EBF moms who switched to formula

alli65 · January 2015

1. What made you switch?
2. What did you switch to?
3. How did your LO react?

I am EBF and he can still be a bit fussy. Not nearly as fussy as he used to be before zantac and I elimated dairy and soy. I don't want to switch but I am wondering if he will be happier on formula. Im going to talk to ped at his 8 wk appt on Thursday. I am curious of other mom's experiences with this.

Thanks!

pixie523 · January 2015

I'm curious about this too. We've got an appointment with a lactation consultant tomorrow AM. My LO will only nurse for about 5 minutes and then rages at my boob. Her new trick is to refuse to latch without a lot of convincing.

Hoping for some answers and tips tomorrow, but sometimes I think we'd all be happier moving to formula. If we did make the switch we'd move to similac supplementing for breast feeding since I'm hoping to pump at least a bottle or two a day. We've used similac for supplementing since birth with no issues.

It's a hard decision to make and frankly I'm not sure how to make it, but for now we'll keep working on breast feeding.

oklahomamom09 · January 2015

Following this, have dr appointment tomorrow to see how he's gaining, but it seems he eats constantly except one stretch at night. We give him a bottle in the afternoon and he's satisfied for a good 3 hours which never happens on my boob lol

alli65 · January 2015

@pixie523‌ you are right it is a hard choice!
@oklahomamom09‌ I have not given L formula yet. He had awful reflux but we have seen an improvement with the zantac. He just sometimes seems so fussy/gassy. Not sure if the fussiness is just the norm or not.

babysis013 · January 2015

I wanted to EBF but he wouldn't latch and raged at the breast. It got to the point where he raged when I held him regardless of if I was trying to feed him. Tried pumping but I dried up. Now we are EFF on similac. It was so hard to let go of the guilt but I had to do what was best for him and us as a family. Everyone has been so supportive.

scarlet3egonias · January 2015

I have been EBF except for one bottle a night (~4oz) of Similac Supplementation since LO was one month. I started because my pediatrician suggested that it would give me a break, give DH bonding time, and that she would sleep a longer stretch for that initial bed time. We now occasionally do another 2-4oz daily, mostly because either she got hungry while we were out, or because I pumped if I knew I'd want to "save up" for an occasion that I'd want to drink a few (ie New Years). She hasn't had any issue taking the formula - but I can definitely tell that she prefers BM.

Honestly, I had originally planned to FF. Then when she latched on her own (lil stinker!) I decided to try for a month, then 6 weeks, then 2 months... And here I am thinking I will feel guilty as sin if I try to switch, so maybe I'll go to 3 months. annnnd I'll probably end up BF till she's 20. Eff.

I'm curious to see how others have made the switch and how their LOs reacted.

SweetMelissa5 · January 2015

alli65 said:

1. What made you switch? 2. What did you switch to? 3. How did your LO react? I am EBF and he can still be a bit fussy. Not nearly as fussy as he used to be before zantac and I elimated dairy and soy. I don't want to switch but I am wondering if he will be happier on formula. Im going to talk to ped at his 8 wk appt on Thursday. I am curious of other mom's experiences with this. Thanks!

I'm still breastfeeding this little one, but with my first two, I ended up switching to formula at some point after I went back to work. I was never able to get nearly enough while pumping, so once they were at daycare, they were largely formula fed, and then my supply tanked. In both cases, I switched to Enfamil Infant formula, and they both took it without any problems. With this one, my husband tries to give her a bottle of formula approximately once a day; we're using the Enfamil supplementing formula, and she is not having any of it, but that could be more about the bottle/nipple than the formula.

KatieOz920 · January 2015

I EBF my twins for about a month and a half, but they were in the NICU so I was exclusively pumping (gavage fed for 1.5 months before they could take a bottle).

Why did you switch?
My switching to formula was not by choice... Since they couldn't feed and from stress of them being hospitalized for 2 months I had so many rounds of plugged ducts and engorgement. There were like 3 weeks where it was one right after another.... Sooo my supply tanked. I went from ~32oz/day down to 14oz (and that was split for 2). I pumped every 2 hours round the clock and got it back up to about 20oz for a bit. Then when they came home I just couldn't get enough pumps in and I'm down to less 6oz and am drying up. I met with every LC in the NICU at some point and nothing helped. I've come to peace with it now (after a lot of crying and guilt)... I feel like I have to choose between snuggling/bonding with my babies or hooking myself up to the pump.... Snuggling wins out for me (I was only able to hold 1 of them for an hour a day for the first month, and slightly more for the second so being able to hold and bond with them in super important to me).

