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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

can i give formula to my bf baby as a one off?

13 replies

serant · 14/04/2008 13:54

My babe is 6wks old & fully bf, i have tried expressing but can only manage 1-2 oz.

i want to attend an overnight function & i am wondering if i could give formula? i know i will have to express whilst away & that would give me a frozen supply for any future events. iyswim, & then i won't have to rely on formula.

This sound ok to me, what do you think? also will formula be ok & if so what do i buy?

OP posts:

insywinsyspider · 14/04/2008 14:13

I was told by HV that a one off wouldn't affect milk supply, it tends to level out at 12wks but at this stage I think you should be fine

I don't know which formula to recommend (I posted a few weeks ago about which one to get as we needed it as a back up!) Aptimal seems to be a fav round here and my ds1 got on really well with it, ds2 is on hipp organic as I have to say it was cheaper he has max one feed a day so I thought it didn't matter too much as long as it didn't make him uncomfortable. Cow & Gate have a great product range for the future (ie good follow on milks and toddler milk) if you wanted to use them.... I think they are all very similar so go with one that you like look of and if its for occasional feed I'd get a ready made carton as you don't want an opened box of powder hanging around for weeks

hth and enjoy your night 'off'

chipmonkey · 14/04/2008 14:18

I think you would be fine. You might have a slight dip in supply the following day but if you just feed as usual it will build back up. I always got loads more with the pump when I was away from the baby than I did when with the baby. If you are freezing the EBM, do it in small batches, It gives you more flexibility later.

CantSleepWontSleep · 14/04/2008 14:19

From an 'affecting supply' point of view there shouldn't be any problem from a one off if you are expressing whilst away, but some of the advantages of bf will be diminished once the gut has been exposed to formula. I'll have a look on kellymom and see if I can find out exactly what would be compromised.

ChutneyMary · 14/04/2008 14:19

When is your function? would you have time to stockpile a bit of BM before you go? There is advice on Kelly mom about how much BM is needed, which is less than formula. If you have a while before you go, you may have enough with all the 1oz added together. Also if you express on one side whilst you feed off the other, you might get more.

You might like to practise giving a bottle before you go away as it's different sucking technique for the baby and s/he might not take it very easily the first few times.

I think one night may not affect supply but you will have to pump several times whilst you are away or your boobs will explode!

Original poster

serant · 14/04/2008 14:35

oh, thankyou all, yes i will pump whilst away & freeze it!

I did wonder about the gut flora thing & will read more about this.

I will be away for max 18 hrs, so i will need alot of ebm, i have 2 weeks to collect this, but wanted to see if formula as a one off, but several feeds iyswim? would be an option.

babe has no prob sucking a dummy so nip conf prob won't be an issue ..

OP posts:

chipmonkey · 14/04/2008 14:44

Serant, you actually have loads of time. Set aside a "Pumping time" each morning and pump at that time. The amount you produce at that time should increase, day by day. Also it can be helpful to express from one breast when feeding from the other.

ChutneyMary · 14/04/2008 14:46

if you have got 2 weeks, you can get 14x2 oz out (if you wish) and spare the bother of formula. A big feed before you go, a big feed when you get home and 28oz of formula in between will be LOADS.

pofaced · 14/04/2008 14:55

Yes of course you can give the baby formula and it won't do any harm and useful to introduce a bottle anyway in case of emergencies at a later stage stage eg getting delayed when you've left bonny 6 month old to go shopping!
Howver, you will be very sore with enlarged boobs and at risk of severe leaking at your function! Be prepared to massage yourself in a warm bath before you get dolled up, pump a bit and bring enough breast pads. At only 6 weeks I was surprised at how uncomfortable I became after missing just one feed.
Whichever formula you use, get it in ready mixed cartons for convenience.

cockles · 14/04/2008 15:00

It won't affect supply but it WILL compromise the 'virgin gut'; not the end of the world but it matters to lots of people , is good for baby's health, and it would be a shame if you regretted it.

Anna8888 · 14/04/2008 15:03

You can try. And, whatever anyone else says, you will do your baby and your milk supply no harm at all.

But your baby might have other ideas.

I write from experience

chipmonkey · 14/04/2008 22:20

Did you find a baby that young objected to a bottle, Anna. Ds3 was a lot older than that before he got stroppy! Ds1 and ds2 never objected at all. It was an early indicator of the types of personalities they all had!

Anna8888 · 15/04/2008 09:11

Yes.

My mother tried very hard to give my daughter a bottle (of EBM and of formula) because she really wanted to be able to look after her and let me have some free time.

But my daughter had other ideas

Tommy · 15/04/2008 09:16

shouldn't be a problem at all. DS was given 2 bottles of formula when I was ill in hospital. I'm still feeding him 14 months later and it doesn't seem to have done him any harm

(would agree with others that your baby not like the botle but if you are away for 18 hours, then he will take it eventually!)

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