breastfeeding and supplementing with formula

[AnimalBabe]

I am exclusively breastfeeding our 7 week old son right now and would like to continue doing that for a year, however, my husband and I will be taking a trip for about 5 days without our son in November. He will be around 3 mos old at that point. I am trying to stockpile milk in the freezer for his Grandparents to give to him, but I'm worried I won't have enough saved up by then or that he will be going through his 3 month growth spurt right when we are gone. It's really stressing me out, so I figured I should try some formula with him now to make sure he takes it and see how it works out.

I guess I'm scared that if I don't have enough milk for them to give and they start giving only formula that he won't want to breastfeed when we get back..can this happen?? Or if he was given only bottles for a week and not the breast? He takes to the bottle now, but we only give it occasionally, maybe 2 times/week.

Also, any recommendations on formula? I read (in the Baby 411 book I believe) that Enfamil is closest to breastmilk, but I know the Similac is also recommended. I want to use the liquid, ready to use kind.

Lastly, how much formula should a 3 mo old take per feeding? I'm assuming this will mess up his schedule too (if he has one by then!) since they're supposed to sleep longer after formula feedings I thought.

Sorry for the long post..this is all new to me! Thanks for the replies in advance.

[MoJo]

No real advice, except that my pedi told me this week that it takes a week or two for most babies to adjust to any formula.

My oldest was VERY gassy (painful gassy) the few times we tried supplementing with formula. We didn't know that it would take that long for her to adjust, and we weren't in a position to need to have her adjust. But both of my girls are sensitive to what I eat, so your child may not have that issue.

Anyway, I'd make sure you have some infant gas relief on hand when you start.

[brittone2]

IMO it is possible that a separation like that could be a trigger for a nursing strike.

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/strike.html

[Canna]

Is there no way that you could take your baby with you? There would of course be some hassles associated with traveling with a baby, but you could spend a lot less time worrying about pumping enough milk to leave. It also might be a lot less stressful for you and your baby to avoid the separation and be able to reconnect throughout the day. Would one of the Grandparents be able to travel with you or meet you (if you had to both be at a conference all day, for example, the Grandparent could care for the baby at your hotel and bring him to you when he needs to nurse and you could all be together in the evenings.)

[WolfpackMom]

I will be the voice of dissent, I think you can do it. We started DS on both bottle and breast from the beginning so that he could take a bottle from DH or any other caregiver. I just pumped BM and gave it to him in a bottle which was nice for DH to experience too. We also supplemented with formula, it took us a couple tries to get the right one because he is lactose intolerant, but otherwise its been fine switching back and forth between breast and bottle.

[brittone2]

I will be the voice of dissent, I think you can do it. We started DS on both bottle and breast from the beginning so that he could take a bottle from DH or any other caregiver. I just pumped BM and gave it to him in a bottle which was nice for DH to experience too. We also supplemented with formula, it took us a couple tries to get the right one because he is lactose intolerant, but otherwise its been fine switching back and forth between breast and bottle.
Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to suggest it won't or can't work. But I think the OP should be aware that a separation of that length with a young infant *could* trigger a nursing strike. She should be prepared for that possibility. She asked if baby could end up refusing to BF when she returns, and yes, I think it is a possibility and something to consider if she feels strongly about continuing to BF.

[BigDog]

I will be the voice of dissent, I think you can do it. We started DS on both bottle and breast from the beginning so that he could take a bottle from DH or any other caregiver. I just pumped BM and gave it to him in a bottle which was nice for DH to experience too. We also supplemented with formula, it took us a couple tries to get the right one because he is lactose intolerant, but otherwise its been fine switching back and forth between breast and bottle.

I agree with WolfpackMom. Although, be careful not to create an oversupply with all that pumping - which is what happened to me. DS2 is almost 6 weeks and I'm trying to manage an oversupply which totally sucks. I stupidly listened to too much mixed info regarding pumping early on and now I created this problem. I think if you just do everything in moderation - pump, bottle feed, supplement - you should be ok. Just be well educated about it first!

[BabyBearsMom]

I also agree with Wolfpackmom. Could the trip cause a nursing strike, sure. But so can lots of things (and sometimes it happens for no apparent reason). I have been giving DD formula since she was 4 weeks old. I knew I would be going back to work and wouldn't be able to pump enough to exclusively breast feed her, so I wanted her to be ready. Now DD is 6 months and she gets about half and half. She prefers to nurse, but will happily take a bottle as well. It depends on the baby.

[Katigre]

I would not advise a 5 day separation when you're exclusively breastfeeding an infant unless there is no way to avoid it. That is a big jump to make from exclusively breastfeeding a 3 month old (where your milk supply is quite high) to not nursing at all for 5 days and exclusively pumping for that duration. Depending on how often your baby is nursing, you could end up needing to pump many times day and night to relieve discomfort and prevent mastitis - along with needing to pump often enough and long enough to maintain your supply for when you return.

