Need Help Switching

I had problems with both my daughters taking a bottle and formula. My first never did do it (she went straight to a sippy cup but wouldn't drink formula or milk, only water. She is 4 1/2 now and is still not much of a milk drinker). My second did eventually take a bottle and formula. I mixed breast milk in with the formula and gradually decreased how much breast milk I put in the bottles and eventually they were 100% formula. I don't know if that is an option for you but it worked for me. Good luck!

Sorry to respond so late. I have 3 kids under 5 so don't have lots of free time. Have you tried Fenugreek. It is a capsule that helps increase milk supply. I took some last week because I thought my milk supply dropped. (I had taken sudafed for a cold and I think it influence the milk supply.) After one day I noticed a difference. Anyway, if you want to try some I have a whole bottle left over. It came with 200 pills and I used about 8. I know it's weird to take stuff from strangers, but I could give you references, like my pastor or pediatrition. Email me if you're interested:)

The best suggestion that I can give is to try switching the formula. Not all formulas work - that's why they make so many different kinds! I have found the best for my children have either been the soy (any brand) or the Enfamil Gentle Ease... hope that helps!

your other post was right on - warming the formula will surely help. She is accustomed to having to work hard to get milk, so make sure the nipples you buy are made for newborns otherwise it will be too fast a flow and she will likely sputter and choke a bit.

I think you may have to just keep trying on the whole brand issue... now they have nipples that are designed to mimic the breast... these may be helpful, but sometimes it is just a matter of preference for some babies.

I have found that soy formula is a bit sweeter tasting... I have had to use this for all my babies and they have thrived on it. Not sure exactly what the intolerance was caused by... perhaps lactose, not sure but none of my babies could tolerate milk based formulas. Had I breastfed, I probably would have been one of those moms that would have needed to eliminate all dairy from her diet for them.

Also, I've heard that babies are more willing to take a bottle from somebody other than mom... frankly, she's likely to be too familiar with going for the breast when you are holding her closely... i've heard they can even smell the milk! I've not been successful with breastfeeding for a number of reasons, so my experience doesn't come from being there, but what other moms i know have gone through, and what i've read in 'the books'.

Good luck to you.

p.s. - from what I understand, most pumping moms never get much milk when they pump, so what you're seeing in the pumping scenario is totally normal, so don't fret. the pump just is not as efficient at getting milk as your daughter is... nature's way i guess :)

Good luck! :)

When I had my daughter I had the same issue with producing enough milk to feed the baby. When introducing formula it is very hard especially when they have initally been introduced to the breast. You have to experiment with different types of formulas. Each baby stomach intake is different, some more sentative. Enfamil is simialar to the breast milk and most people like it, however, I fount Similic Alementium to be the best for my daughter, she will take NO other. Per the doctor the ingredients are broken down so small that is easier to digest. Hope this helps.

I had to give up breastfeeding too. My little guy was happy to switch, then all of a sudden wouldn't take a bottle anymore. We tried every formula and bottle out there and finally someone suggested to warm it first. That worked great! So try warming up the bottle before you give it to her. What we would do is microwave the water for about 20-30 seconds. This all depends on your microwave. Ours was older. Then we would add the formula and shake,shake,shake til it was all mixed up good. That way we weren't nuking the formula, just the water. This worked great for us. We also got a bottle warmer for the car, just in case we were out and about and he needed a bottle. Since he wouldn't take one cold or even room temp, we had to have something to keep bottles warm.
Also we used the Dr Browns bottles. It's a lot of extra parts to wash, but they worked good for us.
Hope this helps!

H.:

a) you may well be making enough... often mother's feel like they are not making enough when they really are...

b) pumping is a learned art... 1) not all pumps are equal and sometimes there are techniques to try may help.

c) she may not like the taste of he formula...

talk to a lactation consultant who can help yo sort though all this and make a plan with you.