What did you switch to?
We put them on Similac Neosure because they were so premature, but my son has always had a terrible time with his digestion and was gaining really well (so he didn't need the extra calories) so we switched him over to Total Comfort.

How did your LO react
They were young enough they didn't notice the switch... It was also gradual. Started as a couple of feeds as formula and then that increased as they took more and my supply went down. My son noticed a bit more when we changed his formula (smells different, I imagine it tastes different too) but he was okay with it.... He really only likes it warmed though so the Munchkin bottle warmer has been awesome.

Just as a side note, if your LO has trouble with dairy you may need a specialty/non-dairy formula (which are way more expensive)- you may want to talk to your pediatrician, insurance will simetimes cover it if there's a medical need

Love4Science · January 2015

Switching to formula won't necessarily fix fussiness. My BFF EFF her baby and he was one of the fussiest babies ever. My LO was really miserable at about 4 weeks so I cut out dairy and soy. She got quite a bit better after 2 weeks but was still fussy so I cut out eggs and that made all the difference (we've actually been referred to an allergist to check for allergies). I tested it by eating eggs a week later and the fussiness and bloody stool came right back. Remember, milk proteins stay in your body for 10-14 days after last consumption and then in LOs body for another week or so after that, so really it can take 3 weeks to get the full effect of eliminating dairy. Before you quit BFing stick out the elimination diet for a few weeks. And remember, babies fuss. It's what they do best besides poop.

smboswell1 · January 2015

I still BF but use formula too. I tried a lot of different ones, but Beckham loves similac sensitive!!

Stephaniegiboney · January 2015

1. What made you switch?
I exclusively breastfed my 5 week preemie for 2 months...and it was difficult the entire time. She was in the NICU for a while so I had to pump for the first few weeks of her life, she was introduced to bottles of pumped milk immediately, and sometimes I wonder if this had an affect on our breastfeeding relationship. Even at two months she was eating hourly, and screaming when not latched on. I would spend hours and hours doing nothing but breastfeeding and she still seemed unsatisfied. My pediatrician refused to acknowledge allergies or other breastfeeding issues, stating it was her "temperament". I basically reached a level of exhaustion that required a break and very slowly introduced some formula supplements. As others have mentioned this made me extremely guilty (still does), and probably bothered me more than my LO. Now I pump as much as i am able and feed a combination of formula and breastmilk throughout the day.

2. What did you switch to?
Initially I used the similac supplementation for breastfeeding moms. Now I just use Similac Advance. I thought about the sensitive...but one of the first ingredients is high fructose corn syrup and I just couldn't do it.

3. How did your LO react?
I think she prefers the breastmilk, but takes the formula without issue. The poop/gas are a lot grosser on formula, and she seems to spit up more. BUT!! She seems happier and, despite the guilt, so am I.

alli65 · January 2015

Thanks everyone! It is a tough choice either way and I feel fortunate that I can BF. I know some ladies would love to but cant for a variety of reasons. My little guy just seems soooo fussy sometimes and I have eliminated dairy and soy and while it has improved at times he can just seem so uncomfortable. I would like to BF for as long as I am able. I just wasnt sure if it is the best for him if I am causing him discomfort. Maybe its just his temprament right now. I plan on asking his pcp their opinion this week at his 8 wk appt.

pixie523 · January 2015

Stephaniegiboney said:
1. What made you switch?
I exclusively breastfed my 5 week preemie for 2 months...and it was difficult the entire time. She was in the NICU for a while so I had to pump for the first few weeks of her life, she was introduced to bottles of pumped milk immediately, and sometimes I wonder if this had an affect on our breastfeeding relationship. Even at two months she was eating hourly, and screaming when not latched on. I would spend hours and hours doing nothing but breastfeeding and she still seemed unsatisfied. My pediatrician refused to acknowledge allergies or other breastfeeding issues, stating it was her "temperament". I basically reached a level of exhaustion that required a break and very slowly introduced some formula supplements. As others have mentioned this made me extremely guilty (still does), and probably bothered me more than my LO. Now I pump as much as i am able and feed a combination of formula and breastmilk throughout the day.

2. What did you switch to?
Initially I used the similac supplementation for breastfeeding moms. Now I just use Similac Advance. I thought about the sensitive...but one of the first ingredients is high fructose corn syrup and I just couldn't do it.

3. How did your LO react?
I think she prefers the breastmilk, but takes the formula without issue. The poop/gas are a lot grosser on formula, and she seems to spit up more. BUT!! She seems happier and, despite the guilt, so am I.

The corn syrup as the first ingredient really makes me uncomfortable too! After meeting with a lactation consultant today we have to supplement after each feed until my babe gets more efficient at the breast and I produce more milk. I'm fine with using formula but plan to avoid those that list corn syrup first.

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