Anyone think about BF vs. Formula Feed yet??

krisstyk1224 · September 2011

Hi! I am still debating over BF vs bottle feed formula or pump. I know BF has all health benefits but I need to return to work right away after baby 3-4 weeks so I was thinking of trying to pump right away- I read online some people have done this- just wondering thoughts from all of you. Tia!

LizzyBlueEyes · September 2011

I am def. going to bf if I can. I know my mom didn't for me or my siblings, but I am hoping that I will be able to. If you have to go back to work, you could always pump if you wanted to bf maybe?

books4brooke · September 2011

A lot of people have success combo feeding, which you might want to look at. Also, this might get me in a lot of trouble, but most of the health benefits are correlations with a lot of potential confounding factors. I think it's great if you can BF and it works for your family, but that isn't always possible. I starved my son for 6 weeks unintentionally because I believed that formula was so inferior. Once we introduced formula, I realized I was starving my kid, and he thrived on formula, not getting sick until he started daycare when he was 15 months.

LilyPotter218 · September 2011

Bottle all the way for me.

nah82 · September 2011

I BFed and supplemented with about 1 bottle of formula for #1. I will try to do the same this time, but it may prove to be too difficult with a very active toddler in the house.

zubenescamali · September 2011

nothing wrong with formula, but if you are willing to try BF, give it a go for a few weeks at least before heading back to work. you may have more of a challenge regulating your supply to baby's needs since you will be heading back at only 3-4 weeks (usually takes a full 4-6 weeks for your body to figure out baby's demands), but it can be done. pumping at work isn't so bad, i did it for a year. there are countless benefits to both you and baby, one of the most obvious is the passive immunity you will pass on to baby through the breast milk. it does take commitment but there is nothing wrong with doing some BF and some formula if you can't produce/pump/feed enough, benefits can still be had.

jkjohnsonwedding · September 2011

I'm going to try my best to breastfeed. I will only have to work maybe 3 weeks tops in 5 months after my baby arrives since I'm a teacher, so I don't have the same dilemma as you. Maybe you could ask for advice on the breastfeeding board. Working and breastfeeding does worry me a bit but I know plenty of women who managed. Like books4brooke mentioned, I also have a friend who didn't realize she wasn't producing enough. I might pump and use a bottle to feed at least once a day just to check what I am producing.

gdizzle · September 2011

My goal is to BF for 6 months, but I am open to supplementing with formula if need be. I don't think that pumping is for me, so I imagine DH will formula feed when I need a break from BFing.

jajsundevil · September 2011

I am really hoping to be able to BF (back up with pumping as needed). That is my desire for bonding, health benefits, and $$ saving. I'm also being realistic and know that it doesn't always end up working out for a variety of reasons but I'm hoping the LO and I will be able to do it.

Mrs_MBed · September 2011

I am going to try to bf, but am open to using formula or just pumping. Twins are all new territory for me, so I am not going to beat myself up over it. Trying not to feel guilty is another story as was I was able to extend bf my girls (19 and 24 months respectively)

I went back to work after DD1 at 12 wks and was able to continue bf'ing at home and pump 2-3 times a day while at work. If that is the route you're going to do, I recommend www.workandpump.com as it was a lifesaver for me and helped when I had supply issues.

DD2 was in the NICU for 23 days, so I had to pump almost exclusively that entire time. We eventually went to exclusively bf'ing.

amos2006 · September 2011

I formula fed DD exclusively and will do the same with this one. DD is just as healthy as the bf'd kids we know too.

digwriter · September 2011

I plan to start off exclusively BFing, then eventually BF and pump so that DH can have a chance to feed the baby.

vcukoko82 · September 2011

digwriter:
I plan to start off exclusively BFing, then eventually BF and pump so that DH can have a chance to feed the baby.

If all goes well I would like to do this also.

heatheroo · September 2011

digwriter:
I plan to start off exclusively BFing, then eventually BF and pump so that DH can have a chance to feed the baby.

Me too.

We're also planning on cloth diapering...another benefit of breastfeeding is that it means LO's poop will be water soluble, so cleanup will be a lot easier.

