Mixed feeding after 5 months - which formula?

[mandymac]

Hi - DD is coming up to 5 months and is exclusively breastfed. However, I am returning to work in January and want to start to introduce daytime formula feeds (for the ones she will have at nursery). I know I could express, but as I will be taking a short lunchbreak, to leave as early as poss to spend more time with dd, I can't see this working for me. I wondered if anyone has any advice on which formula (brand and stage)? Also, should I try and swap 1 feed per week (for example) - whats the best way to do this? I'm hoping to keep breastfeeding for the early morning and nighttime feeds.

Any advice greatly appreciated

[mandymac]

bump

[suzi2]

I remember reading on here that some formulas tast awful. But Hipp organic was nice...

[hercules]

I used aptimal, cant remember why though.

[Racers]

I'm mix feeding 5m DD (bedtime feed) and using Hipp Organic - just because a) Organic, b) slightly less packaging than other brands. She seems to really like it and I also remember someone here had taste-tested and found it to be ok. Just the basic stuff, not follow-on or anything.

I would say one feed a week would be fine to let your boobs adjust, which is what I was going to do but haven't got around to dropping another one yet, a month later!

[Blondeinlondon]

My DS is 9 mths and just started mixed feeding in the last couple of weeks
We are using Cow&Gate ready made cartons, Aptimel powder, SMA white and gold and follow on sachets. SMA stuff is handy as it comes in pre-measured sachets. I always spill some with the ready made cartons.
He has had the Hipp stuff too.
He shows no preference for brand so far.

I offer a bottle at whatever day time feed I don't fancy doing. We don't have a routine so sometimes it's 2 bottles and 6 breastfeeds or 1 bottle and 3 breastfeeds.

[matnanplus]

If there are any allergies or asthma, excema then i would suggest Nan HA or Omneo Comfort as they are treated to cause less gut reactions, if no problems then any you fancy.

[mandymac]

Oh matnanplus, my sister has asthma, and had excema as a child and dh & I both have hayfever, plus I have IBS which reacts to wheat & dairy, so very good to know which are the better options for this. I knew that weaning foodwise I needed to take care, but didn't realise this applied to formula - are these the options that are recommended to mums who bottlefeed straightaway with allergies in the family then?

[tedebear]

We use cow and gate organic - he's fully formula fed now but was breast and formula for a while and he didn't seem to mind at all - infact was happier after a formula feed...

I think its trial and error - although I've heard that if you start with one brand, swithcing to another stuffs up their digestion - not sure if its true - too scared to try

[matnanplus]

Unfortunately not Mandymac.

NAN HA is a modified milk and available from chemists, who should be able to keep you well stocked.

Speak to your HV / GP re your health issues as SMA make SMA LF this is standard SMA milk that is clinically Lactose Free [LF] available from chemists [under medical supervision] and can be used by babies and adults alike. The last baby i cared for got it issued on Rx due to diary allergies in the family and because i had moved him onto it from Omneo when he started to show feeding/poohing issues.

the other milks to be aware of are hypoallergenic and not the nicest tasting tho babies that i've had that used them weren't fussed are Neonate and Nutramigen, both are Rx only and diary free.

If your GP seems wishy washy ask for a paediatric deititian appt at the hospital and prepare to be pushy. An allergic gut reaction now will sensitize baby's gut and could cause problems with weaning later.

[wizbang]

Hi its a good idea to introduce formula very gradually maybe one last thing at night I used farleys with my daughter I fed ex for 6 months then gave bottles and still did one feed first thing in the morning as you have loads of milk eventually gave up compleatly. Formula is more filling so start with first milk. Ps I have a 3 month old and I entend to use some of my milk with baby purees so he carries on having it in meals kept in freezer

[mandymac]

Mears if you are around - do you have any sage advice for me? This allergy thing has put the wind up me a bit - do I need to be that cautious with formula?

[mears]

mandymac - I personally think that you would be able to return to work without introducing formula milk at all. There are advantages to avoiding formula where there are known family history of allergies.

As you have got this far feeding exclusively, you would be able to continue giving breastmilk only when working.

Are you going to be working fulltime? How long are your working each day?
You can stockpile milk at home before going to work by expressing off small amounts at a time. They soon mount up. That means you would have milk for her at nursery if needed. However your DD will be coming up to 7 months when you return if my calculations are correct. She will have started solids and will probably not need a luchtime breastfeed at all. She could have water or juice with her lunch. You coould breastfeed her in the morning before she goes to nursery and you could breastfeed her when you pick her up. Depends how long you are away whether you need to express or not.
Need a few more details to halp out with advice.

