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jams92
Member since 1/12 6105 total posts
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Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Dd is almost 3 weeks old and I've been breast feeding exclusively for the past two weeks. The first were she would get formula occasionally bc I didn't ha e enough milk.
The formula seemed to fill her up more giving me more time between feedings. The night breast feeding sessions/lack of sleep are getting really hard for me.
Is it ok for me to give her formula during the night and pump my milk to save (we have a wedding coming up and she will be staying home with my mom so I either need to start freezing milk or my mom will have to give her formula.
Is there a downside to supplementing 1 or 2 feedings with formula?
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Posted 3/8/13 8:24 AM  |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
The downside is your supply will most likely drop in relation to the decreased demand.
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| Posted 3/8/13 9:03 AM |
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Bamama
LIF Adult
Member since 8/11 991 total posts
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Posted by cateyemm
The downside is your supply will most likely drop in relation to the decreased demand.
Yes, this. Also, for us, DS stopped pooping for days when we starting giving 1-2 formula bottles. One 4 day and one 6 day stretch. He wasn't as uncomfortable as I would have thought, but I ended up going back to EBF.
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| Posted 3/8/13 9:12 AM |
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MrsT809
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 12167 total posts
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Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Whether you bf, ff, or some combination, all are fine! I think I would really think about what your long term goals are for bfing. As pp's have mentioned, the downside to supplementing are that your supply will drop. If you really want to BF long term, then you're probably better off holding out and not supplementing at this point. It's early and things will get easier in the coming weeks if you continue to ebf. If you're ok with the fact that your supply may decrease and it may be difficult to continue after a while, then go for it. It's totally up to you!
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| Posted 3/8/13 9:44 AM |
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jams92
Member since 1/12 6105 total posts
Name:
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Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Your supply will decrease even if you pump at the time they normally feed??
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| Posted 3/8/13 11:05 AM |
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Priscilla10
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/10 618 total posts
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
I exclusively pumped and also supplemented with formula. Partially because the BM alone didn't sit well with my DS because of his reflux issues. Straight up BM would cause him so much pain. When I did a mixture, it was a lot better.
I pumped a lot in the beginning to establish my supply and then I had no issue with my supply diminishing. I actually produced too much! But everyone is different...I think you have to try and do what works best for you. The first few weeks can be really rough!
Congratulations on your little one!
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| Posted 3/8/13 11:20 AM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Posted by jams92
Your supply will decrease even if you pump at the time they normally feed??
no, mine didnt.
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| Posted 3/8/13 11:33 AM |
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Champ
2 little ladies
Member since 1/11 2918 total posts
Name:
Rose
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Posted by jams92
Your supply will decrease even if you pump at the time they normally feed??
It can. A pump can not compare to a baby. A bay will drain the breast much better then a pump.
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| Posted 3/8/13 11:52 AM |
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drwifettc
LIF Adult
Member since 6/10 2348 total posts
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
I'm a little confused, you are going to wake up to pump while your husband feeds the baby a bottle? Do you have supply issues?
If you totally skip the feeding once, you'll probably be fine. If you are totally exhausted I'd pump before you go to bed and leave that bottle for your husband and totally sleep through the feeding, forget pumping in the middle of the night. I occasionally would pump a bottle after a feeding and my husband would feed it to her for one of her night feedings. By occasionally I want to say maybe once or twice a month. I went on to breastfeed for over a year and never had supply issues. That said, I want to say it was around 6 weeks not 2. It isn't something you could do regularly without it hurting your supply.
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| Posted 3/8/13 12:09 PM |
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NewMrsG
Love my GiGi
Member since 12/11 1442 total posts
Name:
Mrs. G
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Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
I have been doing both from the beginning due to DD not gaining enough weight at first. So I had to supplement with formula. She latches on but not really to get a full feeding (more like snack) so I mostly pump and give 1-2 bottles of formula at night. I pump before I go to sleep after she goes down for the night....and sometimes in the middle of the night or really early in the morning. You need to do what works best for you!
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| Posted 3/8/13 1:23 PM |
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jams92
Member since 1/12 6105 total posts
Name:
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
Posted by drwifettc
I'm a little confused, you are going to wake up to pump while your husband feeds the baby a bottle? Do you have supply issues?
If you totally skip the feeding once, you'll probably be fine. If you are totally exhausted I'd pump before you go to bed and leave that bottle for your husband and totally sleep through the feeding, forget pumping in the middle of the night. I occasionally would pump a bottle after a feeding and my husband would feed it to her for one of her night feedings. By occasionally I want to say maybe once or twice a month. I went on to breastfeed for over a year and never had supply issues. That said, I want to say it was around 6 weeks not 2. It isn't something you could do regularly without it hurting your supply.
I don't think I have supply issues now. I pump 5-6 ounces per sitting. I was going to pump around midnight while Dh have formula and then save the bm for when she's with ny mom in 2 weeks. She will have her for an entire night (from 5pm til 9am) and I didn't want to have her on formula that entire time.
Plus giving her formula at that hour will allow me to get some more sleep since breast feeding her is an hour long process instead of just 20 mins with a bottle so ideally doing that during the week would be best for me going fwd.
But I don't want to ruin my supply. I plan on breast feeding til I go back to work (at 3 months) which is when ill have to pump duting the day.
Message edited 3/8/2013 1:56:28 PM.
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| Posted 3/8/13 1:55 PM |
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LiaA
LIF Infant
Member since 5/10 210 total posts
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Re: Breast fed baby...ok to supplement formula?
I BF DS for 4 months until I went back to work. Since the day we got home from the hospital he got a bottle of formula every night for the "night time" feeding. I would BF for middle of the night feedings though. It never affected my suppy. You have to do what works best for you.
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| Posted 3/8/13 2:21 PM |
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