Need advice (baby related)

Okay, I need some of your wonderful advice again!

I have to go back to work in 2 weeks. (the 30th) I don't want to, but there is no way around it. We simply can't manage on one income, especially with all of my husband's child support.

Anyway....since I breastfeed, I will have to pump enough each night to send to the daycare during the day. I am worried that I won't have the time, or be able to pump enough, since it takes quite awhile just for a few ounces. So here is my question....
I am considering, just considering, no decisions yet, sending some formula along with the other milk, to supplement it. That way I would have to pump far less, but yet she would still be getting some of my milk during the day as well.
Has anyone here used formula as well as the other?
Is it too confusing for the baby to have both? It would only be used during the day, and only when the sitter ran out of the other milk. She would give her my milk first.

Anne, I looked for this in the book you sent me, and I must have overlooked it, do you know if it is there, and what page it is on? There was a small section I found on supplementing, but it didn't answer my question.

Also, I hope noone is offended by the topic of this question...if so, I will remove it.

OK, I'm not a mommy, but I can tell you what a friend of mine did. The situation was a bit different because Braeden was actually lactose intolerant - he couldn't handle even mom's milk. But the Drs. and my friend still wanted him to get the nutrients from her, so this is the plan they developed. She would pump and make a mixture of her milk and soy formula and fed him that way. She was really sad that she couldn't breastfeed him, but he just threw up whenever she did that. It seemed to work very well.

The other thing that my friend noticed is that Braeden slept through the night much, much sooner than her other two sons did because of the formula. Formula is heavier and takes longer to digest than breast milk, so he didn't get hungry as often. Something else to consider since you will need to get a decent night's sleep once you go back to work.

One other thing (and I know you won't like this) is that some babies don't like to breastfeed once they get used to a bottle. They don't have to work as hard from the bottle. Obviously I can't possibly know if Amber will do this, but I wanted to let you know.

P.S. I hope no one is offended by this thread. It is natural, not disgusting in any way. If we can talk about porn on the internet, I would think we can talk about this!

Mom raised all of us on formula and both of my boys were on it. Mark was because of his early health problems.

None of us seem to have suffered from it. The whole family are big, strappin', healthy folks.

Heidi, I have thought about that...that she might not want anything but the bottle once she has had it, but I have no other choice since I have to work. Hopefully since she has been well established with the breastfeeding (no bottle yet) she will be okay with both. I have to start trying her with the bottle next week, just to get her used to taking it before going to daycare. I dread that too...I hope she will not decide the bottle is more preferable and not want to nurse!

I just need to know if anyone has tried using breastmilk and formula both. I don't know if it will cause problems, or if I should just stick to pumping out my own, even if it takes me hours. I think it would be so much easier to only have to pump some, and then have some formula for her as well. Like I said, it would only be during the day. I would feed her myslef in the mornings and evenings. Just not sure about doing both. I don't want to confuse her or cause her to stop wanting the breastmilk altogether and prefer the formula.

All the girls I know here at work would pump here too so that they had enough milk. They had the pumps in a tote bag, so no one ever saw it. I don't know if you would be able to do that, but I just thought I'd tell you.

I also know a lady who froze her extra breast milk for occasions like going to the sitters, she was a stay at home mom.

Oh, there was also a girl here at my work who had to supplement with formula at the sitters because he ate so much she would run out of milk and would sometimes not have enough to pump. He did fine with taking both formula and breast milk.

Thank you all for the comments and advice! I appreciate it!! I am leaning towards trying this...sending both breastmilk and formula to the sitters. That way she would have enough. I can't pump much at work...only on my lunch break....they don't even like us to be gone to the bathroom very long. Gotta make those dang rates!

Hi Debby - When Amy was 9 weeks old, I had to go back to work. I breastfed her up until that time. Right before I started back, I started giving her a bottle of formula once a day. When I went back, I breastfed her in the morning before I went to work, when I got home, when she went to bed, and then during the night. She had bottles at day care. This worked out well for us. However, my milk did slowly dry up at around 4 months of age, but I still this this was the way to go for us.

Debby:

I can't realistically see you pumping enough in one sitting to get Amber through the whole day, unless you want to spend your evenings attached to the pump. I think you'll have to supplement with formula. As Dawn said, I would get her used to both the formula and the bottle before the actual day comes. One word of warning, however. A friend of mine at work had to start giving a bottle with breast milk. (I can't remember why.) Anyway, pretty soon her baby wanted no part of the breast. She still takes mother's milk, but apparently the bottle is much easier for baby (not as much effort for more milk).

