Switch to formula??

[Atticus500]

Am considering switching to formula but feel very conflicted. Have EBF for 8 weeks and there are no issues other than my own mental health (PPD and now on medication) DH is concerned about medication in breast milk and has been encouraging me to switch to FF. I recognise I will feel “free” if I do, and that this will most likely help my mood, but I also feel very conflicted about ending my bf journey earlier than anticipated. I thought I would bf till 6 months and then wean to solids. What I want to know is has anyone successfully switched to formula earlier, and if so, when and which brand? And also, how did it make you feel? Part of me thinks it must surely be easier to bf than to faff with sterilising, but then again, I’m having to bf all day long without much let up so I could be persuaded!

Have you spoken to a pharmacist or asked on the breast feeding network about the medication?

Breast feeding is hard work but when you do it realises lots of happy hormones so giving it up might not improve your mood. I really struggled with bf my first and I gave up at 6 weeks and regret it. That’s not to say you would but t doesn’t sound like you are convinced you want to give up.

Do some research on whether your meds are actually passed on through your milk - if you join Breastfeeding Younger Babies and Beyond they'll be able to point you in the right direction. (Also just be aware that when weaning onto solids this takes months and baby will still need breastmilk or formula until 12 months when you can move onto cows milk if you choose). If you think it's the best choice to move onto formula then that's the right thing to do, but if you stop and aren't happy with that it might affect your mental health further. At least if you're able to make a fully informed decision either way that should help? Best of luck OP, it's such an emotional time as it is!

Do you feel breastfeeding is affecting your PPD? In my own experience, I've ff one of mine and ebf the other. Of the two, the bf one was much easier. I didn't have to stress about packing a million things everytime we went out of the house. I didn't have to worry about being able to buy formula (much more challenging at the moment with COVID and organising shopping). I didn't spend so much time cleaning and sterilising and both of us having to get up in the middle of the night to deal with feeds - I couldn't make the bottle and deal with the screaming baby, so dh also had to be up. When I was bf, I did the night feeds, but dh didn't have to get up, which meant it was easier for him to step in during the early evenings and in the morning when I needed extra sleep.

If bf is otherwise going well, you may find that switching to formula may not make things easier. In the meantime, can your partner step up more, to do more of the nighttime changing, settling, getting up in the early mornings and giving you time to take care of yourself during the day? Mine used to walk around in circles in the garden or the lounge to keep ours sleeping (both the ff and bf one) for hours while I got a 3 hour block of sleep at that age. It made a world of difference to how I felt.

Second PP, check your meds and breastmilk.

Aside from that, I stopped breast feeding at about 8 weeks and it was the best decision I ever made. I hated it and it was having an impact on my bond with my son. In terms of bottles and sterilising 'faff', I dont think its a faff at all. Yes you have to buy a steriliser and bottles, but its literally a 30 second thing.

I use SMA Little Steps, though nutritionally it doesnt matter what brand you use as all the ingrediants that have been scientifically proven to do any good legally have to be in all brands. There is tiny differences between brands; some are organic, some use full fat milk.

From 6 weeks I
Did 2 bottles formula a day and other feeds from breast. I did this til 6 months and then stopped breast feeding ( around about weaning time ). Both my kids were hungry babies , stuck to me for hours a day. The 2 bottles helped and my hubby really enjoyed being involved in the feeding. I’d say go for combi feeding .

I didn't have to worry about being able to buy formula (much more challenging at the moment with COVID and organising shopping)

This hasnt been my experience at all.

I would say you need more stuff with formula feeding, and it gets expensive. For example, PP is right about night feeds. It is a chore if you're not comfortable with making up bottles in advance. Its why we bought a perfect prep machine.

You could always do a bit of both. So bf but then get your partner to do a bottle at bed. I think bf is harder at the beginning and then is easier later on when they feed less often.

At 8 weeks baby might refuse a bottle anyways. The medication is probably safe with breastfeeding. I did a mix of bottle and breast and I dont regret it. Feeding does get easier as they get older.

I had one ff baby and one bf baby. Making up bottles is a PITA.