Did anyone let their infant have formula in the hospital and were still successful at breastfeeding?

Question

I am pregnant and due in June. When I gave birth to my son (who is 19 months now), he was so hungry in the hospital. This time I would like to offer my newest baby some formula while in the hospital. Just wondering if anyone else did this and if they were still able to get their baby to nurse. The nurse at the hopspital wanted to give my son formula, but I wasn't sure if he'd still latch on to the breast. My son lost over a pound, and we had to take him to the doctor for weight checks. Any advise or opinion would be great! Thank you!

I do know that babies lose weight after they are born, this will be my third child. Thanks again!

Answer 1

Yup I sure did- in a bottle too. He was about 24 hours old and getting jaundiced and I wanted him to have some extra volume. He had formula occasionally for the first month when we were out or I couldn't pump enough. He has been breastfeeding with only a few bottles of EBM for 6 weeks now. I am an OB RN and we would just recommend that any time you supplement you pump to bring your milk in. Also if you are worried about baby latching ask your RN to show you how to use a syringe or cup to feed. I'm sorry but I feel giving a little formula is better than losing a lot of weight or having other problems. Best of luck to you- do what YOU think is best for YOUR baby.

Answer 2

Breastmilk is supply and demand so the more you breastfeed him the quicker your supply will come in. I don't think there is any need to do formula in the hospital. BOTH of my boys were big guys are birth and lost over 1 lb each. I was nursing then every 1/2 hour - 45 minutes for the first 5 days and that's normal.

If you really really really want to offer formula, I would suggest you feed via SNS (supplemental nursing system). There is a bottle with a tube attached to it. Place the tube beside your nipple and then when the baby latches on to your nipple, he stimulates your breast to help with your milk, but gets the formula at the same time.

Answer 3

My daughter spent the first 6 days of life in the NICU, and was given bottles of formula and pumped colostrum/breastmilk. It took a little while for both of us to get the hang of breastfeeding (several weeks), but eventually it became second nature. She's now 3 months old.

Babies don't actually NEED any food until they're two days old, so unless you're having latching problems, I'd go straight breast and demand feed. Studies have shown demand feeding recovers birth weight faster than scheduled feeding.

Answer 4

My second baby had to go straight to the NICU, I was in a different hospital after a c-section and could not get to him to nurse until the 2nd day, and then not for every feed. I started pumping as soon as I could, but it was not always possible to get my milk to him. He had formula for the first couple of days when I wasn't there and there wasn't any of my milk for him. He came home at 4 days old and was breastfed from then until he turned a year old (5 weeks ago). I wouldn't worry about giving him formula for the first few days, or longer if you want. At that age they want to nurse because its about more than just feeding.

Answer 5

My 3 month old son was born 8 weeks early and spent 6 weeks in the NICU. he was bottle fed most feedings, i tried to breast feed at least 2-3 times a day but some days i did not at all. When i brought him home i breastfed and also gave him one bottle a day to ensure he was eating enough. He now weighs 12.5 lbs., eats fine, and sleeps a six to seven hour stretch at night. don't worry if you don't want to give him formula but want to ensure the babies getting enough milk, just pump and bottle feed breast-milk, if you keep doing both the baby will get the hang of both. The plus is switching to a bottle when you need a break.

Answer 6

My daughter wouldn't always latch on so we supplemented with formula until I could get an appointment with a lactation consultant a few days after leaving the hospital (none were on duty, my daughter was born Christmas weekend). After helping getting her to latch well, she told me to avoid a bottle for at least a week and we had little trouble with the breast after that.

Answer 7

Babies are not born with much of an appetite, you could try formula, but that would just mean he wouldn't be stimulating your breasts to produce milk for him. Also the first milk that babies get is the colostrum, that is the most important milk for your newborn. It is packed in nutrients and antibodies. A lot of moms think that their babies must be starving because they are constantly at the breast, but that is so that in two-three days when their appetite is back you are ready to provide. It is also common for newborns to lose weight after birth and they do gain it back.

Answer 8

Have you read up on virgin gut?
http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/virgingut.htm

My son lost a pound too. My milk didn't come in for 5 days after my c-section, but there was no way in hell I was going to give him fake milk. i just kept him at the breast and he would pop on and off as needed. i had no worries because he was peeing and pooping (in fact he peed right through his going home outfit! lol!) The nurses tried to scare me, but I know from experience with my dd that he was not starving or dehydrated as long as he had colostrum.

Don't set your breastfeeding relationship up for failure. You need to have him at the breast the whole time you are at the hospital to trigger your milk supply effectively.

If you must supplement; a finger feeder or supplemental nursing system (SnS or Lact-Aid) will assure that he doesn't reject the breast entirely.

I have a friend who is on her 15th month of exclusive pumping because her daughter was artificially fed at the hospital.

Answer 9

My son had no patience for the breast even after my milk came in at home. I ended up giving my baby formula and tried again before he got hungry and he took it really well. But after a while he refused the breast again. I think it depends on the baby and how their temperament is. Try agian at least, try to feed the baby before they start crying to eat. That way the baby has more patience.