Need Advice on Formula

First of all I'd like to say congratualtions on your little boy and nursing him for 4 months. I would also like to suggest trying to increase your supply before you turn to formula. With your sons rough start in life the formula is really the best for his little body that is still trying to recover from both birth and surgery. You could try mothers milk tea or a variety of herbal supliments as well as pumping in the middle of feeding to increase your supply. You could check out Kellymom.com for more advise on how to you increase your supply. You could also try contacting your local LLL for support. Good luck in what ever you choose to do. Only you truly knows what's best for you and your little one.

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I used Similac advance in the powder form for my daughter because it she was given Similac in the hospital. Breast feeding never worked out for me. She's always been healthy and happy and that's what matters. Don't feel bad about using formula. I did wish I had used Enfamil Lipil with my daughter because you seem to get a lot more coupons for it. (formula is really expensive considering you'll be buying it for a year.) Check with your pediatrician. They may have a suggestion on which formula will be best for your son.

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My son has several issues and the only thing he could keep down was soy formula, I think it is Isomil. It is supposed to be easier on the stomach, whether or not that is rue, I dn't know. We to this day keep him sitting upright for about 20 minutes after he eats and that has helped a lot. Of course, I don't fully understand your sons condition, but perhaps he has reflux and just can't keep the food down. That is one of my sons issues and he is on prevacid. We took him to the drs at aobut 4 weeks and told the dr the problem and they sent him for some tests and determined reflux. Between the soy formula, the prevacid and keeping him upright he has greatly improved. We still had times when he would throw up, but not after every feeding, more like 1-2 times a month.
GOD LUCK!

When I started supplementing my son I had the same issue with the spitting up and the formula that was the best was Good Start Advanced. Hands Down.

if memory serves me isomil is thinner than similac, but it's like a lactose free or something, i was a big fan of carnation good start, and of enfamil over similac. i would think that as long as you are prepared to feed slightly more often you could probally dilute the formula little extra untill the little guy can keep it down. I'd ask the doc just to be sure but with my one son i had to thicken the formula, he had GERD, and i would guess it's the same concept. powder is by far the cheapest way to go, you get more for your money and it stores well, with such a little one the ready made stuff might go bad before he gets finished with it, it has a very short shelf life, same with the liquid concentrate. good luck, hope you and the little guy get this figured out. take care.

I don't know how long or if you breast fed your other son, but I do know that at 4-6 weeks babies go through a growth spurt and require more milk. You probably are not drying up and as long as you don't mind feeding a little more often things will be fine. The growth spurt only lasts for a week maybe a little longer and you may find yourself having to feed more frequently or longer. But my lactation consultant told me you only will dry up if you stop feeding. It is a supply/demand situation. I hope this helps you. I know the formula issue was a tough one for me. We discovered our daughter did best with breast milk and at 9 months began introducing whole milk per her doctor.

Hello E.,
How are you? Congrats on your new edition. I have a 12 week old son, Xavier Zion Clark. I had no plans on formula feeding him, however Mother Nature did. My breast supply came in slow and when it did it was very minimal. My son has been getting breasts milk and Enfamil with iron since he was born. I think Enfamil is truly the best. As far as ready made versus powder there is an argument for both. However the powder may not work well for Vaughn. I would try the ready made. The powder leaves more room for error. You could add to much powder or to little water. The ready made is more expensive but if it helps Vaughn grow to a strong young man it is worth all the money in the world. Hope this helps. FYI I have known my hubby for years as well. We could not stand one another in the past now look at us married five years with a beautiful baby boy. GOD is GOOD!!!

It has been my experience that all formulas are thicker than breast milk, and I think the reason babies spit up more with formula is because it is fed from a bottle, and they naturally get more air bubbles from a bottle. All baby formulas HAVE TO MEET governmental standards, so are basically the same. Kind of like Home Pregnancy Tests, the price difference you pay is for the label, not what's inside the box. Of course, all companies try to convince you that THEY are the best and if you really CARE about your baby you will buy theirs! How Silly!!
Ready-mix or ready made formulas aren't really any different, except in price and convenience.

GOOD LUCK!!

Hello, E.,
Should you continue experimenting with formula, first of all, do not feel guilty. I had no clue how passionate people can be about formula v. nursing until I was trying to decide for myself. Yikes! So while many women disdain my choice to bottlefeed, I can give you some help with these questions. First, it doesn't hurt to try something different. I was scared to try soy, but it did wonders. Now my guy is drinking regual formula again. Soy is just easier on the tummy. Second, you can make the milk a bit thinner by not using as much formula. My husband's aunt is a respected pediatrician who had two premature children of her own. When our child was gassy, she said it was ok to thin it a bit so he could eat it easier. A few thinner bottles until he gets the hang of it is not going to hurt him. And finally, my little guy was not a spitter, but he did spit more easily on regular formula ready-mix. I may not have burped him often enough so the burps brought all of it up. So maybe you could try burping more often. Best wishes,
Jenna S.

It is impossible to build up your milk supply if you are doing 'supplemental' feedings. I know this sounds harsh, but from experience, breastfeeding is kind of an 'all or nothing' sort of thing. If you have a hospital who feeds the baby formula in the first few hours after birth or meddling family who tell you 'but he is hungry, dear! Just give him/her a little formula until your milk comes in.' you will not succeed. If you feed him/her every 2-3 hours, from birth until about the 1st month or so, your milk will be fine. My son and I had real trouble getting started and I nearly gave up. Finally, he took to it. Months later, I was talking to a nurse friend and mother who told me that many hospitals give babies formula in the first few hours after birth, undermining their hunger and their taste for breast milk. If you are pregnant now, you might want to tell the nursing staff that you will be breastfeeding and to bring the baby to you when he/she is hungry. No formula feedings, please. Good luck to you and hang in there. Eat lots!

Ive seen a lot of mothers do enfamil as a supplement. Its definitely not as thick as Similac or Isomil. Good Luck