Starting in a week or so I'm going to have to start giving Kiera some formula during the day. I'm going to continue breastfeeding her for her first feeding of the day and then at night. And I'm able to pump after those feedings, but I just can't keep up with her. She's looking to take about 5-6 ounces at each bottle feeding. In addition to feeding her, I'm only able to pump about 12 ounces each day. So I'm basically loosing about a bottle a day. I have a supply built up that will keep her on only breastmilk for another couple of weeks but eventually I'm going to have to introduce formula.
So my question is: How do I do it? Do I mix it in with breastmilk? Do I just start doing one bottle a day?
And for another question, does anyone have any suggestions about how I can increase my supply to keep up with her? I can't pump during the day at work. So that option is out. Should I pump more on the weekends, or would that make me engorged during the week?
DKA1026
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Re: Introducing formula
I would probably add some formula to your breastmilk until she is used to it.
As for increasing your supply. Try and pump as much as you can each night. And definitely more during the weekends. I also ate oatmeal and drank lots of fenugreek tea (you can buy it at GNC). Both of these worked to increase my supply. But I think the best way to increase is to just keep pumping.
bride082003
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Re: Introducing formula
There was actually one day that Ryan was really hungry ((and I couldnt breastfeed cause of medications)) so we HAD to give it to him. We had given him 6 oz of breastmilk and he still wanted more so we gave him the 2 oz of formula and he just took it - no problems.
We tried Similac, Enfamil and Good Start with Ryan and the only one he didnt make a face to was the Good Start. We now give it to him in small amounts on the weekends (to keep him on a bottle every day) and then I just pump to freeze it to keep up my frozens.
As for building your supply I would think you want to pump at night after she eats. This should stimulate you to produce more.
All my friends who have breastfed also transitioned to Good Start Formula.
Good Luck!
ETA: And you can mix your milk w/ the formula, but I have yet to do that.
michele31
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Re: Introducing formula
NEVER add formula to breastmilk. You should offer the baby all of the breastmilk first, then in another bottle give her formula. You never want to have to throw out your breastmilk, and once mixed with formula you would have to dump it if she did not finish the bottle.
Here are some ways to increase your supply: drink a full glass of water everytime you nurse or pump. Do not diet. Stress can hurt your supply too.
NovemberSue
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Re: Introducing formula
When my daughter was in the hospital, the nurses told me that I could add formula to the breastmilk if we needed more. You can't save the bottle either way once the baby drinks from it.
Jenn524
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Re: Introducing formula
Posted by NovemberSue
When my daughter was in the hospital, the nurses told me that I could add formula to the breastmilk if we needed more. You can't save the bottle either way once the baby drinks from it.
That's what I thought.
Ok here's my schedule, maybe I'm doing something wrong?
6:15-6:30 am: BF her and pump after. I usually get about 3-4 ounces from this pumping.
During the day she takes bottles of breast milk. I don't pump. She normally takes 3 bottles and about 5-6 ounces at each feeding.
5:30-6:00 p.m. I pump and I get about 8 ounces.
7:00-7:30- she takes a bottle, usually about 4 ounces.
10:00-10:30. BF her and pump after. I get about 4 ounces here.
Can I do something different? I don't see how I can pump more at night. And I can't pump during the day. I tried this weekend to pump more and I haven't noticed an increase in my supply yet, but I know it takes time.
MSCJLK
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Re: Introducing formula
Posted by michele31
NEVER add formula to breastmilk. You should offer the baby all of the breastmilk first, then in another bottle give her formula. You never want to have to throw out your breastmilk, and once mixed with formula you would have to dump it if she did not finish the bottle.
Here are some ways to increase your supply: drink a full glass of water everytime you nurse or pump. Do not diet. Stress can hurt your supply too.
I totally agree with Michele.. You CAN NOT mix.. go to babycenter.com and it can five yoiu more info .
NovemberSue
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Re: Introducing formula
You CAN mix breastmilk with formula IF you are putting it right in the bottle to give to the baby. That is what the nurses in the hospital did and THEY would know. I wouldn't mix it and put it in the fridge for later but you can certainly put it in the bottle for them to drink right there.
Jenn524
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Re: Introducing formula
Ok, so babycenter says you can't combine only because you don't want to waste breastmilk if the baby doesn't take the whole bottle. But you can't save breastmilk once it's warmed anyway so what's the point? If I only have 3 ounces of BM in a bottle and I add 2 of formula and she only takes 4 ounces, I technically wasted BM because I will be throwing out a combined 1 ounce. Is that what they mean?
Either way, Kiera always finishes her bottles so I'm not overly concerned about that.
For those of you that mixed formula with breast milk how did you do it? Did you use the powder one or the ready made? How much did you add in?
Jenn524
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Re: Introducing formula
Posted by michele31
Here are some ways to increase your supply: drink a full glass of water everytime you nurse or pump. Do not diet. Stress can hurt your supply too.
I already drink a lot of water but I'm going to try to drink more. I'm not dieting and I guess I do have an increase in stress now that I'm back at work.
NovemberSue
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Re: Introducing formula
My baby was preemie so she stayed in NICU for 10 days. I would use the hospital breastpump and have them store it for her in their refrigerator in NICU. When they would run low and didn't have enough for a feeding while I wasn't there, they would mix formula in the bottle for her too. It was the ready made formula but I don't think it makes a difference. And like I said, we would mix the formula in with the BM for her bottle to feed her but we wouldn't store it in the refrigerator mixed like that and we also would NEVER save it once she drank from it.
Kate
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Re: Introducing formula
When we were transitioning I mixed on occasion. I used Good Start Powder, so if I had a 2 oz bag of BM I would put that in a bottle and then add the difference in water and powder for how ever many ounces I needed. I always make his bottles as needed, never ahead of time.
Aidan always finished his bottles so I wasn't too worried about wasting either.
But if he did start a BM bottle and didn't finish it would have to be thrown away just like a formula bottle so I am not sure why some people are saying if its just BM it wouldn't be wasted. There is still a chance of saliva getting into the bottle either way.
