Supplementing with formula?

JTGochnour · May 2013

Anyone here supplement with formula?? If so, what is our experience?

NicoleSB80 · May 2013

I've had to and at first it broke my heart but then I've had doctors, nurses and LC all tell me I'm doing what is necessary for the health of my LO.

I consulted with a couple LO who agreed my supply isn't enough for LO yet. When we started supplementing it was an oz or so after every single feeding. In the evening when my milk was really low we had to do 2oz several times.

Now, less than 2 weeks later it's only 2 to 4 oz a day because I'm pumping after every single feeding and my supply is slowly increasing due to better latching and more demand. We now supplement with BM first and only use formula when no BM is available.

jasminelorraine20 · May 2013

I recently had to start supplementing with formula here and there. It's not everyday but every now and again (very seldomly), I have to supplement with just one bottle if I can't produce enough. I don't have a freezer stash to take from. DS is 11 months and eats solids as well, so it doesn't break my heart as much as it would if he were much younger. He's had no issues with the one bottle of formula every now and then.

Mmm79 · May 2013

Why are you thinking of supplementing?

There are definitely reasons to do so, but every situation is different.

For me, I had a premature baby who weighed only 4.9lbs, so he had formula within an hour of birth and was supplemented with it until I could produce enough milk for his 8 feedings a day needed to gain weight. We also had breats feeding challenges due to his early arrival and tongue tie, so at first he was getting formula plus expressed breast milk. Thsi was all done under teh care of his doctors and a LC, as my goal was to move him to exclusive breastfeeding. As I was able to produce more milk (due to a crazy pumping schedule) we gradually cut down on formula. He is 10 weeks now and hasn't had any formula in 6 weeks. At teh end he was just getting one bottle a day.

Remember, that for any formula you give you have to pump to keep up your milk supply. I'd suggest consulting with a LC if you can.

Good luck!

SummerOH · May 2013

I did until I was able to build a freezer stash. It bothered me at first because it's easy to get caught up in the hype by lactivists. But formula isn't poison. It saved my sanity more than once during difficult times when I was bone-tired and wanted to throw in the towel. Your child isn't going to be harmed by formula supplementation. Some breast milk is better than none, so do whatever works for you and your family!

hugmonkey · May 2013

I wind up supplementing when she goes through a growth spurt. She suckles and suckles almost constantly for hours sometimes and after awhile gets nothing. Then she starts crying and rooting around. So, I give in and give her a bottle of formula. It happens a lot for a few days in a row, and then everything seems to catch up and we're ok again for a few weeks.

lpowell333 · May 2013

I have been occasionally supplementing with a bottle of formula after the last nursing session before bed. It seems to help settle LO and help her get to sleep and stay asleep for at least 3 hours. She is 9 days old and just started doing this after the first week when she would want to nurse constantly before bed and the wake every 2 hrs to eat again.

Supplementing with formula?

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