Those who supplement with formula...

kwrecks · December 2013

Explain to me how you do it. What formula do you use? How often do you give it to your LO? We have struggled since week 6 with bfing, and I think it might just be easier on all of us if I gave LO formula sometimes. I just want to do it in a way that won't mess with her tummy too much.

Bunnyfer · December 2013

When I went back to work, I had to start. LO gets usually one formula bottle a day, and its her bedtime bottle ( I work nights). We do occasionally give her one as a supplement during the day.

I went with an organic formula. I picked Earths Best Organic. I have had zero issues with it.

MrsI · December 2013

We also do a night time bottle. I EP and while I still am able to freeze some and have a nice stash I wanted/needed to drop pumps so we decided to supplement. We use Similac right now because I had so many samples but will wean to Parents Choice (WalMarts generic Similac). It is a lot cheaper and we actually liked it better with DD. Less bubbles=less gas, better smell, poos like breast milk, etc. Similac does have a newer formula out now that us specially for supplementing so you might want to look into that too.

Mrsmac10210 · December 2013

I think we have been doing it wrong. It seems like formula is killing my breast supply. I think I should have tried pumping while using a formula bottle. That would maybe be my best advice.

We use one part Enfamil Infant mixed with one part Enfamil AR for spit up. Seems to be a good combination for DS. Luckily, he doesn't seem to have a sensitive stomach.

Wjoyner08 · December 2013

We also do one bottle at night before bed. I EBF during the day or use a pumped bottle if I can't. I can only pump one bottle a day so we supplement so on the occasions where we can have a date night we can save the pumped and LO isn't on formula for more than her regular one bottle a night.

Eta: formula- we use Enfamil gentlease, Similac always made her super gassy and constipated whereas Enfamil doesn't. I think your best bet will be talk to pedi and the. Find the one that is best for your LO.

FeetFirst · December 2013

After starting back to work a month ago my supply has tanked in the evenings and I am lucky to even pump enough for we bottles diring the week. We started doing one bottle in the evenings. Typically we do It as the feeding at like 5-6 if possible, that way I am fuller for the bedtime feeding at 7-8 and she can comfort nurse to sleep. Sometimes if we are out, we will switch those feedings though. I also send one bottle to daycare as the 4th bottle, I am able to pump enough for 3 bottles which is usually all she eats, but sometimes if we run late she will take a 4th.

We had been using similac sensitive cause we had samples and now that we are doing one bottle a day and only going to increase, I bought the target up and up version of that and have seen no difference or tummy issues.

kaylababy5 · December 2013

I also started supplementing shortly after LO started going to daycare, esp when he started eating a little more than I could produce. It is much less stressful now! I was freaking out over every drop and now I am much more relaxed and LO is gaining weight faster now too! I use similac for supplementation and LO seems to really like it. For a while I mixed it half and half with BM to ease him into it. Now I send him to DC with enough BM for two bottles and he has 1-2 formula bottles there too. Let us know if you have more questions! GL

AACaHa13 · December 2013

My supply is starting to decrease and so I am going to buy formula today. I called similac and they said the one that is closest to breastmilk is the similac advance. We will be doing one bottle of formula during the day so just in case it fills him up, it won't be during the night because I want him to still wake up to breastfeed in hopes of keeping my supply up.

mommabmb · December 2013

We supplemented from day one and now FF exclusively. My milk came in late (8 days pp) and there is no way a 10 pound baby could survive on chlostrom for 8 days. Anyway, we started with Alumentum because it was recommended by the ped. However, when we determined this was going to need to continue, we tried similac advance. It has gone well. I once couldn't get advance and had to use similac sensitive... I figured they were close enough but I was wrong. LOs tummy could tell the difference!

We still use Similac, although I've considered generic. I'm just happy with what we have now and I'm not really ready to change.

My best advice is to ask your ped what they recommend. I also advise you to put the formula in the same kind if bottle your pumped milk goes into to keep LO consistent. If you have troubles with gas, I also recommend you consider your bottle choice as much as the formula choice.

I also use a Dr Browns formula pitcher and LOVE IT. You might want to consider that if you go beyond a bottle a day.

Finally, when I was EP, we combined formula and BM in the same bottle. Some people say not to, but it was easier on LO and we had no issues.

Soleil3 · December 2013

AACaHa13 said:

My supply is starting to decrease and so I am going to buy formula today. I called similac and they said the one that is closest to breastmilk is the similac advance. We will be doing one bottle of formula during the day so just in case it fills him up, it won't be during the night because I want him to still wake up to breastfeed in hopes of keeping my supply up.

Out of curiosity, what is it that makes you think your supply is decreasing?

kwrecks · December 2013

Did your babies have any issues the first time they ate formula instead of bm?