P., RLC, IBCLC
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions
www.breastfeedingandparentingsolutions.com

Just curious... what makes you think you're not making enough for her?? Your body knows what to do if you only let it. If you feed her on demand, you WILL make enough for her - no pumping necessary. Remember - if you feed her off both sides and she's still hungry, there's no "rule" that says you can't put her back on the first side for a second helping. When your baby has a growth spurt there may be days where you feed her every HOUR, but I promise this will only last for 2 or so days, and then your supply will catch up and you'll be back to your regular schedule.

My point is, that unless you have another reason for wanting to supplement with formula, there's really no reason to. You need to trust your body and have faith that you are capable of producing EVERYTHING your little girl needs. (I won't bore you with the details of why breastfeeding is better, except to mention that formula is, if nothing else, darn expensive, while breastmilk is free).

Wow, you've gotten a lot of advice so far. Don't feel bad if people are saying, "oh you just need to nurse more" - I have friends that no matter how much they nurse or pump they never make enough. Some things to try on the nursing side: Make sure you have enough fat in your diet (you have to still be consuming fat in order to make enough fatty breastmilk), and make sure you are drinking A LOT, and I mean a lot. You really need the moisture. Try drinking a glass of water as you nurse to help remind yourself that that's what you need to do. If it still isn't enough, that's okay - don't let anyone make you feel badly for not nursing!!

Also, try not to jump the gun in terms of formula. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean she's not getting enough. You never get as much when you pump as when you nurse - pumps are just not as efficient as babies. If your baby is gaining weight, she's getting enough. I worried with my son that he wasn't getting enough and I was like a milk truck, so I think that's pretty natural, especially since she's your first.

In terms of formula - my son only likes one brand of formula. (I'm still nursing, so he only has it once in awhile) The others he still won't touch in his cereal or anything. Maybe if you have some friends who have different kinds, you could experiment a little and see if giving a different brand helps. My son especially hated Enfamil. He drinks Similac without a problem. Just a suggestion. A lot of the other advice you've gotten is good. Hope I didn't repeat anything - I didn't read through all of the responses.

Good luck!!!

Just was wondering why you thought you were not producing enough milk? Is she not growing as she should? As for cereal, none of my kids could even tolerate it until 6mo and refused it b/c of this....believe it or not it was like they knew they should not be having it yet.

As for pumping, I am on child number 3, and have nursed them all until a year. I have found that pumping is very emotional. If I am stressed or the kids are running a muck or I have a lot to do and tired, I too can't pump out very much. It also takes me a few days/week to even get my body used to pumping to get out a good amount.

Good luck, I have found that my friends that supplemented, ended up stopping the nursing b/c their milk supply went down.

Is it a soy based formula? That is the closest to your milk.

have you tried 1/2 formla and 1/2 breastmilk and slowly switch to all formula

The only way that my daughter would take any formula was if I mixed it with breastmilk. She HATED formula and would throw a fit.

it's the heaviness of the formula. try acouple different ones.
did you check with your doctor about cereal. usually 4 months is too early for their stomachs .

Breast milk is made on demand. The more she nurses the more your body will produce. If she stops nursing it's probably because her little tummy if full. Breast milk is also easily digested because it is the perfect food for your baby...she may want to nurse more frequently than you think she should. maybe as often as every hour and a half!

Babies go through growth spurts around the 3rd, 6th and 9th months. They nurse a lot and plump up then grow. Children grow out then up. If she was nursing lots a week or so and then just doesn't need as much right now, that could be why.

Breast fed babies are able to regulate their intake better than bottle fed babies. This is because they learn to listen to their own bodies and only nurse til their full. Bottle fed babies are often fed til the bottle is empty, which may actually be more than they need.

Breast is best!

Try switching the formula, maybe it is to thick, breast milk is very thin, and a lot sweeter then formula. My daughter is 8 months old and I still nurse, and she has issues just taking a bottle at all! Just keep trying and eventually she will take it! When she gets really hungry give her the formula first, before your breast. Good luck!