P.S. Both of my kids were formula-fed.

Deb, that is what I am afraid of...that she won't want to nurse after having bottles all day. I did buy the Avent bottles and they have newborn nipples that have a much smaller hole, so that the baby will have to work just as hard to get the milk as she would from nursing, so maybe that will help. I had taken Daniela's advice on the Avent pump, and the bottles they make are great for moms who want to do both.

Dawn, did you find you had any problem with her not wanting to nurse after being bottle fed all day?

I think I am going to send both formula and breastmilk to the sitters, that way she can use the breastmilk first, and use as little of the formula as she has to. But she will have to have some formula....as Deb25 said, I can't be attached to that thing all night!!!

Starting Monday I will do what you said Dawn, and introduce her to a bottle, (with breastmilk) then after getting her used to taking a bottle once a day, for a few days, I will put the formula in it for a few days and see how that goes. Just once a day.

Thanks guys! You have been a big help!

Debby,

I have successfully raised both my children on mixed feeding. I would pump enough for one lunchtime feed and the rest was formula. This was my routine (my babies were wonderful and fitted into a routine very early!)

First feed in the morning - breast direct from me
Mid morning - formula
Lunchtime - expressed breastmilk in a bottle
Mid afternoon - formula
Evening - breast direct from me
Last thing at night - breast direct from me
And of course, if they woke in the night, I would breast feed.

It worked very well for me! My babies are both big, strapping boys and no health problems. My eldest started on this routine at 6 weeks, my second at three! Do bear in mind that they need to be weaned onto the formula gradually otherwise you get problems with constipation!

It is sad that in today's society, mothers cannot stay with their babies longer, but we all know that the rent needs to be paid!

Good luck
Diana

I breastfed both of my kids till they were nearly a year old. I didn't have to work full time though, I only put in about 20 hours per week and let me tell you pumping was a *itch. Its time consuming, and a pain. Just for me to get enough for those few hours took me a lot of time, and it was a pain to "store it" and transport it.

If you feel comfortable, go ahead and get her on formula and she'll do fine. The most important part of bfeeding is the first few weeks and you've already done that. Don't feel guilty putting her on formula. Trust me, in the end you'll be glad you did. You don't want to spend every waking moment with a pump attached to your breast. Thats no life!!!!

Debby - I think you got some excellent advice here!

I breastfed exclusively until Ron was 5 weeks old - then started giving him expressed milk with the bottle (only 2-3 times a week). There was no nipple confusion. I talked to an expert who told me that once breastfeeding was established properly (which usually happens when baby is 3-6 weeks old) there's rarely a nipple confusion problem. Babies have a natural preference for the breast, unless they're having some problems and the breastfeeding routine is not yet established.

So, my advice would be - get her to feed from the bottle from time to time. If possible, get someone else to do those first bottle feedings, as she might not take the bottle if you're next to her.

As for using formula - like others have said, expressing milk, even with the best of pumps (and personally, I think the Avent Isis is the best), is a real pain! It takes a lot of time, time you'd want to spend with Amber. It's a real nag. On the other hand, you would have to pump at least once during the day or you'll get terriblly congested.

If I were in your place, I would go with morning, evening and nightly (if necessary) breastfeeds and during the day formula and yesterday's expressed milk (only from what you pumped during the day at work). Much like what Diana did - sounds very good to me.

As for the book - here are a few relevant pages:
working and breastfeeding - p. 161
bottlefeeding the breastfed baby - p.163
choosing formula - p. 193

Those first few days won't be easy on Amber or on you! Take it easy on yourself and remember to take as much time as you need for YOU! Eat well and get as much rest as you can! Forget about house chores or social engagements - at least for a few weeks until you two settle into the new routine.

Hi Debby
I can´t see a reason why anybody could be offended by the topic.
Why shouldn´t we exchange advice on how to raise children too.We talk about just everything when the cats are concerned so why not children.Love and all the bestElisabeth
the advice you received was very sound.When you bottlefeed choose tiny tiny holes so that she really has to work as hard as she´s used to

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!! I feel so much better about the whole thing now!!!! Diana your schedule sounds just like what I was planning, so it helps me to know if it worked for you, and for others, that it will work for me!!!!! THANK YOU ALL for giving me advice on this, and I will let you know how it goes!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are going to keep referring to this book, I feel we will all need a copy so that we can keep up with current baby advice.

Oh this book is great!!!! I have found so much information in it that I couldn't find anywhere else!!!!!!! Deb......If you just have another child, then she would probably send you one, too!!! :laughing: