples and they were healed within a few days once he was latching properly. (they were scabbed and bleeding...they looked like a meat grinder had been nursing on them not my little boy)
Do what makes you happy! I was also miserable BF-ing and I honestly think the stress caused my supply to get messed up which stressed me even more so I just stopped. I have frozen milk in the freezer still so DS gets about 1/2 breast milk and 1/2 formula every day. We are going to do this for another week or so then go to 2 bottles breast milk and the rest formula, then 1 breast milk until the breast milk is gone. I think it's easier on their tummies to slowly switch over and it'll be easier on you too so you don't get engorged and uncomfortable....you could just start dropping a feeding every few days and replace it with formula until your LO is on all formula.
I am not sure what your pedi means.....it's not like your LO won't grown and be healthy on formula as well. Breastfeeding is just pushed so much and I have found many doctors, nurses and people in general make women feel guilty for not BF-ing. I've basically just decided all those people can kiss my rear cause since I've stopped BF-ing/pumping I'm so much happier and so is DS. We have seen a HUGE difference in him, he's so much more mellow now!
This
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
I'm not producing enough milk, so we've had to start supplimenting. At this point, I think it's probably more formula than milk. When I do give her breast milk, it's usually pumped because I'm paranoid that she's not getting enough.
Formula isn't as good, but if you hate BFing, it might be worth it to give her some formula, so your hubby can help. To be honest, I find formula a lot easier/more convenient. I know the BF is better though, so I'm going to try to continue to do both for a few more weeks.
I would have hoped that you had done some of your own research by now.
Yes, she will be fine. but, BM has other added benefits that formula simply doesn't have.
I am surprised you pedi would not have still helped you figure out a formula- that is so rude to not respect your decision to stop BF- I am sorry.
i stopped bfing and switched right to ffing- i just pumped just enough to relieve pressure and took warm showers...
don't let anyone make you feel bad and yes it may not be "just as good" as BM- but babies thrive on it everyday! heck many of the posters here who judge ppl for ffing were most likely formula fed themselves...
1ht
Mommy to J: Born 5/11/2010 & B: Born 8/26/2013
I went through the same thing with DD!! I ending up quitting at 4 weeks. And I definitely know that I really tried. I saw a LC every week and went to BF support groups every week as well. I felt guilty for about a week and then I relaxed, and started to enjoy feeding DD again. We supplemented DD with formula from the beginning b/c I had a c/s and couldn't nurse right away and my milk took long to come in too. So she was used to taking the bottle and formula when I quit.
Breast milk IS best for your baby BUT formula is a very close second (some may disagree). There are millions of babies on formula, for whatever reason, and they are thriving, healthy babies and grow up to be just as successful, healthy and functioning as BF babies. My sister had twins...one she had to switch to formula. They are 13 now and the FF one is just as healthy, has excellent grades, etc.
I don't know about mixing BM with formula but you could just start introducing formula and gradually reducing the time you nurse her. You will have to let your milk dry up, which is pretty uncomfortable. That too can be done "cold turkey" or gradually. I did it cold turkey, and while it was pretty painful, it was over in 2-3 days. I didn't have the patience to do it gradually.
GL!! Do what is going to make you and your baby happy...you should enjoy feeding her and your daughter will be happier if you're happy!
She'll be fine. It might take some time to find the right formula (were going thru this right now) but she'll be happy and strong....she wont' suddenly become a weakly because she isn't getting breast milk :-) If you truly are unhappy and don't think BF-ing is in you or your LO's beast interest don't be quilted into doing it.
Happy Mommy = Happy Baby
Its not the pedi's job to tell the mom what she wants to hear. Their job is to be an advocate for the child
i don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to switch to save your sanity. feeding times should not be stressful for you and it should get easier. BF'ing is the better of the two but your baby will be healthy & happy either way so do what feels right for you and what works for you as a family.
i had to stop EP'ing/supplementing at one month because they had me on medication for my high BP and was told to gradually drop one pumping session per day to avoid engorgement. i would assume you could do the same with BF'ing and offer a bottle at that time instead. GL to you in whatever you choose!
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
I tried so hard to breast feed but my DS had a horrible latch and it never got any better after I left the hospital. I ended up having to supplement with formula because he got really jaundiced. He took a lot better to a bottle then he did my breast and it made me feel pretty bad at first, like a failure. I knew it was best for him though because we needed to get rid of the jaundice. I decided to pump after that and still supplement with formula (because of the jaundice still). So maybe try pumping that way she still gets your breast milk.
I ended up giving up on pumping because in between the formula feedings and trying to get him to sleep or play with him then pumping after that I was never getting any rest. But I only had a hand held pump too, I didn't want to spend money on an electric until I was sure I was going to keep pumping. Good luck with whatever you decided!
Kelso! Your baby girl is so cute!
I gotta say I went through cracked nipples and bad latch at first too. I would literally wince in pain every time she latched on. The only thing that kept me going was pure stubborness. We're past it now and I'm really glad I stuck with it. As far as not being able to go anywhere, you could always pump some to leave with DF then she'd still be getting breastmilk.
That being said, your mental health is important too. Happy Mama = Happy Baby so do what you feel is best.
Yes she can still thrive on formula, of course. Your pedi is just doing his/her job by telling you the truth & trying to get you through the rough patch of BFing. We have just gotten through that in my house & now it's just part of life- no pain, no issues.
If you think FF will work best for you & your child then switch.
edit: re: the healthy part that depends on the baby & scenario. Formula doesn't have the immunities breastmilk does.
DD1 born 5/24/10.
Missed M/C at 14 wks Feb 2012.
DD2 born 5/14/13.
Missed M/C at 9 wks July 2015.
Sounds like you are allowing her to use you as a pacifyer. It really doesn't take that long for a baby to empty a breast and it is only causing your breasts to continue to be sore by allowing her to nurse for 1-2 hours stretches. Have you tried a paci? You can also try pumping in between feedings and once you have enough...have your DH feed her a bottle every 3-4 nursing sessions. I found that as long as I hold my DC's...they wanted to nurse (when they were really young)...kept rooting, etc. They didn't do that with other people unless they really were hungry. I also never fed the bottle myself at first since I didn't want them to associate the bottle with me...only my DH or GP fed a bottle.
If you really hate it (and it's not just because your nipples are sore...which should clear up if you stop letting her use you as a paci) then ask your pedi which one he would recommend you start with. I supplimented with my first DD and it's been over 20 years so formulas have change drastically. My pedi suggested the powdered Similac with iron and she did very well on it. She eventually went to just formula by the time she was 5 months. The only time she had problems was if I went to a ready mix. It was thicker and she just didn't keep it down as well. Good luck.
Thanks everyone for your help! Hopefully this goes well.
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
I do agree with the ladies who are saying "Happy Mommy = Happy Baby," that if its causing you too much stress then switching maybe what's best for your situation. However, have you looked into the possibility of thrush? A few weeks ago I was miserable, crying when he latched, dreading the next feeding, and my nipples weren't healing. I tried lanolin, expressed BM, air drying etc. and nothing worked. It took discovering and treating for thrush for the pain to go away and my nipples to heal. When calling your pedi to discuss FF, you could ask if thrush is a possibility.
I'm glad I stuck it out because now BF is actually easy and I enjoy the bonding/snuggling with DS.
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
if she isn't gulping/swallowing, she's probably pacifying. my lo did that as well so we introduced a paci even though i didnt want to initially......but being a human pacifier is misery.
1ht
Mikaela is going to have a little brother!
My pedi was of the school of thought that BFing for a month in the beginning is the most important, primarily the colostrum that contains all of the maternal antibodies. After that, FFing is fine.
I tried BFing, but it failed because DD had a very powerful latch that made every session torturous. I then switched to EPing and did that for a month, but stopped for two reasons: 1) the constant pumping round the clock and washing/sterilizing pump parts at all hours of the day was really taking a toll on my energy levels (supply was never a problem) and 2) something in my milk was making DD very gassy and unhappy. I weaned her off breast milk slowly - at first we introduced a ratio of breast milk : formula 4:1, then 3:2, then 1:4. It's been a week since she's been off breast milk and the gassiness is so much better than it was, plus her poops are now solid. Some LOs can tolerate switching immediately to all formula, but it's probably safest to wean them off slowly. I'm told that formula tastes much different from breast milk and has a different consistency, especially if you mix the formula from powder (as opposed to ready-to-feed). HTH!
