Formula - Modesto, CA

I breastfed both my kids (now ages 4 yrs old and 2 yrs old. Both self-weaned (daughter at 15 months, son at 18 months) and they NEVER had formula.... ever. If you're breastfeeding and until they're a year or older there's no need to give them formula. When both kids hit their first birthday I started giving them whole milk in a sippy cup. Neither liked it but they would drink the 2% cow's milk so that's what I gave them.

It's perfectly fine to go straight from breast milk to whole milk. There is no need whatsoever to give her formula unless you choose too. Most doctors will tell you that she can have whole milk starting at age one, so kudos to you if you breast feed until then! Best of luck!

As long as you're willing to breastfeed for an entire year you'll be fine. There is NOTHING in formula that is necessary for a baby and don't let your doctor bully you in to giving it to her. We're instructed to not give our children sugar when they are babies, but yet give them formula with high fructose corn syrup??? How does THAT make sense?!?!?
Your baby will thank you for breastfeeding for a full year, but just remember that they often cannot digest lactose in the first year of life and are more likely to develop and allergy if you present it before then.

If you are planning on breast feeding for the whole first year then from what I have been told and read there is absolutely no problem with skipping formula, or even a bottle altogether. If you are going to pump then obviously the bottle will be necessary, but the formula really isn't. We did use formula intermittently the first year when I couldn't be there and didnt have enough milk pumped, but once my daughter was a year we went to milk and nursing only, no formula (and rarely if ever bottles). So I can't imagine it being a problem. I'm sure most pro breastfeeding info would tell you the same thing. I found you just have to be wary of companies and even doctors who sometimes are a little over zealous on the need for formula.

Hi, L.;
With my daughter we went from breast feeding to regular cup in about 2 days when she was 9 mo. old. So whatever you and your baby want to do is good. As far as nutrition, just use healthy food! We were working on a ranch at the time and my husband brought home the fresh organic milk from "Zelda" the cow. You can buy organic milk, or if you folks don't drink milk, switch her to whatever you drink. The main thing is to do what you and your baby prefer. My daughter just decided at the breakfast table she wanted what the rest of us were having, so she really had "input" for this decision. Some kids prefer something else, and they let you know what they like and don't like as you try different things. In other words, you may plan and hope to do something now, but really you are not the only one that will have an opinion when the time comes. :) Each kid and each mom is different. Don't worry. J.

Hi L.. I breastfed both of my kids until they were 14 & 16 mos. old. The Dr.s say that babies can start whole milk when they are a year old so as long as you can breastfeed until then you'll be ok. I worked with my first so I pumped and my hubby gave him a bottle until he was ready for a sippy w/ milk. My second never had a bottle - went straight to sippy - a little bit harder but she was ok w/ it after she was weaned. I think the trick of it is start giving your baby a sippy as soon as possible maybe around 5-6 mos old -- as soon as your daughter can hold it!!-Try nubi sippys, they have a nipple type top. Good luck and congratulations in advance!!

If you want to skip formula you can do it. I have 4 kids. (9 year old twin girls, 6 yo daughter, and 1 yo boy) all breatfed until 1 and weaned right onto cup from breast. I started using 1/2 breastmilk and 1/2 cow's milk at 1 and no formula at all. They all transitioned well onto milk with no problems. If nursing does not work out, formula is still ok though. Give breastfeeding a full 6 weeks with no intervention of bottle and formula before you decide. It does take your body that long to learn the supply and demand.
Need anymore advice let me know. Trish

I breastfed both kids. One until he was 20 months, the other until 13 months. Both went straight to milk, with no formula. There is no reason to use formula if you are breastfeeding for a full year.

Yes, it is definitely OK to go straight from breastfeeding to whole milk. Breastmilk is the same as it has ever been--exactly what a baby needs. Formula, I'm sure, has improved over the years, but it is still basically an attempt to mimic breastmilk. You don't have to use formula at all if you are able to breasfeed the whole first year until the baby is ready for whole milk at about 12 months.
I also went straight from breastfeeding to the sippy cup with whole milk--never had to buy formula, and my babies never did accept a bottle. It would have been nice if they had taken a bottle of breastmilk from Dad now and then, but aside from that everything turned out great.
Congratulations on your coming baby!

L.~ as long as you plan to breastfeed for a year, it shouldn't be a problem. Babies under 12 months shouldn't rely on cow's milk alone because it doesn't have the fat, calories or nutrients (in particular, iron) that is found in breast milk and formula. So, if for some reason you stop breastfeeding before 12 months, then you'll want to suppliment with formula until your child is old enough to have regular milk.

