Should I switch from breast milk to formula?

Question

Ok, I need some help here. My baby girl who is exactly 12 weeks today is very colic (although she is doing alot better). Either she's crying, sleeping or eating, there is no happy medium with her. I've been breast feeding her since she was born. I think she has trouble digesting because when she poops, you can hear her from a mile away...and the farts, oh my!!! My hubby, sister-in-law and my mom think I should switch to formula. But from all the research on the internet, and my dr and chiropractor said that breast milk is easier to digest than formula. So is there any advantages or disadvantages to giving my baby formula once in a while? Will it help her? Her gas is not interruping her sleep at night. She's been sleeping throught the night for the last couple of weeks (last night she went to bed at 9:30 and woke up this morning at 9:30). Any suggestions will be appreciated. I will go get my hubby so he can read your answers. Thanks!

Answer 1

I have breastfed all my 3 children and found that in the first couple months it is good to step back on milk, coffee and cabbage-like veggies or anything that gave me gas. I have heard from a friend that especially milk from cows can sometimes give babys a hard time. Somehow that lactose gets into moms milk and give the baby diarrhea and so on.
Well, my babies pooped and had real loud gas, sometimes it all came up their underwear out of the diaper and that is just normal...
Breastmilk is nature-made-milk so how could it be better to give something manmade?? You should stick to breatsfeeding your babys crying will eventually stop, don't be insecure because she is crying more than others maybe, that is the way it is, some cry more and some cry less.
You are doing the right thing. Go with your feelings!

Answer 2

There is a very good chance that formula will make it worse.

Also the artificial vitamins interfere with the absorbtion of the vitamins from breastmilk so mixing the two can cause malnutrition.

Have you been assessed by a lactation consultant? Colic generally is only for a set period during the day not all day. There are some things that can cause "colic" in a breastfed baby:
-Timed feedings (switching after so many minutes so the baby doesn't get enough hindmilk)
-Overactive Letdown
-Foreign Proteins in the mother's milk (Though this is rare).

Read more at: http://www.kellymom.com/newman/02colic_in_bf_baby.html

More about fussiness:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussybaby.html

About gassy babie:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/gassybaby.html

If you can not see a laction consultand or you local La Leche League (www.lalecheleague.org) then the first thing I would try is: nurse only from one side for four hours, then the other side for four hours. This will help it the baby is not getting enough hindmilk.

Also most babies poop and fart very loudly in the begining, it is just because their digestive system is immature.

Answer 3

I breastfed my son for 6 months... and he was the same way with the poops and farts... but I think all children are loud with that. And giving her formula and breast milk is not a good idea. Its not good to give both to her. She needs the breastmilk the most. The colic will soon pass and in another couple of weeks she will be doing great. She isn't having a problem digesting b/c of her poops though. As long as she is gaining weight and healthy that is all that matters. My son was the same way though till he turned 16 weeks though... he slept, ate, and cried... that is all he did... but he is 16 months and he is wonderful and I am happy that i fed him breastmilk till he was 6 months. I would have done the year but my milk all but went away, so i switched to goodstart formula. But if I were you i would definitely stick with the breast milk, it is the best for her right now. gl

Answer 4

Did you contact her doctor? Breast milk is easier on the stomach than formula. She may need gas drops, which you can purchase over the counter; all of my kids were very, VERY gassy and they did help. Remember, if it doesn't bother her, don't let it bother you. If you want to supplement the breast feeding with bottle feeding for convenience sake- that's ok too. A lot of mothers will make you feel like you are an awful mom for doing it; but I was one in a million and couldn't produce enough and HAD to supplement (and I worked exclusively with the breastfeeding department at our hospital to find out why my milk wasn't coming in- and it just didn't)- my kids are just fine. The only advantage I found to bottle feeding was that it was nice to be able to have others (DADDY, family members and friends) help with the feedings. Good Luck!!! Give her a kiss for me!!!

Answer 5

Have you contacted your baby's pediatrician to seek advice? I formula-fed my first daughter and she did okay with it -- but gained a LOT of weight. I breastfed my second daughter and I am so glad that I did.

It sounds as if your daughter just has some really intense gas in her tummy. My baby would get like that too, and nothing would calm her down. Have you tried gas drops? That helped a little bit. I also would give her just about 2 ounces of apple juice to loosen up her bowel movement.

I wish you the best of luck! It's a big decision choosing how you will feed your baby -- no matter what anyone else says though, you have to be happy with the choice! If I were you I would get into the pediatrician's office first thing Monday morning and see what they have to say.

Answer 6

We went through the same thing starting with our little one and it turned out she has acid reflux. Does she spit up a lot? My little girl makes this sound like a half hiccup half swallow from stuff coming back up. If not, than ignore that. I almost switched my little one over the same thing. I mean something wasn't right for her to be screaming ALL the time! Something was telling her she was hungry when she wasn't, maybe my milk isn't enough? The truth was, she was hurting and couldn't tell me (it burns like heartburn) the only way she knew to soothe it was eat. Formula has a higher PH and is worse on the acid in her tummy so had I switched I would have made her feel worse not better. By the time I knew what her problem was, my milk would have been gone and I would have felt horrible every time I fed her after that knowing that I only made things worse. Every situation is different. Have you ruled out the possiblities of allergies to something you've eaten. Lactose intolerant? You may try dropping one thing out of your diet at a time to see if she feels better. The common ones I've heard of are milk, chocolate, caffine. Do you eat a lot of spicy stuff that could be upsetting her tummy? My daughter has loud poop moments, but as long as it doesn't look constipated I think it's OK. Does she have gas? You can buy gas drops over the counter to help her with that. I would push at the doctor's office to find the root of the problem before I switched. Once your milk is gone, it's gone. I'd hate to switch her and then find out later the breastmilk was worse. You can always go to formula if you find out for sure it is better for her. Sorry for all the possibilities, but these are what came to my mind. I know it's hard to have your little one screaming and not be able to fix it. Best of Luck!

Answer 7

Don't switch! If she is colicy now formula will only make it worse, not better. The good news is that if she is 12 weeks she should improve all on her own in the next few weeks.

NOTHING beats breastmilk. I know its sometimes frustrating when you have a fussy baby but right now you are doing the very best thing you can possibly do for her. The one thing you may need to look more closely at is YOUR diet. If there is something you are eating that gives you a bit of gas if might be affecting her also.

Good luck!
Claudine Crews CPM, LM

Answer 8

She is likely upset by something you are eating. Maybe peppers, dairy, ??? something is coming Thru your milk to her that is bothering her belly. It would likely worsen if you change her to formula.
Go to LeLeche league first, talk to a lactation specialist. 12 weeks is so tiny she has just barley begun to benefit from the breast milk. If you have made it this far and she is sleeping thru the night already don't give up so easy!

I nursed both of my kids as well as gave them formula a few times a week. Its a good combo for some. My son developed a rash & was extremely constipated when I weened him from breast milk. I gave him soy milk for a long time as that is what helped almost immegiately! I wish I would have nursed him longer, he was 10 months when I weened him from my breast.

Its great that you have such awsome support from all these people however, you are the mommy - you gotta go with your connection to your baby above all else.

Answer 9

I think 12 weeks is too soon to take her off breast milk. The gas is from the crying most likely. Babies swallow a lot of air, sometimes from not having a good latch on your breast, but it sounds like she is getting plenty of milk if she's already sleeping through the night...you lucky woman you...Make sure you burp her after feeding her, and try not to feed her as often. Just because she's crying, doesn't mean she wants the breast. Since she is almost 3 months old, find things to distract her and play with her, to space out your feeding times. She is most likely gassy from eating too often, or as I said above...the crying...good luck!

Answer 10

You should speak to your doctor about what foods you should eliminate from your diet. It could be something that you are eating or drinking that is giving her gas and colic. Many babies can't tolerate mom eating spicy foods, or dairy, caffiene, etc.

You may want to look into those things if you want to continue breast feeding. If you choose to switch to formula you want to talk to your pediatrician first also. The doctor can recommend formula that would be best in your situation.