The OP is a COMPLETELY different scenario from "I'm going back to work and need to supplement with formula during the day b/c I don't pump enough" or "I want to combine breastfeeding with formula feeding for my 3 month old - how do I do it?" or even "I'm going on a business trip overnight - how much milk to pump and how often?"

[stillplayswithbarbies]

start giving only formula that he won't want to breastfeed when we get back..can this happen??

Yes it absolutely can happen. Another thing to consider is that your supply will likely suffer because pumping is not as efficient as the baby nursing.

I would not advise a separation of five whole days with a baby that age. Is there no way to take the baby with you so you can at least nurse in the evenings?

It's not a chance I would take.

[Wondermom]

Do you have a plan for how you'll store the BM you'll pump while you're gone? At 3 months, you're probably pumping 5-6 times a day (or more?). Hopefully, you'll end up with a lot of fozen BM from all that pumping, so you'll either need to do a special cooler pack/express shipment of that back home or have a way of keeping it all frozen on your trip back.

I have 2 kids who went into daycare at 3 months, so I know they can adjust to taking more bottles in a day, but I would always BF at night, overnight, and in the mornings, so never had the separation you're contemplating. If you do it, just know that the PPs concerns are something to consider.

[Katigre]

At 3 months, you're probably pumping 5-6 times a day (or more?).
I'd say pumping every 3 hours during the day and twice during the night would be a good estimate - so more like 7-8 pumpings per day.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'd say pumping every 3 hours during the day and twice during the night would be a good estimate - so more like 7-8 pumpings per day.

I was nursing 8-12 times/ day even then. It would never, ever cross my mind to leave a nursing 3 mo behind. I didn't travel overnight till they were weaned. The logistics of pumping, storing...plus being away from the baby just weren't appealing to me. I would find a way to reschedule or reimagine this thrip. I don't know what the trip is for but it doesn't seem like it would be super fun to have to stop activities during the day to pump. You are right about growth spurts too- we had a doozy at 3m and he needed to nurse far more than I would have expected. That alone could be an issue since your body won't make that leap to the next level of supply. Pumps just aren't as good as a baby.

I hate to be a Debbie Downer but I really don't see how a breastfeeding relationship can flourish well with a 5 day separation (I know it can happen but it could be a lot, lot! of commitment when you return) nor how it would be an easy venture to be separated that long.

Beth

[citymama]

OP, I feel your pain. My work has organized a compulsory 5 day retreat (compulsory as in, not going would be baaaad - will include all senior management and Board) in Nov. My DD will be 6 months then. I quickly realized that not only would I find it daunting to pump the required amount of milk ahead of time, but I'd be spending loads of hrs on my retreat pumping, and possibly affecting my supply, health, etc. Plus DD refuses thawed breastmilk - freshly pumped is ok, or refrigerated, but not frozen and thawed.

So I'm taking DD along. Now in order to actually participate in the meetings, I would need to have a sitter for DD, so guess what? DH has to come along - which means our older DD does as well! So now the whole family is going, on our dime, and DH is taking 3 days off work so I can do this. Yes, it's a pain but I couldn't figure out how to make the separation work with an EBF baby. Plus, the retreat is in a beautiful place so we're trying to pretend it's holiday (yeah, right).

This is not to say you can't do it, but it is daunting, and if you can take the baby along, I would make every effort to do so. You'll spend way too much time pumping milk before and during your trip otherwise! And as the PP said, it could affect supply.

[brittone2]

The OP is a COMPLETELY different scenario from "I'm going back to work and need to supplement with formula during the day b/c I don't pump enough" or "I want to combine breastfeeding with formula feeding for my 3 month old - how do I do it?" or even "I'm going on a business trip overnight - how much milk to pump and how often?"

Yes. I agree. Lots of people make pumping, bottle feeding, etc. work. But going 5 days without nursing *at all* is a different scenario than supplementing or pumping/feeding while still BFing.

I also echo the supply concerns. Again, some women could pump often enough on a trip like that to maintain supply, but there are women who will see a substantial dip in their supply as well. The problem is you likely won't know which end of that continuum you end up on until after the fact. Having someone else say "I did it and it worked" doesn't mean that it will keep *your* supply up. I am raising that point because you specifically asked about these concerns, not to make you feel guilty or worried. I just think you want to be mentally prepared for the possibility of a nursing strike and/or supply issues. Or possibly mastitis while you are away on vacation, which is not a picnic (can feel very flu-like with fever, aches, chills, etc.).