Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

Don't know if this is a touchy subject or not but figured I would ask. I plan on EBF but know that it doesn't come easy to everyone. Just curious what problems you ran into that caused you to switch to formula instead so I can be aware and possibly prepare myslef.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I had really bad PPD so I stopped BF after 2 months. I know that if we do have another baby I don't plan on even starting BF.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

Do you mean emotionally or physically for the baby?

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

Honestly, I don't think BF'ing comes easy to anyone. BF'ing is really hard in the beginning. The books that say it comes naturally are full of cr@p!

I almost went to formula so many times in the beginning. I had sore nipples, mastistis, plugged ducts, everything and anything a bf'ing mom can have i had. Not to scare you! BF'ing is soo rewarding, but can be hard in the beginning.

And I MADE IT!! My DD is 10 weeks old and I am still Bf'ing her, she only gets 1 bottle of formula day, not for supplementing but because I have wayyyy to much milk and need to decrease my supply, and get her use to a bottle (which by the way she HATES).

Try to arm yourself with as much info as possible, I bought the "Nursing mothers companion" and found a lactation consultant before I gave birth. They both were a tremendous help and I owe the LC for the Bf'ing success.

I went through too much to give up and give her formula, not that would be bad either, but for me I couldn't give up. Believe me there were times I would just break down and cry!

Message edited 7/12/2006 1:27:39 PM.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I didn't give my baby formula but chose to pump when he didn't seem to be physically able to BF, turns out he had tongue tie. I wanted all the benefits of BM so did what I thought was best. I was heartbroken...but six months on, I am still pumping. I do supplement with formula now, but I still have quite a good supply.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I planned on EBF and was totally against formula in the beginning. I come from a family that is very pro-BFing. My mom was a LLL leader for about 30 years and in her eyes it is the only way to go. But when my DD was born she was in the NICU so I couldn't just try whenever I wanted --- I had to go in there during certain times and try with all the nurses around, plus they were bottle feeding formula when I wasn't in there -- so it just never happened for us. I continued to try every day for at least a month and pumped for the first month and a half so she did get a lot of my milk but for us it just didn't work out.

Now we formula feed and she is 9 months old. I'm happy with that decision. It is easier sometimes, and I like that my DH has always been able to help out with feedings, especially nitetime ones.

I will try to BF again with our next child but if it doesn't work I won't be as heartbroken as I was this time.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

For me, I had to pump full-time because Molly didn't latch. Emotionally I felt like a failure when we couldn't get the nursing issue corrected. I had very bad PPD anyway and this was not helping. I used formula for 4 weeks while my supply corrected and it upset me. NOT that formula hurts or is bad in anyway, but for ME BF was just so important. I ended up accomplishing my goal but I had to push thru A LOT of challenges. It isn't for everyone.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

i found it alot harder than i realyl thought it would be.
i BF in the hospital for the 2 1/2 days i was there ... but the last day, i was soo sore i just couldn't take it, so i asked for a bottle.
i felt guilty about it, but i needed to rest.
now that we're home, i've been alternating. after only a week home, i've got it down to about 3 bottles a day and the rest BF.
i'm glad i have the formula, it made me feel less stressed about HAVING to BF him if I felt I just couldn't do it.
my advice is to not give up but don't feel like every feeding HAS to be BF. hasn't had a problem going from the bottle to me and back again, either.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

Message edited 7/12/2006 2:05:18 PM.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I planned to EBF- and had alot of people working against me... making me feel guilty- kept questioning his weight gain because they couldnt "see" what he was getting.... I think the stress of having a new baby and a certain someone drilling false info in my head- made me crazy...

I became obsessed with feeding him and pumping, and making sure he was getting enough (mind you he was fine... gaining at each visit- and my DR wasnt concerned) I didnt have the right pump- and slowly started losing my supply- Instead of building it back up- I started to wean to formula (after about 6 weeks) and although my child had no issues, and is a very healthy boy- I regret making the switch whole heartdly...

I feel like I missed out on something If I wouldve known how much I would regret it- I wouldve done everything in my power to get my supply up and keep going...

My goal for future children is to EBF until their 1st b-day....

It is very hard... and its not for everyone- Im a firm believer that the "right" choice is different for everyone-

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

i had planned on ebf but since hannha was 5 weeks early she had a hard time latching on. i worked with a lactation consultant, whom i loved, but i was suffering (and still am) from post partum depression and everytime i went to BF hannah would cry, which made me more depressed. ultimately i decided to switch to formula. it is a personal decision, one that works for me. i am proud that i was able to BF for a month and pump EMB for her as well. but she is doing great on the formula, so no regrets here. also, i feel better emotionally and physically.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I wanted to BF my boys. THey were born early and in the NICU. I started pumping immediatley and my milk never really came in. I was getting barely anything and pumping ever 3 hours for 15 minutes for days using a hospital grade pump. Then we tried to get them to latch, my nipples were inverted so I wore a breast shield so they could. I was still pumping and pumped what I could until 9 months. I alwasy had to supplement. Actually, I was supplementing my formula with breast milk since I always gave them more formula. I switched to pumping intead of breast feeding around 6 weeks becuase it was too much to feed them each at the breast then give them a bottle and them pump to stimulate more milk.

I do know with me, I never noticed any breast changes my entire pregnancy and it is very uncommmon to not produce enough after all of the things I tried. Just try your best and if it doesn't work out then let it go. I was upset about it for a while, but then realized there was no point in dwelling on it and being upset, I ahd two babies that I loved and loved me and formula and breast milk really didn't matter all that much.

Good Luck!

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I wanted to but DD never latched and after trying for several days I decided to do formula...I pumped enough to give her 1 bottle of BM a day for 6 weeks and then I stopped that....

coincidentally her gas got better after that.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

Don't necessarily expect the worst. I BF my son and have never had any problems. I was worried because nobody in my family had nursed, and I did not have any help or anybody to tell me what to do. I even had a C-section and did not get to nurse him for the first five hours. But he latched right away and it has been smooth sailing. I have to say its been easy, or at least a lot easier than I expected.

The only problem was he ate a LOT in the beginning, so it was a bit tiring. Be prepared to sit in a chair and nurse your days away for about the first six weeks.

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I haven't read all the responses, but I reall wanted to BF, but Ava wanted no part of it, so I exclusively pump and she still gets only BM, just in a bottle

Re: Anyone planned on EBF but went to formula instead?

I pumped for 1 month but because he didn't latch on that much my supply dwindled. DS wasn't getting enough so we had no choice but to switch to formula.

For me, I should have done formula since the beginning. Pumping was so time consuming and he is so much happier now. And I was so depressed pumping all the time and then cleaning the bottles, feeding him again. It was a never ending cycle. I let too many people pressure me into doing it. It's not the right thing for everyone and formula fed babies turn out percetly fine. I am a perfect example:)

For the next child I will not even try to BF. I will go straight to formula.