Alliebooberz · September 2011

I am going to do everything I can to EBF. I am fortunate to not have to go back to work, so I don't have to plan around that.

rosesforme · September 2011

At this point I'm planning to breast feed with some pumping for the opportunity to go out sans baby.

countrygrl5533 · September 2011

rosesforme:
At this point I'm planning to breast feed with some pumping for the opportunity to go out sans baby.

This. I will be staying home so don't have the work issue. But also don't want to be tied to baby all the time. I would like to go out once in awhile. So will be pumping but am also open to formula if I need to. I'm be honest. I'm mostly going to bf to save the money on formula. But if it doesn't work out, we'll find a way.

Texas77again · September 2011

books4brooke:
Also, this might get me in a lot of trouble, but most of the health benefits are correlations with a lot of potential confounding factors.

can you explain this a little more?

tash_rn · September 2011

From a nursing standpoint: we tell all our NICU mom's to try to pump at least a little in the beginning because the colustrum has so many wonderful antibodies and what not that are great for baby, especially little preemies and stuff.

However, if you don't want to, don't sweat it. Formula is fine. I want to breast feed but that's also partially because I plan on staying home for a while. If your situation means you have to go back to work soon, then you do what's best for you. If you have a job that allows you to pump and feed, great, go for it. If not, formula is fine. Plenty of us grew up on formula and are fine and the formula they have now is even better then it was back then. Do what's comfortable for you and your family and that will be what's best for baby. Good luck!

Texas77again · September 2011

my plans are to EBF. i have a lot of support and BF'ing education, so i feel prepared. i'm also going to start attending some LLL meetings as i get closer to delivery.

books4brooke · September 2011

Texas77again:
books4brooke:
Also, this might get me in a lot of trouble, but most of the health benefits are correlations with a lot of potential confounding factors.

can you explain this a little more?

Yes, but it will take far more than a post, so I will link to another post, which does a far better job. I have been reading about feeding issues for 3 years and pay close attention to the actual studies, as opposed to the media reports (or worse, Twittosphere or mommyblogland). There are a number of other posts on this topic, but I think this is a good starting point:

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/index.php/breastfeeding-is-good-but-maybe-not-that-good/

You can't do controlled studies with breastfeeding is one problem, and it's very very difficult to take out the confounding factors (maternal education, economic status, etc etc), no matter how much they try to control for them. Also, a lot of times the conclusions from the studies are spun for headlines. Also, studies that fail to find a large benefit are rarely reported because of the current breastfeeding climate. There are also not clear definitions in breastfeeding research, so it's hard to extrapolate mothers who gave their child some formula or some breastmilk; studies rarely include those parents, and yet excluding those mothers and babies could potentially affect the studies' outcomes.

I believe that it's likely that breastfeeding does confer some benefit, but I think that benefit is probably overstated. I believe that we shouldn't scare mothers into breastfeeding by making them think they are making their child dumb, sick, or fat by feeding formula when the research is not that sound. And I believe that formula is a reasonable feeding choice.

Texas77again · September 2011

thanks for the link, it says that bf'ing is better than formula feeding. it says that they are unsure of how much better, but they say a few times that bf'ing is best.

i think it's a personal decision. i know what i believe in and what i'm planning to do.

books4brooke · September 2011

Texas77again:
thanks for the link, it says that bf'ing is better than formula feeding. it says that they are unsure of how much better, but they say a few times that bf'ing is best.

i think it's a personal decision. i know what i believe in and what i'm planning to do.

Your comment is unclear to me. I was speaking to breastfeeding studies and the problems that the link explains (which is just one link). I think a lot of people who question these studies also walk a fine line. They have to repeatedly say breast is best. I also said that I think that BF might confer some benefit. I hope that your plans work out for you because when it doesn't and you think BM is liquid gold, it's actually really difficult emotionally.

FinallyMrsBMW · September 2011

I will definitely be BFing aside from any major crisis. I bf'ed for 17 months with my DD and she was able to quit on her own terms. I pumped during the day for the first year and then nursed her at night and in the morning and on weekends (though I didn't get much during the day) for the last 5 months. It was wonderful. I really look forward to it again. I pumped and was a teacher so pumping is definitely doable! It was really really hard to schedule time to pump but it was worth it in the end.