How do you know you are not making enough? Look at her output of diapers and her weight gain as an indication. If you would like to continue breastfeeding without supplementing, then please consider contacting your local LLL or a lactation consultant. Pumping is also not an indication of supply, as babies are much more efficient than a pump. Also, it is common to have your supply adjust down to just what your baby needs around the 3-4 month mark. At this point, babies often become fast nursers and can efficiently drain the breast quickly.

I have read that breastfed babies prefer Carnation Goodstart. The few times I used it, my baby took it fine. I would also agree that if you can pump some, to mix it in with the mixed formula to help transition her.

Mix the formula with pumped breast milk. Start at 3/4 breast 1/4 formula and taper down the breast milk. It worked for me and that is what my pediatrician said to try. Good luck.

M.

I have never pumped a lot of milk at the most 4 oz and now forget about it only an ounce. You can not go by how much you pump as a guide to how much she takes in while nursing. Try to stick with nursing as long as possible especially since you are home with her. I know at that age my daughter would nurse every 2 maybe 3 hours.
Obviously if your baby still seems hungry after nursing a full feeding then you probably do need to give formula.
Try using water in with her cereal instead of formula that was the only way my daughter would eat cereal.
Also maybe try a different formula or mixing breast milk and formula. I mixed a lot when I wasn't able to make a full bottle with breast milk.
Well hope this helps. Enjoy little angel.
C.

Add an ounce or two of formula to the breastmilk for a few days . Then add three ounces for a few days,etc. If you take it slow she won't notice the change as much:)

Many mothers, including myself, at some point feel like they aren't making enough milk, especially after the breasts lose that feeling of fullness after the first 3 months. The truth is, your baby's wet diapers will tell you if he/she is getting fed enough. Have you talked to your pediatrician? As long as baby is gaining weight at each visit and there are several wet diapers a day odds are you are making plenty of milk. You should visit http://www.kellymom.com there are a lot of answers for common conerns. That website was a lifesaver for me in the beginning.

If you are really set on switching, I'd reccomend pumping some milk and gradually adding formula to it until your baby becomes accustomed to the taste.

Best of luck to you!

H.,

I agree with Lena that the water for the formula should be warm. But, we don't microwave anything for him. We fill it with warm water or use the bottle warmer.

I'm pumping and have recently decided to start adding formula and we mixed the bottles with BM and formula.

I know you said pumping didn't work, but if you could just do it to get SOME milk for a little bit and mix it with the formula, it may be an easier transition. You can rent a hospital pump OR I've found the Medela Pump in Style to work REALLY well. My son is 9M old and over 20 pounds and I still can pump enough to keep up with him.

Also, formulas taste different. With our first son, we used the premixed Similac (most expensive, argh) at first to get him off the "taste" of breastmilk. Breastmilk is sweet, so I'd try to compare-taste the milk to find one closest to BM.

Good luck.

T.

I had the EXACT same problem at the same time! We had been attempting to give my daughter the powdered formula but when we finally tried the premixed stuff she took it no problem. If you haven't tried the premade already, give it a shot.

Feeling that you are not making enough milk doesn't mean that in fact your milk production has decreased. After 3 to 4 months of breastfeeding the body adjusts milk production to the demand. If your baby is growing and gaining weight then you have enough milk. Get breastfeeding advice from La Leche League or from a lactation consultant.