Maybe you all can help me decide if I should be supplementing. As I said, we've had trouble since week 6 with breastfeeding. It started out with my supply decreasing when I started the mini pill. I stopped taking it, but it hasn't been the same since. Then, the lactation consultant told me it was thrush. We treated it for almost a month (my doctor hadn't seen her yet, because we didn't have any insurance, but we brought her to the med center and they agreed with the lactation consultant). When nothing was changing, and we finally brought her to the peds office, he said it wasn't thrush. I cut out dairy, and nothing changed. It doesn't seem like it's reflux. She sometimes eats great, other times she just won't latch on and gets frustrated and cries. And when she starts to really get worked up, she won't take the breast and I have to give her a bottle of frozen milk to settle her down. My freezer supply is almost completely gone, I have 3 bags of 4oz left, so I can't keep giving her bottles whenever she has an issue. I pump every day. I was pumping in the mornings and it would only take 2 days to get 4oz to freeze. But now for some reason I can only get half an ounce when I pump. If I pump more during the day, then she won't eat and I end up having to give her the bottle that I was saving to freeze, and then I pump and won't get anything. I stress out all the time about it. I stress when she won't eat, I stress when I pump. Since it's a crapshoot whether or not she'll eat good, I stress when I go out because she doesn't always NIP well, so I generally bring a bottle, but as I said, that's almost gone. I really don't want to give her formula if there is something else I can do, but I'm thinking I'm about at my wits end and I think it would be better for us all if I was able to give her formula once in a while.

AACaHa13 · December 2013

Soleil3 said:

AACaHa13 said:

My supply is starting to decrease and so I am going to buy formula today. I called similac and they said the one that is closest to breastmilk is the similac advance. We will be doing one bottle of formula during the day so just in case it fills him up, it won't be during the night because I want him to still wake up to breastfeed in hopes of keeping my supply up.

Out of curiosity, what is it that makes you think your supply is decreasing?

I am not pumping enough for his 6 bottles a day. I'm only pumping enough for 5 and so I want to keep doing that for the mAjority and just use formula for one bottle.

LEMSA · December 2013

FWIW, when I am getting low on bottles for the day, I pump the side he's not eating on while he's nursing. I always get good results. I get way better letdown and flow if I pump while he's nursing.

It's tricky. I use turtlemommas idea: the Bella band, cut nipple holes, use it as a hands free pumping bra.

alijeff2313 · December 2013

I had to supplement when LO was born. I was finally able to get her off of it after 2 months. I went back to work after 14 weeks. After 2 weeks of being back to work my supply took a huge hit. I went from pumping 15 oz to luckily getting 8. I tried EVERYTHING but I had to start supplementing again. We started with Enfamil, but after comparing that and the Target Up and Up brand we found everything was basically exactly the same. We now use the Up and Up and LO has had no problem with it. She gets one bottle of formula while I'm gone.

kaylababy5 · December 2013

My LO was acting the same way yours was and my issue was slow flow and slow let-down. After having the faster flow of the bottles he started to refuse the breast all together. Now I just pump and supplement what is needed. I am a much less stressed out mama now and feedings are much quicker/easier. Since my milk flow was so slow it would take LO 30-40 min for one feeding so it felt like that was all we were doing! This is a decision I struggled with because I desperately wanted to continue BF and felt like a failure or like I was giving up. This is just what works for us and I'm not saying you would be happier. Don't be too hard on yourself tho! Best advice ever is "don't quit something on a bad day" !

kwrecks · December 2013

kaylababy5 said:

My LO was acting the same way yours was and my issue was slow flow and slow let-down. After having the faster flow of the bottles he started to refuse the breast all together. Now I just pump and supplement what is needed. I am a much less stressed out mama now and feedings are much quicker/easier. Since my milk flow was so slow it would take LO 30-40 min for one feeding so it felt like that was all we were doing! This is a decision I struggled with because I desperately wanted to continue BF and felt like a failure or like I was giving up. This is just what works for us and I'm not saying you would be happier. Don't be too hard on yourself tho! Best advice ever is "don't quit something on a bad day" !

I've been pumping all day because she refuses to nurse. She nurses great sometimes, but just about every day we have an issue. DH is going to buy some formula tonight and we'll try it out. I think we will be able to get back to being ebf but for now, it might be easier on all of us to supplement to relieve some stress.

kaylababy5 · December 2013

Sounds like a great plan! Whatever it takes to keep LO happy and healthy!

Throw3ks · December 2013

We do 2oz BM 2oz formula in the same bottle at every feeding. My DD is on enfacare as she was a preemie. I think it helps to mix them. Just my prespective.

Camysmom · December 2013

I started supplementing when I went back to work. There isn't time in my day to be able to pump the 16-20 ounces she eats at daycare. I pump three times a day and get maybe 8-9 ounces. I had a hard time getting her to take a bottle but after that it has been smooth sailing. I use Enfamil Gentlese. I nurse her in the morning before she goes to daycare and when we get home and then at bedtime.

BabyE143 · December 2013

My supply took a dive around my moms funeral. We started supplementing then with enfamil newborn. I remembered someone posting about similac organic tasting the most like BM, I checked it out and it's true, so we started supplementing with that. I BF at night and at least 3x a day. The rest I supplement with 3oz bottles.

carrotcake06 · December 2013

BFing doesn't have to be all or nothing. If you need to supplement w a bottle a day for your sanity, then there's nothing wrong w that. She's still
Getting a majority of BM and your stress levels go down. It's okay.

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