Breastfeeding and Formula

I wasn't lucky enough to get to breastfeed but my cousin is an RN at childrens hospital in the neonatal unit. She just went back to work after her first baby and she was advised to start with one bottle a day for about a week and then increse from there. She took a whole month to get Reed to take her bottle... it is good advice to let daddy give her the bottle. For one he has been missing out and it would be good for bonding but it will also be easier for baby to understand the bottle. She is used to mommy doing it different...

Hope it goes well..

That gerber formula that is easy on their stomach might help, I used it with my baby that I breastfed and had good luck with it.....hope you have an easy return to work, it's hard when you're used to being with the baby!

I was never able to get pumps to work properly for me. I researched manual expression and with a little practice I had very good results with that. :) Might be an option for you.

Hey L.,

I did the same thing you are about to do.My thing was he refused the formula while I was gone we tried everything! I was soooo worried he was going to starve.My doctor told me that what he was doing was adjusting his feeding habits.As long as he was not losing weight he was not starving.I did however make sure I fed him before I left and he was ready the minute I returned.He also ate more in the afternoon adn at night.Which was also part of his new way.Don't get worried if she refuses formula hopefully she will take to it.I am sure you will also be told on here to only breastfeed.I asked one time about formula and weaning and I was scolded for even thinking it....lol...You do what will work for you and don't feel bad about your choice.I wish you Luck!H.

I started bottle feeding mine 2 weeks before I went back to work. The first week was rough (finding a bottle she would take,etc.) What I found that worked would be to feed her in her carrier while she was asleep/sleepy. She wouldn't take a bottle if I was holding her(at first). I still breastfed in the mornings and evening and continued until she was 15 months. Good Luck! Don't get too discouraged, it's probably going to be hard at first.

First, ask her pediatrician what formula your daughter should be drinking. Begin giving her formula now before you go to work. This will allow her to get used to drinking it and it'll be less likely for her to be fussy with the nanny when she tries to give her the formula.

personal opinion, if you aren't getting anything when you pump you need a different pump and a different strategy. I had no luck with the pump i rented from the hospital, but could get plenty with an avent isis pump. The other thing to remember is that a baby is much more efficient and you have to work harder and longer with a pump than with baby...i always had to pump twice as long and until i got a second letdown reflex to get enough.

that said, for formula i would use goodstart, it's going to look and taste more like breastmilk and will be much easier to digest than anything else on the market.

if you used powdered formula and it made her sick you might try a ready to feed or condensed liquid version--that's what i had to do with my daughter.

M.

I had trouble producing enough milk with the pump. I kept up for a while with what I had already saved in the freezer, but after a few weeks I just didn't have enough. I started mixing formula and breastmilk. I would make sure there was breastmilk in every bottle and he didn't have any trouble with the adjustment. The best advice I can offer is to make sure that you don't get stressed out about the situation. It was difficult for me to supplement, but he had to eat and I had to get over it. There are some over the counter and prescription medications that can help you with supply. I used one after I came home for the summer just to boost the supply back to pre-pumping levels. Good luck and remember that any breast milk is great.

L.,
You should try soy formula like similac or prosobee enfamil. Also, there are lots of moms that bottle during the day and just nurse at night. to keep up though you have to nurse often at night. so you will have to deciede whether you want to do that or not. You should give her about 4 oz to 5 oz of formula. You will know if she is still hungry and if she is give her more. You may try having your husband give her the formula because she might not take it from you adn then all babies are different and she might. i would start now if you are going back to work in 2 weeks. start with one. then next day two and so forth. Hope this helps.

T.
www.enhancingyourwayoflife.com

I did both. I breastfed my son until he was 4 month, but started giving him formula at night when he was about 1-2 months old. He slept longer that way. He did just fine. I would start out with about 4 oz. If they are still hungery give them another oz. or two. Good Luck!