Introducing Formula to Breastfeeding

[Lottielou]

I've been breastfeeding DD for 9 weeks now and have been expressing for about 2 weeks for when it's not convienient to Breastfeed.
Dont get me wrong, i absolutely love breast feeding but a friend of mine is combining breast with formula. What are your thoughts on this? The reason i ask is her DD is sleeping longer through the nights and the convienience of using cartons of formula when out and about seems easier than expressing! And also her DH feeds a lot which gives her a break through the nights.
Hmmm, when typing that i now feel like id be cheting DD out of the nutrients my like gives just to make my life easier.
Hmmm!
Confused x

darn typos! i mean I'd be cheating DD out of the nutrients my milk gives'

Hi LL. Your supply will reduce to match the amt you are giving your DD. Lots of people will tell you not to, wait until you reach a year etc (I'm not btw). When I started mix feeding DS2 he fussed and hated the formula became alot harder to settle at night because he was windy (I wound up building my supply back up as he hated formula). with DD1 (at 12wks) it was the complete opposite as soon as I gave her formula she loved it and didn't want breast milk

Hi Lottielou!

There's another thread on almost exactly the same subject. Have a look here .

I gave my ds a bottle of formula at about this age for 5/6 weeks before switching to expressed milk. Having now read up a little I 'd rather I hadn't - baby's delicate stomach doesn't get the full benefit of exclusive breastfeeding when you introduce something artificial into their system.

So I didn't do it with dd 2nd time around - I just b/f and it made no difference to her sleeping through compared to ds - she managed it earlier in fact.

Have a read of the thread I've linked to - there's some great advice on there. All the best

when out and about i used to just take a spare nappy in my handbag, nothing else. then stop and bf my baby with a cup of coffee in M&S or somewhere else relaxing. seemed easier than buying and packing cartons of formula and bottles and easier than expressing to do the same.

its no guarantee that it will happen to your baby as it 'did' hers.

formula can make their tummies windy and unsettled too. exclusively bf babies also have a gut lining that prevents larger molecules from being absorbed and going into the body as tiny babies have a porous gut. formula removes this lining which means that your baby will be more susceptible to viruses, bacteria and allergens - like cow's milk protein and all the other stuff that goes into formula these days.

Hi Xena! how u doin hunni? hope you remember me?
So there is a chance that my DD could refuse BF?

kiskidee, didn't know that bout stomach linings, thanks!

Thanks bobsmum, will have a look!

I'm good LL am verrrrrrrrry in love with DS2 and feel very much that my family is complete. Have 'looked' around mumsnet for you but didn't see your birth announcement so CONGRATULATIONS. AM so happy that all of our gang got our babies

I did the combination thing and it gave my lo a lot of problems with wind etc which calmed down a lot once I just switched over to formula completely. A friend of mine had the same problem. I think you're best off doing one or the other but it has to be what's best for you.

must run. google baby friendly initiative/ co sleeping. it give you tips on how to practice safe co-sleeping. i started by doing it around a long mid day nap for us too. meant i had a decent not to tired evening. or anther strategy is to have an early night, say 2 hrs with you and baby curled up then later on popping him into his cot. its not an all or nothing solution.

Xena - have been off Mn for a while, haven't been able to tear myself away from my gorgeous little girl. I did post when she was born, think i called it 'little lottie has finally arrived'
I'm too am so thrilled we all got our little bundles of joy ! we're very lucky! Glad you're well! x