Not a Formula Baby

Breastfed babies are often said to be underweight for their age... The growth chart doctors use a lot of the time is for formula-fed babies, not breastfed babies. If he is meeting his milestones, still active, and having at least 6 wet/poopy diapers a day, he is eating enough.

I second the advice about trying to get breastmilk, either through the bank or through friends.

simalic is a very rich formula and can be very hard on babies lil tummies i would tell her to try a soy formula or carnation good start the ones with dhr and ara are good but they are also rich they make some that dont have the dra and ara that they can try too. hope this helps!

I am so sorry about your friend and thank goodness she has such a concerned and wonderful friend in you. My daughter also refused to take a bottle after my milk dried up on us. I talked to my pediatrician and she recommended a bottle called Second Nature. I got them at Babies R Us. The nipple has several small holes on the top and the babies sucking controls the flow. She took right to them and did wonderfully. They mimic the breast and are amazing! She also might want to try switching formulas. Nestle Good Start Supreme with DHA and ARA in an excellent formula. Please relay to your friend that she and her family are in my prayers.

I have a couple of suggestions...now these are from a breastfeeding standpoint and will ignore the advice to get him to take a bottle, you will get lots of great advice from the other moms, so I am not repeating those:) Couple of options. First, there is the Indiana Mothers Milk Bank. I'm sure her pediatrician would write her a prescription to cover the milk..usually reserved for preemies and sick infants...but a mom with cancer is certainly a risk factor and formula DOES increase your risk of childhood cancer...no flames please, this is documented research..so the breastmilk is preventative for her little one. Second...and bit more on the edge is she could ask her friends that are breastfeeding to pump a little extra for her little one. It's actually more common than people realize...just usually the Lactation Consultants are the ones who are told, not social circles. If she had friends that pumped just 1 bottle extra per day, she would have lots of extra-free-breastmilk for her baby...and what a gift from her friends! Of course, all this depends on if mom is worried about the baby eating or the baby eating formula. Prayers to recovery of your friend!

hi i think u should give him baby food. i know the doc say not yet but my son has been bottle feed from day on and started eating at 2 weeks b/cuz he was b/cuz drinking to much

hi K.,
so sorry to hear about your friend. i hope everything goes well for her. about the 4 month old, though, had he ever had a bottle before? and is she the only one giving the bottles? it could be that he's refusing because it's so different, even after a month. obviously she has to persist, though, so if it is the bottle, then i would recommend looking at which kind of bottle she's using (we had great luck with avent switching between breast and bottle), and who's feeding him. sometimes they are less likely or less happy taking a bottle from mom when they are used to the breast from mom. if it's not a bottle issue, it couldn't hurt to switch formulas. i would recommend enfamil lipil, or an off brand like it. it has more dha and ara (which are the ingredients in breast milk that help brain and eye development) than any other kind. we used it when i needed to supplement, then found that target had a generic that had the same amount of dha and ara, for about half the cost! i think walmart has a brand as well. i hope that i have been of some help, and i'm praying for your friend!
J.

I would switch and see if it helps. We always used a lactose free formula, since my daughter broke out from the lactose and it upset her stomach. They also make nipples designed to be similar to breastfeeding that may help. Tell her not to get frustrated or to feel guilty. He'll come around.

The formula is probably only part of the problem the bottle can be the other and you can also try a sippy cup at 4 months it is messy but some babies prefer it. She should also be able to relactate after the chemo series is finished and could keep her milk up during chemo by pumping and discarding. If she didn't want to stop nursing that is. Tell her to contact her local La Leche League Leader. They should be able to help her with additional info and might be able to give her support through this difficult period. She will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Is it the formula or the actual bottle? My daugher is breastfed, but when I do have to give her a bottle we use either the orthodontic nipples or the Gerber slow flow nipples. I know that Avent bottles also work well with breastfed babies. She could also probably start to offer cereal at that age. I know it's a little early, but the little one may like it better than formula. If all else fails, have her contact her ped. My thoughts and prayers are with your friend and her family. Cancer is a very hard disease to deal with.

You didn't say whether he had the bottle before she had to stop breastfeeding, he may just be still getting used to the bottle and havine trouble adjusting...I would def talk to the babies pediatrician and see what he says.

Hey K..
Sorry to hear your friends bad news. Before you switch the formula i would try to swich the type of bottle you use. My daughter is breastfed and we have tried several kinds of bottles to get her to eat for the babysitter. We found that Avent bottles work best or a Nuby sippy cup with the silicone top. Hope this helps.