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Houston Babies
Breastfeeding and formula question
DD has been EBF since birth and we started solids right at 6 months. My goal was the BF for 6 months and now I want to keep going until I can't anymore. I used to pump every night at 10 pm to add to the fridge or freezer stash and would get 5-7 oz. when I pumped. I have been skipping the 10 pm pump for weeks now (at first it was because she was nursing at 10 or 11 while in a growth spurt or for comfort since she's teething) so my freezer stash is dwindling (less than 40 oz now). I hate pumping and was pumping 3-4 times a day when I was working for her daycare bottles so I boycotted it when I became a SAHM.
I am thinking of introducing formula for just when I need to leave her with DH or ILs for a period of time. I can't seem to keep up with the pumping and I feel like my supply is suffering. I know it will suffer more if I introduce formula but I feel like I can't leave her for long periods because I'm not finding the time to pump or just not getting as much when I do pump. She's nursing every 3-5 hours during the day and twice at night. She also dropped from the 50% for weight at her 4 mo appt to the 30% at her 6 mo appt. so I don't want to be selfish and continue BFing if it is causing her to not thrive and grow. DD doesn't act hungry and she turns off the breast when she's full like always. I may just be over thinking it all.
So, if you did BF or are BFing, when did you introduce formula? How did it go? How often did you give formula? I really only want to give it her when I am leaving her with someone. Is that a possibility? Thoughts?
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Re: Breastfeeding and formula question
This is totally normal for BF babies. They chunk up the first six months then slim down the next six months. From Kellymom "It is normal for breastfed babies to gain weight more rapidly than their formula-fed peers during the first 2-3 months and then taper off (particularly between 9 and 12 months)."
Instead of just pumping at night, I'd try to do a five/ten minute session at the end of your nursing during the day. If you did that four times a day and got two ounces each time, you'd be getting more than just doing one five to seven ounce session each night.
j+k+m+e | running with needles
I started supplementing with formula around 5-6 months. I was working full time and wasn't pumping enough for his bottles the next day. He had no issues at all with the formula. It started out that maybe only 1-2 oz of a bottle would be formula but that amount slowly started to grow. I continued to BF until he was 11 months old.
I hated pumping as well (already dreading it with #2) so I see nothing wrong with giving her a bottle of formula from time to time if you need to. You have done great making it this far!
I mostly BF, but DS goes to school 3 days a week while I work. I do pump 1-2 times those days, but I don't produce much (5oz total in a pump session is amazing for me).
Doesn't mean my supply is bad at all, just means I don't respond well to the pump. But it does mean that I have to supplement, so he gets a couple bottles of formula and 1 of BM at school.
So he's getting about 6 bottles of formula a week at daycare and then I am taking a cake class one night a week and he gets a bottle then too usually, so 7 total.
I let DS nurse any time he wants too. He does use me as a pacifier, comfort nurse, etc, but it's good for supply. Basically any time he's upset I'll offer it and 9 times out of 10 he'll take it.
Your boobs are designed to work without a breastpump. A pump is a useful tool, but it's not necessary to pump to have a good supply.
I started supplementing at 5 months. My last BF/pump session was around 8 months. I just didn't have the supply or energy to keep it up anymore.
To answer your question - I think you will be fine supplementing every once in awhile (maybe once a week?), but I would be careful to limit it, so you can keep up your supply. You might find out how "easy" forumla is and get sucked into the convenience - which is fine, but if your main goal is to keep BFing - it won't support that goal! lol.
We have been supplementing from 6 weeks old. I dont produce enough for my little man (currently 3 months old). I pump all day long and only get 3 to 4 oz at a pumpping session. (I usually pump 3 times a day). Kolby gets at least 2 BF bottles a day and then either 1 or 2 formula bottles. It depends on my supply that day. Some times it is 3 BF, and 1 F bottle and then others it is 2 and 2 (while at school).
Supplementing is fine. I think if you supplement a feeding because you are gone then try to pump and freeze that. It will help with supply. Then you can also use that instead of Formula the next time.
We worked out a system that included formula somewhere after the mid-point. It is just a lot to keep pumping like crazy while working for me after awhile.
We started by going through the expressed milk, then replaced one of those with formula, etc. Now he has formula during the day and breastfeeds at night/weekends/mornings.
Hybrid systems seem to develop for us.