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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Advice needed on introducing formula

31 replies

MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 18:41

My little one (13 weeks) would never latch on, tried allsorts, midwives tried to help nothing worked, so I have been expressing every feed for my baby since day 1 pretty much. Up til now I have managed to keep up with her, but she is starting to want more than I can get around to pumping so I need to introduce the odd bottle of formula.

Any tips? The odd time I have given her formula (eg when travelling) she seems to throw a lot of it back up.

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Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 18:43

Also am currently in the US so brands are different to those I know of in the UK - anyone know the good ones in the US?

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pixiefish · 29/10/2004 18:45

sorry i can't help- there'll be someone along later who probably can. tiktok will know.
Just wanted to say BLOODY WELL DONE you have my admiration for expressing every feed for so long. FANTASTIC

Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 18:49

Thanks, it has been a bit of a chore, but worth it

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Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 20:09

No help yet

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KristinaM · 29/10/2004 20:14

Sorry no advice either but ditto with the congratulations . I did this too with most feeds for weeks (not 13!!!!!!!) and its was SSSOOO hard. Well done

pupuce · 29/10/2004 20:16

Well my best friend has a down syndrome little girl who couldn't suck so her mum did the dame... express every feed.... and whilst her DD didn't throw up the forumla she did struggle a lot more on formula.... which makes you wonder what is in formula!

I don't know anything about US brands... are there "lighter" ones? I mean here we have :"hungrier" babies version which are heavier to digest.
Are there brands which are not cow milk based ? COuld you try those ?

edam · 29/10/2004 20:42

sorry, no idea re formula but just wanted to add another 'bl**dy well done'. Wow.

Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 20:42

Thanks Pupuce will have a look for lighter formulas and maybe try those - didn't know they existed!

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Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 21:34

Thanks Edam

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pixiefish · 29/10/2004 21:40

Just wondering MrsEvs- how often are you expressing? Just an idea but maybe you could express more often to increase your milk supply to give to your dd as she may be going through a growth spurt which will settle. Just a thought... can't imagine how hard it is for you to express like this- I know I find it hard when i have to express at work 2 days a week

Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 21:44

Generally express about 5 times a day and usually get about 4-6 OZs (apart from the morning when I get a bumper 10!). Have tried doing more in a day but found I got less, seems easier when I let it build up a bit and then empty both breasts.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

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pixiefish · 29/10/2004 21:46

If you don't get any answers tonight and the lighter formula doesn't work then maybe you should CAT tiktok- the expert on these matters- or bump this up on Monday

Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 21:47

what's CAT?

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throckenholt · 29/10/2004 21:49

Hi - well done to keep going this long. I sympathise - my DS1 took a month to latch on, and my twins never did, so I expressed both times (9 months with my twins). I never quite managed to exclusively express enough so mine had a bit formula from day one - usually the last feed of the day when I had run out of expressed milk (could never keep up with the evening feeding frenzy !). So I don't have much advice on how to get her to take formula - apart form try different types. Of maybe give her an ounce after a feed or expressed. Or maybe mix up an ounce of formula, and mix it with an ounce of ebm, and give her that.

Expressing is like breast feeding - supply and demand - and your supply should be established now. So the more you pump the more you will get over a few days - just like a growth spurt for a breast feeding baby. Even if she is not latching on still keep trying - the skin to skin time helps to stimulate the supply. And try not to drop the middle of the night expressing - that also helps stimulate supply (not fair I know).

Look for pumpmoms on google - there is a yahoo group I think that is for mums who express exclusively - try asking there - they will probably have som euseful suggestions.

Keep up the good work.

Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 21:52

Thanks a lot throckenholt, some useful tips. Will try the yahoo thing too

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pixiefish · 29/10/2004 21:55

Contact anothe talker- at the top of the page- you can ask mumsnet to pass a message on to another mnetter.
hats off to you as well throckenholt- BLOODY WELL DONe

janeybops · 29/10/2004 21:56

Have you tried latching her on recently. My DS and DD wouldn't latch on till about 4 months. Then suddenly seemed able to with no problems.

Up until then I used nipple shields. Have you tried them? Not great but perhaps a bit easier than all that expressing!

Original poster
MrsEvs · 29/10/2004 22:00

No haven't tried to get her on for a month or so. Tried 5/6 times a day for 8 weeks and then had to give myself a break, it was so upsetting to have her reject me every time

Will maybe try her again now that I've had a break. Didn't think of that tbh as had pretty much given up hope, but if yours didn't manage it til 4 months perhaps it's worth a go! Thanks for the ray of hope!

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throckenholt · 29/10/2004 22:01

pixiefish - I don't know how I did it with hindsight ! It seems a long time ago now (my twins are now 21 months). It isn't something I ever recommend to anyone - butit can be done - some people manage to express loads and keep it up for over a year .

pixiefish · 29/10/2004 22:02

I really admire you for that

throckenholt · 29/10/2004 22:02

do look up the pumpmoms group - it really helps to realise you aren't the only lunatic sitting expressing in the middle of the might !

janeybops · 29/10/2004 22:08

Do give the latching on another go, as DS is still bf and will be 1 tomorrow. Good luck

pixiefish · 30/10/2004 13:36

bumping this incase tiktok is still around

tiktok · 30/10/2004 19:49

Wow - expressing long term is hard....

But expressing 5 times a day is not normally enough to establish and maintain a supply long term.

Two suggestions:

  • see if you can possibly fit in two more expressings a day, switching breasts when the flow dwindles to a trickle, and using each breast twice

  • put the baby to the breast for snuggles and cuddles, as often as you can and just see what happens

I don't know what lighter formula means, sorry. Formula is either whey based or casein based....I wonder if 'lighter formula' is meant to mean whey based? This is normally digested more quickly than casein based, as casein sits in the stomach for longer as the curds made are thicker.

Original poster
MrsEvs · 01/11/2004 04:52

Thanks tiktok. I express pretty much whenever I get the chance, but I have tried to do both breasts twice and I do seem to be able to get more that way ,so that was very helpful.

Often when I can't keep up it is less to do with supply and more that I just havent had a minute to do the expressing. It doesn't help that we have been living in a hotel for 6 weeks since we moved to Washington DC for my dh's work, and most of our stuff (including distractions for madam) are in storage until we get into our house (hopefully this week!)

I wonder if you had any suggesstions if I did need to introduce one bottle of formula a day, is it best to do it in the morning/evening or does it not really matter - just do it as and when I need to?

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