I am having to supplement sometimes with a formula rather than nurse or use my pumpd breast milk...i got sampes from similac which i have used but does anyone know what the right type of formula is to use while breasfeeding???
The only advice I can give you, is to call your ped. They will tell you what they think, and then if your daughter has a reaction, or doesn't do well, they will know better how to help you.
Good Luck!
Wow, looks like you already got alot of good info. All I can say is that all children are different, even between the two of yours(I'm sure you already realize that.) For my first, I pumped almost exclusively, but I had to supplement with Similac in the beginning. With my second, I was only able to pump for a few weeks. At first we tried Similac because that is what worked the first time, but it didn't agree with my son's tummy. So we went with Enfamil. This was much more agreeable but, after a few months, price became an issue so we switched to Carnation Good Start...also very good.
My suggestion, I guess, would be to try one that you feel comfortable about. All formulas being similar, it's difficult to say that one is any better than the next. I do, however, recommend starting with a small can until you know if it is settling well with you little girl's tummy...that way you won't waste much if you end up having to switch. That being said, once you find a formula that works well, stick with it. I've read many places that it can really mess up a baby's tummy to be buying the pick of the week.
Good luck with your decision!
R.
I used Enfamil Lipil with great success.
I second the advice about talking with your pediatrician about what formula to use. However, if milk supply is an issue for you, Motherlove has some great herbal supplements that really work very well to increase supply. Another great supplement is Ovaltine. The whey in it helps increase supply.
Similac is a good brand. I supplemented with Similac for my daughter. It is what our hospital and pediatrician recommended. I only breastfed for about 6 weeks, then my daughter only had Similac until she was a year old.
Are you sure you need to supplement? There are several ways to build up your own milk supply if you feel you're not making enough. Here's an article about that. Also, eating oatmeal, drinking lots of water, and taking alfalfa pills or fenugreek (an herb) can help increase your supply:
J.,
The choice of which formula to use is exactly that - your choice.
Keeping that in mind, many formulas today have additives that have not been studied long-term, and are basically just a wide-spread on-going experiment.
You may want to consider this when making your choice.
Milk and Soy are the most common food allergens.
Added Iron is not needed for Breastfed babies under 6 months.
DHA, ARA and other plant based additives have not been researched, and long term effects have not been determined.
The tried and tru basic infant formula with out all these new fangled additives have been used long enough that we know their effects.
Hope this is helpful,
L.
I don't think it matters what brand you use as long as it has iron in it. I think you should make you choice by what your baby tolerates, we used Similac or Po-Soy-Bee but again it's just what your baby will tolerate.
Low-iron Enfamil is the best commercial formula, but you can actually make your own from raw cow's milk (yes, I know this sounds crazy!) But if you check out this link, you'll get some more info on it:
http://westonaprice.org/children/index.html#fd
There is actually a seminar coming up in Auburn by Sally Fallon (you'll see her name on the website) in the next couple weeks on health. If you're at all up for it, let me know and I can get you the details. We all want to do what is best for ourselves and our children and it's worth looking into other options than what the pharmeceutical companies and our pediatricians tell us without questioning.
All the best!
M.