But this is definitly a question for your pedi, when the time comes.

Good luck!

There can be a lot of problems for your baby if you introduce cow's milk too early. You should talk to your baby's pediatrician and absolutely do not introduce any foods or drinks until the baby is 6 months old. Ther are a ton of good books - I love my copy of "The Pediatrician's Handbook" I got it at Babies R Us and it covers birth to 5 years behavior - development - diet & nutrition - illness - what to expect at each check-up etc. It's the only book I read anymore ( too tired )
It's the size of a phonebook - even in paperback - you can't miss it!

hi L.,

i'am currently taking nutrition classes towards a nutrition degree and the rule of thumb is no cows milk until after 1 year old. So it really depends on when you will be weaning... if it is at or after a year than it is definately safe... if you wean before a year, then go to formula... hope this helps :)
C.

It is perfectly ok to go from breast milk to whole milk at one year. You might have a month or two when she is a year of doing both until she gets use to cows milk. So be perpard for that. Also don't rule formula out all together. I had planned on breast feeding my son<now 8 months old, until he was year when about a month ago he refused to take the breast during the day. He was to into everything going on around him. ANd yes i tryed the quiet room, a nursing cover, and every other trick there is. He just weened himself whether i liked it or not. He just last night refused to nurse at night so now we are on formula. So just be open to the idea in the back of your head that you may have to for a few weeks or months.

A.

Hi:
My second son was breast fed until he was one and then went straight to sippy cup/ whole milk. He is an extremely healthy and happy five year old now.

Enjoy your pregnancy and first child!

Dear L.,
Congratulations on your baby!
Honey, I hate to say this....
But you won't know exactly what will work for your baby until it gets here.
Nursing your baby is the best and most wonderful thing, in my opinion. I nursed both my children. Your breasts may get quite sore in the beginning, but I still found it to be very enjoyable.
When your baby gets here, you will get things figured out. Some babies can have regular formula, some need a soy version. Both my children went to cow's milk with no problems, but other children may have an allergy or not be able to digest it easily. Every child is different.
You can introduce sippy cups fairly early on. My son had one with handles on each side that I kept, empty, in his crib and in the playpen. He held it, shook it, chewed on it, sucked on it, played with it. It was a great diversion when I was changing him. Then I started putting a little water or juice in it when he was sitting in my lap or in the high chair. We took turns having a drink. They get the hang of it.

Well, you take care. You will be a wonderful mommy!
Be sure to let us know when your baby arrives.

Blessings!

Hi I breastfed my daughter for the first year and gave her whole milk in a sippy cup after she turned one years old. I used a breast pump anytime I missed a feeding and froze it and my husband warmed the milk and gave her a bottle when I was away from the house. (I have heard that it is important for Mommy to not be the one to give the baby a bottle because it may confuse the baby) Who is your pediatrician? We go to Fresno Children's Medical Group if you are looking. Good luck. Do you know the gender of your baby?? :)

The advice I was given was to try not to use any formula during infancy and give breast milk. So I set a goal for 3 months, then 4 months, then 6 months, til I weaned her at 14 months. She never had an ounce of formula. My daughter is now 4 and very healthly. Formula is not bad just the most nutrition for your baby is going to come from your breast milk. It also doesn't cost anything.

It really depends on how long you BF. Both my daughters quite after 10mo and so I put them on formula for about a month. Breast Milk has more nurtients than any formula out there so if you make it to around a year there is nothing wrong with going straight to milk. The formula that I used was Neosure. The pharmacist recommended it. Apparently it's sweeter and reasembles more of the taste of breast milk. My second daughter hardly took a bottle and did mainly sippy cups from 6 mo on, her care provider just put the breast milk in the cup, it worked great for us.

Good Luck!

i breast-fed all 3 of our children. the first would not take a bottle... so when i went back to work at 6 months, the sitter fed him with a medicine dropper ( breastmilk ) until he finally took breastmilk from a sippy cup. i would not recommend anything but breast milk ( or formula if you need to ) for the first year...even if you use a cup...
L. RN

As long as you nurse your child until he or she is at least a year old, you can skip straight to cow's milk. Although, my first son ended up being allergic to cow's milk, and wouldn't drink any of the milk substitutes I tried. He ended up not drinking anything but water and herbal tea for about a year (now he's drinking 6-8 ounces of rice milk a day, but even that is not necessary- he sees us drinking real milk and wants some, so he gets his "special milk").

