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Breastfeeding
Mrs.M&M
member
Approaching 6 months of BFing and thinking of substituting some feedings
Mrs.M&M
member
My first goal of BFing was 6 months and I'm proud to say that I'm two weeks away from that with 200 oz stored in my freezer. I think I'll be able to go to 7-8 months and while I would LOVE to go to a year, I'm just not sure if that's going to be possible so I am thinking of substituting some daytime feedings. This makes me sad and makes me wonder if I am giving up when I don't have to. So I'm just looking into ideas but not set on anything.
So far, I've been lucky enough to only go to work 2-3 days each week but starting the new year I will have to go back to work full time. I currently pump twice while I am at work and pump after feedings whenever I have time and almost every night after DS goes to sleep. All of this pumping is a lot of work! On days that I'm at work, I'm pumping about 3 oz short of what DS needs during the day which is why I also pump at other times when I can to keep my stash up.
I'm definitely going to keep pumping but once my supply starts going down, I won't be able to catch back up so I want to be prepared for when I might have to start supplementing. When you start supplementing, how do you do it? DS takes three 5 oz bottles while I am away plus 1oz to make his cereal with. Would I send one or two bottles of formula to daycare and BF at night and on weekends? How do you transition a baby onto formula? He had some while in the NICU, which he ate fine, but hasn't had it since then.
Also, are there any common alternatives to BM? My mom gave my brother goats milk instead of formula when she wasn't home to BF but that was 20 years ago and am curious if that is still done. Thoughts on goats milk? By my research so far, I think I want to stay away from soy. If I were to introduce formula, at what age do you stop and switch to cows milk? Of course I will talk to my ped about all this too, but I like to hear from breast milk advocates first. Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions. I don't reallt have anyone else who's brain I can pick on this topic.
btw- I always talk to people to who say "oh, I bf'd for 9 months" or "I was lucky enough to BF for a full year" leading me to believe that they exclusively BF'd. But looking back I remember them using formula. I guess they're omitting the fact that they substituted (which is fine) but it drives me nuts because it always makes me compare myself to them. Does this happen to anyone else?
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Re: Approaching 6 months of BFing and thinking of substituting some feedings
I think that breast feeding until a year, whether or not you have to introduce some formula or none at all, is a huge achievement.
Did I miss why you don't want to do formula if you have to and would rather use goats milk? Is he allergic to dairy?
I think that breast feeding until a year, whether or not you have to introduce some formula or none at all, is a huge achievement.
Did I miss why you don't want to do formula if you have to and would rather use goats milk? Is he allergic to dairy?
Thanks, I agree and I hope that didn't come off wrong- I meant that it makes me think I'm bad if I don't exclusively BF for that long too and I forget that the person I'm speaking with supplemented. I find nothing wrong that- I personally would like to go as long as I can before I start supplementing. And no, no reason to avoid formula. I'm just curious and looking into all options.
Got it. I think that formula is prefferred if you have to go that route because it is easier on babies stomachs than milk and it has the correct vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that is needed. If I'm thinking correctly, animal milk is harder to digest for babies than formula.
I also see what you are saying about the making it a year. In my opinion, regardless of whether they have some formula or not, any and all breast milk they are given has huge benefits. Also, if I compared myself to most of the breast feeding moms on here I'd already be a huge looser because we are still having issues and dd still has a small amount of formula here and there and I can't get her to eat all she needs directly from the breast etc.
This! Wn DD started on solids her nursing decreased quite a bit. Sheis 9 months old and eats three solid meals a day plus two snacks and nurses about four times a day. I think with the stash you have, plus continuing to nurse whenever you cn, is more thn enough.
As for the goats milk I did ask my pedi about that this week at her checkup. Apparently goats milk is closer in composition to breast milk then cows milk. Cows milk has more proteins that are harder for the babies to digest. She gave us the go ahead to start transiting at about 10 months, I already cook with cows milk so we know her body can handle it. As with all new foods, use the four day wait rule.
Goodluck and congrats again!