I had the same problem with my daughter for a while. She would take a bottle fine if it was breastmilk, but not formula. What helped was when she started cereal at about 5 mo, I ALWAYS made it with formula. I hate pumping, and just wasn't willing to spend the time to do it (she's not my only child). She liked the novelty of eating from a spoon, and got used to the taste of formula that way. Now she will eat and drink almost anything (at 9 mo & still nursing). At 4 mo it's possible she may not be quite ready for spoon feeding? Some formulas taste better than others too (I tried all the samples). You may want to try a different formula and see if she takes it better- if you have samples.
The way I always gaged whether mine were getting enough was by their diapers. If she has several wet diapers a day, she is getting enough (I'm sure you can look up how many is normal or ask your doc). My son went through a time when he pooped every 3rd day, and he was fine though I worried he wasn't getting enough (he was my 1st). I know sometimes we worry too much, and I think many people overfeed babies. I hear about too many 6 mo olds that weigh 25 lbs. If she isn't getting enough, she will let you know! Mine were always the loudest if they were hungry. Good luck!

I have 6 mo old son and felt exactly the way you do. I never felt like I was making enough. I think the most important thing to look at is, is she growing and gaining some weight, and wetting her diapers. If so you're probably doing just fine. As for pumping I too felt like I was not getting enough out until I pumped in the morning... wow what a difference because you make more in the morning and as the day goes on you make less. My Mom told me if I feel like I'm not producing enough milk just nurse more frequently. It worked. I would offer it a lot and if he wanted to nurse he would and I would let him nurse for as long as he wanted. My guy was tiny when he was born, 5lb 13oz, at 6 mo he was already 19lbs... this from a mom who constantly felt like she was not making enough milk. As for her not liking the formula can you blame her that stuff is pretty stinky. But it never hurts to keep your options open (if you just have to have a night out with the gals and have no pumped milk on reserve). So I would agree with trying to add formula to the breastmilk. Hang in there.

What kind of formula did you put her on maybe try switching the formula.Also I know when I tried doing this with my son he stoped wanting me.That is up to you but,I would think hard about this.She will tell you if she isn't getting enough to eat.How is her weight.Has the doctor said anything about she's too little.Sometimes we second guess ourselves Good Luck.K.

have you spoken with La Leche League about your supply concern? they are really very supportive and have many many resources. just a thought if your daughter is so adamantly against the formula.
otherwise, i guess i would ask why you think she isn't getting enough? the growth charts for breastfed babies are very different from those of formula fed babies, showing that breastfed babies tend to be slightly thinner adn grow at a slower rate initially.

Do you feel like you're not making enough milk for any particular reason? Say, she's not gaining weight and her pediatrician's said something? Or is it just a feeling you have? Please, please, please don't be so quick to get her on formula. You are breastfeeding, so you know it's what's best for your daughter. If you're having problems with your milk supply, please contact La Leche League (www.llli.org) or a lactation consultant for help . I know there are many ways to increase milk supply like herbs and medication.

You may already have this info from the other entries...
- I'm the same way; I just don't produce that much milk. And it IS SO frustrating. I completely understand. However, you just can't beat the benefits of breastmilk. Here's some advice from my experience:
- use a medela double pump
- pump after she feeds as many times as you can throughout the day. Even if you just get an ounce, your body is learning to make more supply. Also, keep the pump on for a few minutes (5ish) even if you don't see milk coming out. Your body may do another let down of milk - and, again, it's telling your body to produce more the next time around.
- Know you're not alone. Not all of us are super-producers.

It really helped me when my now 7 1/2 mo old started solids - I knew that if I wasn't producing much milk, at least she'd get her nutrition with peas and squash. I still try to breastfeed before solid feed - to keep that supply up and ensure she gets that breastmilk nutrition.

HOWEVER... if you have to start using formula sometimes (as I did/do as well). Here are some suggestions:
- have someone else feed her the bottle, my kid wouldn't take from me, but would take from her daycare sitter. Now, after a month or so, she'll take from me, too.
- try different formula brands. my kid likes one, but not another... try a few
- make sure the bottle is warm. test the actual milk (don't just feel the outside of the bottle). Cold milk/formula is probably the #1 reason why my kid will reject a bottle. (it took me a long time to figure this one out).

Again - know you're not alone and whatever breastmilk you can produce for your baby is a benefit to her (him?).

Good luck!