My daughter spent more time nursing than she did sleeping around that time. While I understand you're miserable and not enjoying it, I would suggest you try giving her a pacifier more often and pump and have your DF feed her a bottle at times when you aren't able.
Breastfeeding is not easy at all and it does get better most of the time.
If you feed her, she falls asleep, then you move her and she wakes up, give her the pacifier. Have you tried different brands? My daughter would sorta take a MAM, but really prefers the Soothie.
If you do choose to switch, know that you gave your daughter the best option for at least the month you did and that's better than nothing.
Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
It's funny, because I happened to click on the wrong board and came across this post.
So excuse me for butting in but I thought I would share my story with you...
I had DS#1 at 23, and had no intention of really bf'ing. I just thought, what the heck and gave it a try. It was hard work, probably one of the hardest things I had ever done and no one had warned me about that part.
I had no milk in the beginning and had to supplement which made me cry so much, around 6 weeks, I was ready to throw in the towel and just formula feed. I ran into my lactation consultant and was in tears, I shared with her my aches and pains and she looked at me and said " girl, the pains you are desribing to me sound like you have thrush!" and yep, she was right, I was in agony, but once we got the appropriate treatment, we were all good to go... I actually ended up nursing Sebastian until his THIRD birthday!!! Can you believe it?
Then I had my second when Sebastian was only 2 years old AND still nursing. I nursed throughout my pregnancy and it was SO painful, but I could not get him to wean, I was miserable. When Nate was born, I thought it would be super duper easy since I was a "pro" at it...boy, was I wrong. Nate was the worse nurser and I was miserable. The kid would not latch on, cried all the time and just when I was about to call it quits, things started looking up and he latched right on, I nursed him until his 2nd birthday.
So all in all I nursed two boys, for 4.5 years NON STOP....and can I tell you something, I just realized a few months ago that I HATE nursing, I don't find joy in it (or at least the thought of it right now, makes me gringe), I am very tempted to not even attempt nursing our third son but I know I will do it, because I did it for my other boys.
So you see, we all go through rough spots and you aren't a better or worse mother if you stop nursing of if younurse until he off to kindergarten. You have to do what is best for you and your child, and sometimes it takes a few attempts and tryig different things to make things work.
I think the first 8 weeks are the hardest, then it's easy peasy... loved never having to wash a bottle, or never having to worry if I brought enough food for the baby.
Don't give up just yet, and like someone mentionned above, don't forget that there are several growth spurts for babies 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and during those times, it's going to seem like she is on your boob ALL THE TIME!
Good luck and if you ever need to chat or vent, feel free to PM me. Good luck and congrats on the birth of your beautiful daughter!
Have you thought about pumping? I know you said it's hard because she is eating all the time, but what if you just supplemented with formula for now. You might have to give her a couple formula bottles to start out with. Try pumping every 2 hours. Then you can store it in the fridge/freezer and just give her a bottle when she is hungry.
I had to do this for one of my nipples because the same thing happened to me. He wasn't latching properly at first and it cause some serious bruising and pain. I noticed the breast pump was a little gentler on it. I also used tons of lanolin and soothies worked wonders. After just a couple days I was back to normal. Now that I know the proper way to get DS to latch, we're doing great.
I also agree with trying to give her a pacifier. I know it's painful, but if BFing is what you really want to do, don't give up just yet. Once you do, it's really hard to go back.
First, you should only let LO nurse for 20 min MAX on each breast. That will help prevent nipple soreness.
It took until just last week for me to really, really start enjoying breastfeeding. Now I look forward to that late night nursing session after I come home from school (10:30p). It's special.
Formula is not "just as good". It does provide the necessary nutrients, however breast milk has hundreds of ingredients. Formula only has 30 or so (i think). Breast milk is ALWAYS the best food for babies.
Maybe you can try pumping for a few days to let your nips heal, and then try nursing again. Breastfeeding is HARD. It's not always natural and sometimes you'll be dealing with sore/cracked nipples. That is typical of the first few weeks, and will pass.
If you WANT to switch to formula, that's all up to you and your SO. Tell your pedi you absolutely want to, and she'll tell you how you should go about switching. It's probably best to wean if you're going to make the switch, IMO.