Topping Up With formula???

[Janie]

Macca, it sounds like you're doing a great job hun. It is so hard in those early days, you can't imagine what you would give to have more than 2 consecutive hours of sleep! It does get better, I promise

In my experience, formula did not help my DS to sleep. In fact using formula greatly added to our woes, in many different ways. Thank goodness we were able to keep BFing, if not exclusively, it was our saving grace. If you want more info, I'm happy to give it, but I won't ramble on unless you're interested

Don't kill yourself expressing, it really just creates a whole lot more work for us......expressing, feeding from a bottle, sterilising etc etc. Although tiring, much easier to just feed from the boob in the first place! Obviously though, if you're really struggling, getting DH to do the odd feed during the night could be really helpful. And make sure you sleep when you can during the day, it makes all the difference, truly! Good luck

[~Belinda~]

Janie, this is not made to offend you in any way but my DD has been formula fed and that has been "our saving grace!"

All babies are different as my DD has slept through from 6 weeks and she has been fully formula fed.

I praise any ladies that can breastfeed as it was not possible for us! But FF is no stress to us at all.

[Macca79]

Thanks Maz for your support, I read your post tonight and really felt for you. I hope your able to work it out.

Janie i would be interested in hearing more about your experience with formula top up. you mentioned that it was more trouble then it was worth for you.

[Janie]

Bindy, no offense taken whatsoever! I understand that for some, formula is a saving grace. I'm glad you and your DD are happy

Macca, my DS was prem and we were instructed to top him up from birth. He was never very 'good' at putting on weight anyway, so we topped up alot, and of course my supply suffered. The top ups were often EBM in the early days, it wasn't until he was about 4 months that they were almost all formula. So, because he was topped up with both, I could really see the difference between the two. The amounts and frequency varied, sometimes it was one a day, sometimes after every BF.

Formula has NEVER helped him to sleep. In fact, as a littlie, he slept alot better when his top ups were EBM. Formula is more difficult for their little tummies to digest, so I'm guessing that's why.

Formula made his reflux sooo much worse. In fact, the reflux was barely noticable until he was having more formula.

And lastly, bottles (whatever was in them) almost caused us to give up BFing totally. We battled breast refusal for two months because DS had developed a preference for the bottle. I understand that some babies can switch between the breast and bottle with ease, but not my DS. He does now, quite happily, but he's old enough to know the difference, and knows that he loves BF now (fortunately ).

You have to do what's right for you and your baby, but please make it an informed decision. I would hate for you to start topping up, only to find that it doesn't help, and in fact makes your BFing relationship difficult. Sometimes a bit of short term pain is worth it for the long term gain Easier said than done though, I know, especially at 2am Hang in there, it won't happen overnight, but it will happen.

[soon2be]

I started topping up DS with formula after about two months when BF was already established. I didn't have any issues with breast refusal thankfully. For me, I was pretty much out of stock by the evening feed when DS would be getting ready for bed. And the fact that DS would constantly want to suck, to cluster feeds, and a partner who was complaining about the amount of time I spent on the couch and my motivation to do anything else made feeding DS a pretty demanding experience from a psychological point of view. I'm glad I did what I did. If I hadn't, I really think that I would have packed it in and stopped BFing. And now that I know that DS will happily BF as well as take formula I feel like I am empowered to BF in that it is a conscious choice not an obligation. For the record I have topped up with soy formula which has been working wonders for DS. I also conitnue to express to keep my supply up.

[Janie]

Sounds like you're doing a great job soon2be! Well done, I'm glad it's working well for you