I had trouble pumping except when I tried getting up before she did and pumping first thing. I could usually get a 4-6oz bottle that way. Then she would feed and since she was more efficient she would get what she needed and it would be hind milk(the rich fatty end part) which she loved.

Also, if you try pumping a little before you feed her each time it should help build your supply. Make sure you're taking in enough calories, liquids, and rest(ha,ha). A product which really helps is More Milk Plus by Motherlove.

If you aren't using a hospital grade breast pump it would be worth it to rent one. I didn't have much luck with a couple of pumps I purchased but the one I rented at the hospital worked quicker and better.

As far as supplementing milk with formula. Breast milk is best so I would work on the increasing the supply until she was really eating solids 6m or longer. My daughter really didn't like the formula or I should say it didn't like her and she would vomit profusely after drinking it. So I'm not a fan but they had mentioned mixing a little in at a time to slowly acclimate her body and tastebuds. You can try other brands too. I think they said the soy tastes better. Your pediatrician should have some samples that you can try to see if it is a taste issue. Have you tasted it? It's pretty nasty tasting. Mom's milk is very sweet and changes in taste based on what the mother eats so sometimes babies have a hard time switching.

Good luck!

When I made the transition from breast to formula I started gradually. I will mix her bottles 3/4 breast milk and the rest formula, then as time when on I would gradually add more formula. Formula has an entirely different taste. Breast milk has a sweetness that the formula is missing. And much like adults when we try something new...it make take some time for her to become accustomed to the taste. My daughter will take an entire bottle of formula, but it was not a transition that happened over night.
Good luck!

Hi H.,

I had this problem (fortunately my son was almost a year)and we started mixing 75% breastmilk and 25% formula, then gradually increasing the formula (then cow's milk once he turned 1) and decreasing the breastmilk. My first son went right from breastmilk to formula at 9 months (TTC #2). So I was at a loss when #2 didn't want formula or cow's milk. This method worked like a charm. Hopefully it will help you too. Also, try talking to a lactation consultant and they may be able to give you ideas on how to get more breastmilk in the meantime. Good luck to you.

My daughter at first refused milk-based formula at about 3 months old, so we tried soy formula and she took it with no problems. It turns out she was allergic to milk, so her "refusal" was actually for a reason. She is now over a year old, and she is still nursing as well as on soy formula and soy milk.

did the dr let you know she wasnt getting big enough and should add formula? If not I just want to let you know almost every mom feels they are not providing enough for their baby. I too tried all the different pumps out there and finally spent the big money on the medula electric pump- I still didnt get much in a bottle after 20 min when I had friends that could fill the bottle in min. it was frustrating as heck but I learned that its not as natural as the baby latching on and you should massage your breast while pumping. your breasts will produce as much as you demand. good luck

I have a 7wk old who I breast fed for 4wks... I too was not producing enough milk from him (he was eating every hour!). You will have to start slow..one bottle a day for a week then the following week 2 bottles a day and so on. Try using a different brand of formula too. It may take a couple of weeks but she will get on the formula before you know it. As for the cereal try putting a smashed banana or apple sauce in it to give it flavor. Most kids don't like the cereal because it is so bland. Hope this helps.

H., as a former breasfeeder, I sympathize with the difficulty of pumping to have a supply of milk on hand. The thing that most breastfeeders don't realize is that it will be hard to produce a significant amount of milk if you are not COMPLETELY relaxed. You need to try to pump at a time when you know you can be alone for about 30 minutes. Plays some music and relax. There were times when I would fill up 3 bottles like that. Try it and see how it works. Don't forget that you need to massage your breast to keep the ducts open. Good luck!

T. C

Have you tried switching her formula? Maybe she doesn't like the 'flavor' of the one that you are currently using, or maybe it's making her tummy feel uncomfortable. Have you asked her pediatrican about it? Maybe the doc will have an explaination and solution for you. Good Luck.