[mandymac]

Hi Mears - Thanks for responding.

I am planning to start weaning her to solids at 24 weeks which will be 6th December (She was born 22nd June, so will be 6.5 months ish when I return to work). I don't know how well established the solids will be by the beginning of January. I will be aiming to breastfeed for her morning feed, drop her at nursery around 8am and collect her at about 5.30 and breast feed her before bed. (I work 8.30am to 5pm). She currently has daytime feeds at 7am 11am 2.30pm and 5.30pm, so it is the 11am and 2.30pm feeds I am thinking of replacing. (She also feeds at 10pm and sometimes in the night at about 5am if she wakes up - sometimes she sleeps through to the 7am feed).

I have tried expressing and giving her ebm, but the most I have ever pumped in a day is 6oz (over 3 pumpings). So far she won't take a bottle, so whether formula or ebm I am hoping to get her onto a beaker of some sort for these daytime feeds. I thought that she might take formula from a beaker easier as it is something totally different, but I could try with ebm first.

I don't think I will have time to pump at work or early morning, so evening will be the only option and I understand milk supply is lowest then.

Sorry to ramble, but wanted to give you as much info as possible.

Thanks in advance for your help

[hunkermunker]

MM, I went back to work when DS was a similar age - but only two days a week (albeit one was a very long day and I was away from him for 12 hours).

I expressed for him till he was a year old and he built up his food intake steadily while I wasn't with him. He didn't eat much when I first went back to work, but did drink quite a lot of EBM.

I would say start expressing now. Definitely. I didn't build up a supply in the freezer before I went back, which in hindsight was really daft. If I had, it would've been a breeze. But I expressed at work, and played catch-up. I would leave 20oz on my 12 hours away from him and less when I was away from him for 10 hours, because I worked 3.30 to 11.30, so I could feed him more before I left for work.

But DS was a huge fan of EBM and not a great fan of food to begin with - once he got the hang of eating, he didn't need as much milk. And when he was about 10.5 months, I gave him half and half EBM and cow's milk, because he was getting so much bmilk when I was with him, I didn't think it would make much difference.

But definitely start expressing now. Try expressing as you feed in the morning, if you can? Don't freeze it in huge amounts though - I used to do 1, 2 and 3oz amounts in Lansinoh bags, so that it was possible to make up bigger feeds. DS took about 6oz a feed.

HTH a bit - and it will be easier than you think because your baby's adaptable. I promise!

[mears]

There definitely is no need to start formula IMO mandymac. The great thing about starting solids at six months (or as near as) it that I found it was a very quick process. My DD was very quickly onto 3 meals a day over 2 weeks because she loved solids and had no problem taking to them.

I would suggest that you feed her before going to nursery. She could have a drink (water/juice) and snack at 11am. Lunch time she could have solids and water/juice. She can also have snack and drink water/juice midafternoon. She could then have a breast feed at tea time and another breastfeed at bed time.

At 6.5 months she will get enough milk at those breastfeeds. If though you would like her to have more breastmilk initially when starting nursery then I would start expressing and stockpiling milk in the freezer just now. You will have loads by January.

It is a myth that breastmilk is lowest in the evening - it is a time that babies often like to cluster feed and often mums are tired. There definitely is enough milk there.

At the weekends you could give more breastfeeds if you want - there is no need to stick to times really. You could adjust times to suit you. It might be an idea to give her a quick breastfeed before leaving nursery to go home. You will find a way that suits you.

[mandymac]

Food for thought there Hunkermunker and Mears. I am really enjoying breastfeeding, so wouldn't mind continuing a bit longer than planned. I'll start expressing again and see how I get on. And see if dd will take ebm/water from a beaker (imagine this might take a while , if her reaction to bottles is anything to go by).

[hunkermunker]

Try just letting her play with a beaker with water in - I gave DS the freeflow Boots one to begin with (it has one small hole, so the liquid doesn't flood out). The first time I gave him it with water in, he was 6mo. He grabbed it off me and drank away like he'd been thirsty all that time Since then, he's been a water fiend - he loves it.

Fingers crossed it's as easy for you with your DD. The other thing you can try is leaving the beaker next to her as she's playing with her toys and seeing whether she'll pick it up to play with/suck/chew/drink from!