Need your advice

[futuremum]

Hello!!!

To cut a long story short, last night Thomas went to sleep at 2 am after having a bottle of formula. From 10.30 pm till 2 am he had not stopped feeding from my breasts but he did not get enough food obviously as he took the 100ml of formula very well ( by the way thanks for telling me to buy Aptimil)Until that point he did not stop crying. I am exhausted and last night I horrified myself because I was so stroppy towards him. Because he fed so much from my breasts, at one point I thought it was just comfort he was asking for so refused to give him the breast. I changed him, winded him but he would not stop crying. I felt so guilty when I saw at which speed he was drinking that bottle On top of this, this has put a lot of strain on my relationship with OH. He was horrified with my attitude last night. I feel so bad about it...

After the feed, he slept for 4 and a half hours, contented.

Thomas eats whenever with no pattern at all. It can be evry 2 hours as every 10 minutes.

I bought an electric expressing machine and am trying my hardest to use it when i have time ( between feeding Thomas, cleaning, washing etc...).
I should also start work in 6 weeks time. I was planning to extract milk and my oh to feed him but I start to realise my breast will never produce 6 bottles of 140 ml a day.

I suppose i will have to introduce him to formula at some point. My oh is against formula but it is not him who has to feed the baby!(by the way do you introduce slowly or you change from breast to formula straight away?)

So I need your opinion on what you would do:

Would you persist with breastfeeding or should I go to formula?

Thanks

 

[Urchin]

There was one more option and that's to carry one using a combination of both.

I would breastfeed and express as much as you can, but top up with formula whenever you need to

 

[futuremum]

Can you both safely all the time? i thought you should use one of them only, only mix them in emergency or for weaning...

 

[Urchin]

I don't mean mix both in each bottle, I mean do some feeds purely breast and some just formula. Lots of people do that.

 

[futuremum]

lol I did not mean mix the two in the same bottle Sorry but i am very tired so my english is not so good in those conditions lol what i meant was i thought you were supposed to either breasfeed 100% or bottle feed 100 %

 

[Urchin]

lol I did not mean mix the two in the same bottle Sorry but i am very tired so my english is not so good in those conditions lol what i meant was i thought you were supposed to either breasfeed 100% or bottle feed 100 %

A mixture is better than just formula, I know loads of people that do it, it's very normal.

Let us know what you decide?

 

[beanie]

I mix feed, have had probs expressing so if I need to leave her she has a bottle of formula. I have had no probs with it and Seren has been fine. PM me if you want any more info x

 

[Rosieroo]

I've topped Ella up with formula in the past when I was running low on milk, but if I have ever given her a formula feed I also express off afterwards to make sure my milk doesn't dry up and to try and produce more milk.

Can you express whilst you are at work (I don't know if you have quiet rooms)

 

[minikins]

Combination sounds like the best idea and will give your boobs more time to recover after each feed.

Also if you just stopped on the boob, you would have sore boobs for a while.

Like you said at the end of the day it's what is best for your baby but also for you and your OH is not feeding like you are.

Keep us posted and I hope you have a better night

 

[ToriElla]

I combine now too because eva is too demanding. she doesn't go longer than one hour on breast milk so i had to start using formula too.

 

[stephlw25]

I combined breast and formula when Jamie was Younger too. This seems like a good option for you? Let us know how you get on!

Steph

 

[lulu]

There was one more option and that's to carry one using a combination of both.

I would breastfeed and express as much as you can, but top up with formula whenever you need to

Exactly what I was going to say and exactly what I do!

I was having the same problems, turned out I wasnt producing enough milk! Started topping up with formula and the difference was amazing!!!
I would use 'Omneo comfort' from Cow and gate if you do, Jack got quite windy because of mixing the two, this really helped.
My partner didnt like the idea of formula either but he soon changed when he saw the difference it was making. Plus its always better to have a happy full baby than a hungry grizzly one!!!