Introducing Formula, Reducing pumping...less Milk, Still Hurts

Updated on February 05, 2011
J.A. asks from Lebanon, TN
4 answers

I started yesterday giving my 1 month old 2 oz of formula, she took it with no problem. I have cut my pumping back to 2x a day ( morning and night) and only getting about 5 oz (way down from the 10oz I was doing), i am also breastfeeding- she doesnt ( and has never ) taken a lot from the breast, so after she does i pump out a lil to help with engorgement. I also give her saved breast milk in a bottle ( again, no problem) she must hav hit a growth spurt cause she ate every hour from 11pm till 12pm...we are slowly getting back to normal today. With that info, I have some questions....

When will the pain of engorgement go away? I am planning on going sown to pumping 1x a day on tuesday- should i still pump a lil after she eats?

How many oz of formula should I give her to start out?

Once I am done with pumping, then I will only feed by breast 1 or 2x a day then juststop?

She was a lil bit more fussy, could that be formula?

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So What Happened?

I WANT TO STOP BREAST FEEDING, THAT IS WHY I AM CUTTING DOWN.

I DIDNT THINK ABOUT MIXING FORMULA AND BM, ALTHO SHE HAS HAD NO PROBLEM WITH TAKING THE FORMULA. SHE DOES HAVE LESS POOPY DIAPERS SO FAR TODAY THOUGH.

THE REASON I THINK SHE EATS LIL FROM THE BREAST IS SHE ONLY FEEDS ON 1 BREAST AT A TIME FOR ABOUT 5 MAYBE 10 MIN. AND DOESNT WANT TO THE OTHER, I SAY " THEY ARE A SNACK" HAHA.
i KNOW THE BENEFITS OF BF, BUT I AM STILL GOING TO SWITCH TO FORMULA. SHE WILL HAVE BEEN GIVEN BM FOR OVER 6 WEEKS, MAYBE LONGER.

More Answers

P.M.

answers from Tampa on

I would stop the formula bottles and let her nurse on demand and offer it often. I would also pump MORE - like every 2 hours, to start up a stockpile of milk. You only have another 2 months before it becomes almost impossible to pump anything, tho your breasts will be full enough to nurse just fine. Maybe you should take a look at:

www.kellymom.com
www.drjacknewman.com

Formula is another species's breastmilk, synthesized with chemicals in their lame attempt to mimic breastmilk. Formula also introduces foreign bacterias in your infant's formerly sterile open and immature GI tract. This causes pain, bloating, inflammation and irritation of her digestive system which can cause painful gas, constipation or diarrhea and lack of absorption of nutrients.

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

My first thought is do you want to continue to breastfeed? If so, ditch the bottles, ditch the formula and nurse her on demand 24/7.

Second thought-at barely a month old why do you think she has never taken a lot from the breast? Because she was nursing fairly often? Because she was nursing quickly? These are all perfectly normal. It's normal for a new a baby to nurse every 1.5-3 hours. And you time from when you start not when you finish. So if you have a little one that is on the 1.5 hour schedule it can seem like they are nursing constantly and could cause one to doubt that baby is getting enough when baby is doing just fine and acting perfectly within normal limits.

More fussy? Yep could certainly be the formula. It is much harder for baby to digest so that's why a formula fed baby will go longer between feedings. A breastfed baby is getting the very easily digestible breastmilk and it moves thru the system with greater ease and less tummy distress to baby.

Right now (the first 6-8 weeks) engorgement is normal as baby is trying to regulate your supply. They will nurse all over the place sometimes. Sometimes they are very actively nursing and other times not so much because baby is giving your body signals on how much to produce. By about the 6-8 week mark your baby has got your body making just what they need. By adding formula you are throwing a wrench in that system.

If you pump after she eats you are telling your body to keep making more.

If you want to nurse your baby drop the bottles and drop the formula. As long as she has wet diapers (breastfed babies can go days without a bm so worry less about poo) and she seems satisfied after she's getting what she needs. By putting baby to breast often you give her the chance to do things the way nature intended and she becomes better at nursing.

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J.F.

answers from Scranton on

well make a 6 oz bottle and put 4oz of BM and 2 oz of formula, too ween her off, then cut back slowly, till it is all formula, you do the samething when she is ready whole milk, you have a while yet to think about that... and if you are eventually going to stop pumping and take her of of BM then when thats all done and over with, cabbage leaves in your bra will help the engorgement go down

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D.F.

answers from New York on

Just my 2 cents, when my babe was an infant, I alternated with formula and pumped milk from a bottle. I did this for 4 months, and my breasts always hurt and constantly leaked. After the 4th month, I switched solely to formula and my breasts got as hard as rocks for a solid week. They hurt like hell and were very engorged. However, after 7 days exactly, they started to get back to normal. I found that wearing a supportive bra and ice packs really helped out with the pain.

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