I waited until DD was 5 weeks old last time before I started pumping and I will definitely start earlier next time. I'd rather be producing too much than not enough and I want a good freezer stash for when I go back to work. I read that you were supposed to wait and followed that, but I think it's a little foolish if you are going to go back to work. Why waste that great flowing milk you have in the first few weeks?! I understand oversupply and what not, but I'm going to try it that way instead.

lulling · September 2011

I will most likely formula feed. I also have to be back to work soon, hopefully four weeks, as I self employed. As my job entails me going to different buildings, agencies and people's homes all day I do not have an office per se. Pumping would be near impossible as there is no where to do it. Then I would have to leave the milk in my car all day long, which in winter may be fine but come May would be a problem. I am not too concerned though. My friends that have formula fed all have healthy babies.

KSimone619 · September 2011

I started pumping on day 3 with DD.. they do tell you to wait about 10 days, and this is so you don't have oversupply. While I didn't return to work, I did save and freeze all the BM which was really useful when my supply tanked

My advice: give BF (and pumping) a shot. You may really enjoy it... and use formula as a supplement if you need it.

Irisheyes1247 · September 2011

I hope to be able to BF this LO. With DD, I was never able to get her to successfully latch, even at the hospital w the help of nurses and the LC, so I got frustrated and chose to only pump and supplement as needed. I found it to be difficult because I had a lot of supply issues. Once I returned to work, I felt like all I did was pump, feed the baby and wash bottles and pump pieces. It was really overwhelming and frustrating. My baby was sleeping thru the night but I was getting up every few hours to pump to try and get my supply up. I made it almost 4 months but I don't think it is a path I would voluntarily choose again. I definitely think that BFing has benefits, but like PP linked, it us hard to define to what extent because often parents who choose to BF based on the health benefits are more apt to make other "healthy" choices on their children's behalf. I fully believe that a happy mama is the best thing for baby, so when I was spending my evenings in tears, it really made me realize that it wasnt the right choice for my family. I couldn't enjoy our time together because I was stressing about how long I had till I had to pump again and when she would need to eat and when I could squeeze in my dinner, etc.

BitsKD13 · September 2011

Mrs_MBed:

I am going to try to bf, but am open to using formula or just pumping. Twins are all new territory for me, so I am not going to beat myself up over it. Trying not to feel guilty is another story as was I was able to extend bf my girls (19 and 24 months respectively)

When my cousin had twins she BF'ed and formula fed her kids. It was easier when they both wanted to feed at the same time- since getting both to latch well could be difficult it let her H (or whoever was there helping out) feed one while she BF'ed the other.

Also, while you may not have this problem, her milk never really came in. So formula was a nessecity in their house. She kind of felt a little bad but was also greatful that she could do both other wise she'd feel like she was doing nothing but nursing 24/7 to give them enough.

raceyrae · September 2011

I exclusively BF both my girls until they were 12.5 mo old. I did pump during the day since I do work full time which also helped me to have breastmilk available for DH to give bottles when I wasn't able to be home. I plan to do the same with this one.

shanad · September 2011

DH and I just got into an arguement over this last night. I tried to BF DS, but my supply was low and other complications. He ended up back in the hospital due to dehydration at a week old. Very tramatic for both DH and myself.

He wants to just go straight to formula so we know the LO#2 is getting enough right away. I want to try to BF again. Every baby and every pregnancy is different, maybe it will be easier and my milk come in faster. Who knows, but I want to try. Poor DH is so afraid.

I'm not sure what we will do. Maybe after the first few days, I'll pump, so we know how much LO#2 is getting.

Myblondasianbabies · September 2011

With DD I had every intention of BFing but she was tongue tied and I chose not to have the minor procedure to clip her tongue. So I exclusively pumped and I loved it. People say that it isn't efficient but I really like that there were times when I had people over and I could be like, "See ya, gotta go veg in my room and pump for 15 minutes." It was efficient to drain both boobs at once rather than wait for my slow eater too. I pumped way more than the baby could eat so I had a full freezer of frozen milk I used to supplement when I was pumping less to transition to formula. She was all breast milk until ~6 months but I totally stopped pumping at ~4.5 months.

Want a personalized experience?

Anyone think about BF vs. Formula Feed yet??

Re: Anyone think about BF vs. Formula Feed yet??

Choose Another Board

Search Boards