Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Babies: 0 - 3 Months
New Discussion

Switched from BM to formula.. question..

w2smdw2smd
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
After 7 weeks of BFing him, we decided to try formula to see if it would ease his screaming at all.. I had eliminated dairy, onions, brocoli.. you name it, I tried to eliminate it but he would still scream bloody murder after feedings for quite a while. I decided to pump just to see what I was producing, and I barely got 3 oz TOTAL (both breasts combined) so no wonder he was screaming - he's starving!! He has gulped down 4 oz of formula every 2-3 hrs during the day and every 3-4 hrs at night. He eats the formula like it's going out of style.. did anyone else experience this when switching from BM to formula? It seemed crazy to us he'd eat 4 oz every 2hrs like he did the first couple days we tried it.. Just wondering what other's experiences are. And yes I realize it probably took a while to consider my supply was low.. but I swear I've lost the common sense part of my brain in the past few weeks due to lack of sleep, screaming, etc...
Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
Report Reply to Post

Re: Switched from BM to formula.. question..

  • PubStar09PubStar09 member

    For the record, babies get more directly from the boob than a pump can get out.

    But if formula keeps him happy, do what you have to do!

    Batman likes to watch cartoons on the weekends. Whatever.
    image

    "I'll gladly take cold sores over eye herpes" -ElieFin
    "Unicorn glitter gives me UTIs." -Leila'sMommy
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • monkeyqueenmonkeyqueen

    I know several people that this has happened to.    For me, Olivia would just eat constantly for 5 weeks (BFing), when we switched to formula she would down big bottles and seem satisfied for a couple of hours, instead of eating bm every hour and a half....

    Report Reply
  • Mrs.RoseMrs.Rose member
    LO was probably getting more out of you than your pump was, but it sounds like there was something in your milk making him uncomfortable if he was screaming so much.  Hope the formula works for you guys!
    a Image and video hosting by TinyPicImage and video hosting by TinyPic
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Carson Henry, born 39w, 2d, via emergency c/s due to no fetal movement and fetal distress.  Seizures, IVH grade 2, brain injury, kidney and liver damage.  Complete blood clot in the artery in his right arm.  27 days in the NICU.  Now discharged from all specialists, excepts his kidney doctor, who will monitor him indefinitely.  My tough little cookie.

    Report Reply
  • erica_kasparerica_kaspar
    BM digests faster than formula and babies tend to stay more full with FF
    image
    Report Reply
  • w2smdw2smd
    I know its silly but I've felt so awful/guilty about switching to formula.. even though I know there's nothing wrong with it and its just a feeding choice. I guess I can hear the pushy lactaction consultant in my ear or something.. Sigh.
    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • bancbevbancbev member

    3 oz total is actually a great pump session.  It doesn't sound like you had low supply to me.  A breastfed infant only drinks, on average, 25-30 oz of milk a day.  So if your baby ate 3oz, 8-10 times a day he was getting plenty. 

    As far as why he is drinking much more formula- Baby needs to drink much more formula to get the same amount of nutrients/calories/fat.  A formula fed baby will continue to drink more and more as they get older, where a breastfed baby will stay at the same amount of oz because breastmilk changes with your baby's needs.

    He is downing the formula because it's coming out of the bottle faster than the milk came out of your breast.  He seems more satisfied after eating formula because he is in a food coma- sorta like when you eat too much at Thanksgiving.

    Having said all that- If formula works better for you and your family then I'm glad the formula is working out for you guys. 

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • monkeyqueenmonkeyqueen
    imagebancbev:

    3 oz total is actually a great pump session.  It doesn't sound like you had low supply to me.  A breastfed infant only drinks, on average, 25-30 oz of milk a day.  So if your baby ate 3oz, 8-10 times a day he was getting plenty. 

    As far as why he is drinking much more formula- Baby needs to drink much more formula to get the same amount of nutrients/calories/fat.  A formula fed baby will continue to drink more and more as they get older, where a breastfed baby will stay at the same amount of oz because breastmilk changes with your baby's needs.

    He is downing the formula because it's coming out of the bottle faster than the milk came out of your breast.  He seems more satisfied after eating formula because he is in a food coma- sorta like when you eat too much at Thanksgiving.

    Having said all that- If formula works better for you and your family then I'm glad the formula is working out for you guys. 

    Where did you get this info.?  

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"