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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Stopping breastfeeding

15 replies

Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 14:06

Hi any advice would be appreciated.

I have been exclusively breastfeeding my baby (turned 10 weeks yesterday) and have decided I would like to switch to formula. She is very unsettled and I have tried everything to settle her (infacol, gripe water, tongue tie cut) but nothing has helped. She cries all the time, doesn’t sleep well and is very unsettled during and after most feeds. I feel this is the only solution and wondered how to go about the switch. Does it need to be done gradually or can you just start giving formula?

thank you.

OP posts:
Scramble1805 · 13/02/2023 15:06

If you're sure that's what you want to do then best to start gradually, one feed a day and see if she's happier with that one. Then go from there.

But not sure why you think that's your only option? Have you tried cutting foods out of your diet? Or tried gaviscon from the doctors in case it's reflux?
Just because if it's cows milk that's the issue then switching might make it worse.

Lots of babies are just naturally like this, often improving after 4 months old.

Original poster
Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 15:38

Hi,

ive tried cutting down on dairy and completely stopped on the obvious things like caffeine and spicy foods but hasn’t seemed to help. Doctor said doesn’t sound like reflux and advised against gaviscon as could make her constipated. Just upsets me seeing her cry during her feeds and wondered if she’d be happier with an alternative

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 13/02/2023 15:43

I’ve just cut out dairy to see if it helps my breastfed baby. With potential cows milk
protein allergy cutting down won’t make any difference, you need to strictly cut out all
cows milk for at least 4-6 weeks. Spicy foods don’t travel through breastmilk. If it is CMPA, formula will have the same affect, though you can try dairy free formulas. Totally up to you if you want to stop breastfeeding of course, but you might be making things harder for yourself in the long run.

BuffaloCauliflower · 13/02/2023 15:43

At least 4-6 weeks, and then the whole time you’re breastfeeding if that is the culprit*

SassyPants87 · 13/02/2023 15:49

@Daisysimply this was literally me at 11 weeks (baby is now 4 months) and went through all the feeding challenges you have. Please do it gradually! I just stopped overnight (pumped for relief here and there) and my hormones just crashed triggering a chemical imbalance and as result setting off really bad anxiety and depression. Not saying that’s what would happen to you but hormones are powerful stuff!

Scramble1805 · 13/02/2023 22:55

Oh, just to add. The risk of constipation from gaviscon is lower in breastfed babies as their poos are much runnier. And if it did slow things down then just reducing the daily dose would likely fix it.

Original poster
Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 23:36

so sorry to hear that! Did you find that switching to formula helped with the feeding at all?

OP posts:
Original poster
Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 23:38

Thanks for all the responses! I will definitely cut dairy out completely and see if that makes a difference. Now wondering if she’s teething as she’s sucking on her hands and dribbling loads with red cheeks but she’s too young for that surely?

OP posts:
purplejungle · 13/02/2023 23:51

Sorry can't advise on switching to formula, but my baby has also been v unsettled.

Things I have been recommended to try:

  • cutting out dairy and soy (apparently 60% of babies with cmpa are also allergic to soy so I'm trialling cutting both out) for 4 weeks (although lots of people say you see a difference within 48 hours).
  • probiotics - I've been recommended baby Gaia drops
  • tummy time
  • chiropractor specialising in babies - this seems to have made the most difference so far
  • having tongue tie division checked again as it can reattach
Original poster
Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 23:57

Thank you for the advice. How did you go about finding a chiropractor specialising in babies?

OP posts:
purplejungle · 14/02/2023 00:05

I found a local chiropractor on google when I was pregnant who also specialises in babies - they should list qualifications etc on their website. Also found the same names cropping up on local breastfeeding Facebook group.

SassyPants87 · 14/02/2023 01:11

@Daisysimply honestly sometimes I wish I had stuck to BF as it’s been a long and difficult road to formula feeding (we’re still not totally there yet). But I was already vegan and not eating soy so I feel like maybe if you give going dairy free and soy a go first you can say you’ve tried everything. Going to formula fed wasn’t this magical transition I thought it would be but it also helped in the sense that the pressure just wasn’t all on me (he was slow to gain weight)

Lavender14 · 14/02/2023 01:23

Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 23:38

Thanks for all the responses! I will definitely cut dairy out completely and see if that makes a difference. Now wondering if she’s teething as she’s sucking on her hands and dribbling loads with red cheeks but she’s too young for that surely?

Hi op, my little one is the same age and he has spells of this recently and he's drooling flat out- deffo has started teething a bit. For me I think it's a mix of the gums being sore, and also he struggles to get his wind up (I pump and give the odd bottle and I find its the same regardless of feeding method) only thing I found helped in my scenario was every time I had a let down I take him off and wind him while it dies down then he goes back on so he's not gulping and he's winded more regularly. But you need to do what's best for you and your baby. I'd do as pp have suggested and go dairy free for a few weeks and look at other offenders like broccoli and garlic etc and see if there's any difference there. If you want to move to bottles I'd look for a slow feeding teet and look into paced feeding. Dairy free formula might be a good way to go but if you can go dairy free first you'll know that's what to move on to. You could also try feeding sitting upright and I find ds gets wind etc up better when he lies on his left to feed so we do that in the evening and during the night and I pump on the other side. It's horrendous when they're screaming and you've done all you can to comfort them. I find the bath is good for this and a dunk bucket and tummy massage but just remember that while you can't maybe fix it for her, she will be comforted just by you being there reassuring her so you are making it better even if it doesn't feel like it at the time.

Hatscats · 14/02/2023 01:28

If you want to stop then make sure it’s slowly as you don’t want mastitis.
Has an IBCLC checked latch? And I would also cut dairy and soya completely if you want to carry on.
Normal formula you would expect to see more upset if it’s CMPA - then you’d need GP and specialist hydrolysed formula.

BuffaloCauliflower · 14/02/2023 14:03

Daisysimply · 13/02/2023 23:38

Thanks for all the responses! I will definitely cut dairy out completely and see if that makes a difference. Now wondering if she’s teething as she’s sucking on her hands and dribbling loads with red cheeks but she’s too young for that surely?

Possibly teething but less likely. Around 10 weeks they generally start chewing on their hands as part of their development, lots of people think it’s teething when it isn’t, they’ve just found their hands are interesting to chew, the chewing makes the dribble, and the dribble on their cheeks makes their cheeks red

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