I am only pumping 2 feedings out of 8 for 9week old.When do benefits get outweighed by formula?

Question

I am wanting to know if all the pumping I am doing to get the 8oz a day get outweighed by the forumla she gets the rest of the time. When are the benefits of the breast milk voided?

Answer 1

Anything is better than nothing for sure, but only you can decide if it's just more "effort than it's worth". (Excuse the wording--sounds worse than I mean, but don't know another way to put it) Have you checked into why so little milk? I know I struggled with my daughter when I was first pumping and everything seemed to be doing what it was supposed, but not enough milk. I talked to a lactation consultant who asked what kind of pump I had, and when I told her, that was the problem. My pump was working, I was working, but it took so long to get so little. My problem turned out to be the pump didn't have enough cycles per minute. A real baby sucks something like 60-80 times per minute when feeding and my pump was only doing about 30-35. So my body was feeding my pump, but that wasn't close to matching my baby. I had to buy a more expensive pump, but it was amazing the difference!! I would spend 10 mins in the bathroom and come out with 10-12oz easily! I understand your frustration, but if you want to keep trying to feed this way, check to see if maybe your pump is the problem or if a lactation consultant can help. Mine was a free consulation through our doctor's office. Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Breastfeeding is the best solution for as long as you are able to do so. Even if you are only providing a fraction of the feedings with breastmilk you are providing your baby with essential nutrition and health benefits. If you are frustrated with the small amount you are pumping you may want to consider a few things. Using an electric pump. I was able to borrow one from our local health department at NO cost. You can also increase your supply by taking Fenugreek supplements. If you are on birth control pills that can affect your bodies ability to produce enough milk. Good luck!

Answer 3

Everyone has a different opinion about this. We stopped doing the breast milk thing at about 12 weeks for both of our kids, but alot of people think that you should continue as long as possible. Our doctor told us that he thought that the biggest benefit of breast milk was the anitibodies received from the mother and that after 3 months or so the child had received much of the benefit of that. I really think that it has to be a personal decision for each mother based on how difficult it is for you to conitinue once you go back to work. Once it reaches a stage where it is really difficult to continue, you have to decide when to go exclusively to formula. Good Luck. Its great that you breast fed to begin with. Many people don't and it does have great benefits.

Answer 4

I nursed my daughter until she was 13 months old. She quit taking the bottle at 11 months. You should try to give your child breast milk for as long as possible. Remember the more you pump and the more your baby nurses the more milk you'll produce. You also have to pump for 15-20 minutes to get a good amount of milk. Breast milk is so much healthier that formula. I would do it as long as possible.

Answer 5

As long as she is getting any breastmilk, she will benefit from it. Obviously, the more she gets, the greater the benefit.

There are things that you can do to boost supply or to pump more.

Answer 6

Honey don't worry, ANY breast,ilk that your daughter is getting is beneficial. Non of it goes to waste. Be proud that your giving your daughter any breastmilk!!! Two feedings is good enough!