Doctors today are even recommending that the amount of milk children drink is limited to 24 ounces a day, as drinking too much milk can block the absorption of iron and lead to anemia. As long as you feed your child a healthy diet, they don't need formula or milk after they reach a year old.

L., I breastfed both of my children and never gave them a drop of formula. I did, however, nurse both of them through their first birthday. I think the rule of thumb is to avoid whole milk with babies until they are one year old. If you breastfeed until then, though, introducing a sippy cup of milk into their diet shouldn't be a huge problem. By then, they will already be eating other solid foods anyway.

Congrats on your new baby!

Hi L.,
I went straight from nursing to a sippy cup. Unfortunately the baby sitter and his father gave him cow's milk in the sippy cup and it caused ear infections. Other than that he did fine. I did nurse him for about 2 years. My advice would be to nurse as long as possible and don't put dairy in the sippy cup if you have any milk allergies in your family.
D.

I breast fed both of my children, one till he was 1 1/2 and my daughter until she was 2. I also pumped when I went back to work and they used a bottle.
I supplemented along the way with soy milk. Both of them took to it quick and didn't develop allergies like a lot of kids do to cow milk. I never used formula, thank goodness. Sippy cups were hard for my kids. Hope that helps a little.

HI L.,
Very exciting time yet can be very overwhelming being a first time mother. I have a very active healthy loving 2.5yo son and expecting my second son July. Everyone will tell you what is best and when it comes to breastfeeding they will tell you its the only way. BELIEVE ME i drove my self nuts my last month of pregnancy about ONLY breastfeeding since that is all I was told was the right way to feed my baby. My mother never breastfed me or my brother and we have no allergies no health issues. I have a friend who brestfed only for a year with both her daughters and they all have breathing issues, ear infections tubes in their ears you name it. SO go figure. I think a lot of it has to do with the genes your children are given. But i wanted to make it work no matter what. Well, my son was 2 weeks early at 9lbs. I never bought formula and was only going to give him the breast. He never had a problem laching on. It was so easy. I thought i had this made. YA right! Let me tell you how that worked out. I was pullilng my hair out. My son was so pissed off at night and the lack of sleep and trying to make it all work. Let me tell you how much fun that is. My milk came in 4 days after he was born during that time he was out of his mind crying. I never had milk supply issues from what i was told. Then he got a little case of jaundice. HE lost 8oz the first week due to this issue. I felt like a horrible mother already. I was out of my mind. The nursdry told me to feed him 1-2oz of breastmilk every 3 hours and I followed those instructions. I finally took him in to his pedi and she told me 1-2oz doesn't work for him. She told me to give him formula that day, what a change for all of us. He slept through the night at 5 weeks. I put him down at night in his crib in his room and he slept very peacefully. During the formula feedings I pumped during that time to still keep my supply. He was drinking 2-4oz after we got him on the formula. But no one tells you if you have a big baby there could be breastfeeding issues. But because he was a big baby at birth he required more food. He is in the 98% tile since he was 3 months old for his height and weight. My son never looked like a newborn, they called him the toddler in the nursery. Being able to breast and formula feed was great for my lifestyle. He has no allergies. He never took a pacifier or had nipple issues. My son was as happy as can be after that issue was resolved. I never had issues taking his bottle away and introduced a sippy cup to him at 6 months. He was happy as a clam. He never spit up on the formula. My dr told me to put him on Ready mix formula that way it is measured properly every time. He was on Alumentum. Little pricy but so worth having a happy baby that doesn't spit up. He smiles all the time. Has had one 1 ear infection and a few colds which is typical for babies. He didn't care what form the milk came in as long as he was being feed. At 1 his dr told me no whole milk. To put him on 2% it too has A&D. His dr did this because he didn't need the extra fat for his size. He was 31.5 lbs at 1. Today he is still the happy loving, advanced and healthy child. You have to do what is best and what you feel comfortable with. Formula's today has lots of good stuff. Dr's have told me that back in the day they didn't have iron and now they all do. There are so many women out there that can't breastfed do to medical issues and mothers who can successfully breastfeed their babies are lucky but not everymother can and we should all respect that since we don't konw their situation. Its not the end of the world. I learned putting them on the right formula is key. If you can breastfeed full time my hat goes off to you and its a great experience and bond with your child. I will try again with my second baby, but I have been told this baby will be bigger at birth then my first child. ouch! however, I will have a different approach to feedings this time around. Just take it one day at a time. Only you know your baby. Enjoy this time it goes by so fast and you don't want to waste it by dealing with feeding issues. Good luck to you.

SAHM, 2.5yo son & baby boy due July. Married for 4 years to a wonderful,loving man.