Need advice on how to transition to formula

[littleme2]

Hi, I have been nursing for 7 months and pumping since going back to work when DD was 6 weeks old. My supply has gradually decreased over the past month or so. I have found so many helpful hints and have been eating oatmeal twice a day and taking fenugreek. DD has been taking about 15 oz at daycare and I am only making about 10 oz. Today, I made only 6oz. I have been using my freezer stash and now that's coming to an end in another week or so.

I am going to have to start transitioning DD to formula and I bought Good Start Supreme today.

I'm not sure how to transition her to formula. Do I mix formula with breast milk? I figure if she doesn't finish the bottle than the precious BF gets dumped too. Or do I start off giving the BF and then switch to formula at the end?

I am still going to pump three times a day at work but supplementing is just so confusing.

Thanks.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Here are some articles about increasing your supply:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/pumping_decrease.html

I would not mix the breastmilk and formula, as you said if baby doesn't finish it then you will be wasting breastmilk.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[farsk]

Hi!

I completely understand where you are coming from...my supply dipped very low at one time, too. I have pumped as many as 8 times in a day to get the 15 oz. I send to school with Ellen. Finally, after about a week and a half, my supply is back up! yay!

Before making such an important health decision, you may want to consult with your LC.

Good Luck!

[jsoares]

Hi:

We are transitioning to formula. We started by giving a bottle of formula a week and increasing it gradually to one a day.
Unfortunately, it seems that our baby is suddenly not reacting very well to the formula we are using - Enfamil-Lipil. 2 to 3 hours after the 4th time we gave him a bottle he vomited everything... He kept on smilling though.
We are going to try Enfamil-ProSobee and we hope he will like it.

I searched for help on the net and the best place that I found was http://www.babycenter.com/. I realized reading through their forum that there does not seem to exist a formula that all babies like and no single approach that seems to be the best, so we just will keep on trying.

Good luck,
Jorge Soares

[littleme2]

Thanks for all your advice.

I have read the kellymom articles and spoke to the lactation consultant a month ago and followed the advice without increasing my supply so I know that I do have to supplement with formula. I don't have time to pump more than three times at work - I wish I did. And I have to pump at night to even make the 2 bottles that she needs in daycare. So I know that I will have to supplement. I just don't know how to make the transition easier on DD. My freezer stash is about to end and I don't know how to give the formula.

Should I make bottle #3 formula? Or should I give half breastmilk and half formula in all 3 bottles?

I don't even know if she'll like it.

Thanks so much for your helpful replies.

[caleymama]

We transitioned to formula when DD was about 6 months. Prior to that I had been supplementing with it when needed but we made the full switch around then. I did not mix breastmilk and formula, based on advice I saw here. I used the breastmilk first and then give formula last - so to answer your question, bottle #3 would be formula if you did what I did. I used powder and would send along premeasured amounts in the formula dispenser or the prepackaged tubes with bottles of room temp. water. That way the sitter could use what they needed after the breastmilk was finished.

FWIW, DD ended up tolerating CGS the best (although I've been reading on here since we stopped FF that there are some serious issues with Nestle and BF). We tried Enfamil w/ Iron and Enfamil Lipil and it constipated her - that's what we supplemented with but the problems with it started when we switchted to full time FF. When she was older (closer to 1) she did fine on the store brand w/ Iron or Lipil.

I know the transition can be tough on you and your DD and I just wanted to let you know that I've been right there and I'll keep my fingers crossed that it goes smoothly for both of you!

[littleme2]

Thank you so much for your advice. Today, I'm going to go to DD's daycare and see if she'll maybe take an once or two of formula. I really hope she does like it, otherwise it's going to be really hard once my freezer supply runs out.

What are the issues with BF and Nestle?

Thanks again

[sntm]

I'd probably make the 3rd bottle formula. That way, if she isn't particularly hungry and doesn't get the 3rd bottle, she's getting mostly breastmilk. Sounds like you have done a great job -- don't worry too much about having to supplement a little. Just keep pumping as much as you can and staying hydrated, etc., and she'll still be getting mostly mama's milk!

The issues with Nestle are their marketing practices, which are a little devious. I recommend generic formulas to people who need to use them - exactly the same thing and cheaper. If your baby doesn't like them, then you can always switch to one of the brand names.
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shannon
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PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03