breast feeding vs formula ?

Question

i only have 2 months for maturnaty leave. i would like to breast feed but not sure if going back to work will make me have to choose fulmula feeding instead, since i would be away from 6 am until about 6pm. what should i do, not sure if i could pump as much as i would need and will it drain me. or is formula just a better option.

Answer 1

Wel there are already a lot of great answers on here, but I have to add my own. If YOU want to breastfeed, do it. That way u know it's what makes u happy in the end. At first to get ur milk supply going u have to totally breastfeed, pump in between, maybe when baby naps. Because they do sleep alot at first. Baby will only nurse about 10-20 minutes per feeding at first so u will have plenty of time. Once baby is about1 month old start formula one time a day, it is ok to mix formula with breastmilk also. Then before u go back to work start giving baby breastmilk mixed with formula during the hours u will be away ONLY. That way u won't have to worry about the baby not eating while u work because mom up & left & also gradually spend some time away from baby before u go back to work that way the transition is easier for YOU & baby to be apart for such ling hours. And another thing is give less formula than breast milk in the bottles at first because it will affect the taste. Then increase more formula & less breast milk, as u start weaning the baby. And u should only wean ur baby when YOU are ready, not when other people tell u to or feel that you should. Pump as much as u can once ur milk supply is going, that way u will have some stored up for when u go to work & can't pump as often. You can email me at [e-mail] if u have any other questions. One other thing I would like to add is if ur really interested in breastfeeding, take a breastfeeding class. U can go to ur local health department & ask at the WIC clinic how u can get into one of the classes or talk to ur OBGYN about it & ask about classes u could take, it makes it much easier when u r confident about breastfeeding ur baby. Also when u have ur baby there are lactation concultants at the hospital that are there to help so all u have to do is tell them either before baby is born or immediately after that u plan to breastfeed. But once again breastfeeding is something u should do if YOU want to, everyone has their opinion about it but the only one that matters is urs

Answer 2

I breastfed both of my children for 12 months. Several weeks before I returned back to work I introduced them to formula. Also make sure that you've given your baby a bottle even if you've only used breast milk so that the transition will be as smooth as possible. Test out several until your baby takes to it, usually those similar to mom's breast/nipple are best ;).

The first couple of weeks I pumped at work on breaks so they were bottle fed breast milk while I was at work. But then that became a chore because the nurse's office was in another building which was too far for me to go to 4 times a day and I could only find privacy in the women's restroom and that would be smelly at times! So then it was formula during the day and breast feeding at night.

As they got older I still breastfed them at least one time (usually 2-3) in the evening until they turned 1 and then they were switched to whole milk.

Even if it just for a few months, studies show that breastfeeding is better for both mom and baby!

Answer 3

Breast feeding is always the better option. I am a working mother and returned to work when my twins were 8 weeks old. I purchased the Medela Pump 'N' Style, which is a very good breast pump. It looked like a briefcase so it was very discreet. Fortunately for me I lived close enough to work to go home on my lunch hour to nurse the babies, so I was only pumping once per day at work (I had home daycare). However, even if you are unable to do this, if you pump during working hours and nurse at other times you should be able to keep your milk supply up. You should probably start pumping some now and freezing it for future use. Even if you only nurse for 2 months your baby is getting loads of nutrients from your milk. Congratulations to you for choosing to breast feed your baby!

Answer 4

I would check out the La Leche League website. While I know there are some women who can not breast feed, I would like to say that you REALLY should consider formula as an absolute last resort!
Breastfeeding it difficult but ALL medical research shows that babies benefit tremendously from it.
You can freeze milk...I plan to start pumping as soon as I can in addition to feeding, then I'll have a back up supply for when I go back to work (I plan to feed when I'm home and bottle-feed him my milk when I'm away). Work it out with your job so that you can pump often at work.

Answer 5

You can breastfeed while home, and try pumping while at work... don't try to keep up completely though, you can do half and half. If that is your intention though, I would introduce formula as soon as possible, and make sure your baby has a bottle a day.

Pumping can be a little difficult, but if you rent one of the industrial machines (your hospital will tell you where to get one from), it will make the proccess much easier and less time consuming. You can pump both breasts at the same time in about ten minutes.

Answer 6

Breastfeeding is suppose to be the healthier option. It is also cheaper. You could always pump so you have milk for your baby when you are not with her.

I think formula is fine too. Though it is expensive. I don't think it really makes a difference in what you do. My mom gave me formula and I was always very healthy, never sick, i rarely missed a day of school, had a great immune system. With my daughters I did both, I did not produce enough milk for both of them, so I did both, and after a few months I just went with formula, as they were barely getting any breast milk to begin with. They have been healthy so far. Do whatever you want to do, what ever you feel more comfortable with.

Answer 7

I breastfeed both of my kids for 6 months. Breasting feeding is something you are really going to want to do because if you have no passion for it, you will give up very fast because it's really challenging. If you are going to be away that long I would tell you to pump as much as you can and use formula while you are away and breastfeed when you are home. It will not drain youl. In order to keep your milk supply up you will need to pump, pump, pump! it will hurt at first to pump but it will get a lot better.
Goodluck.
It's really easy to just formula feed in your situation. I'm a stay at home mom so all I did was breastfeed all day.

Answer 8

don't let anyone tell you that breast feeding is the only way to go. i had to formula feed my son b/c he couldn't latch on b/c he couldn't stick his tongue out of his mouth and it broke my heart. and people were CONSTANTLY telling me what a horrible mother i was b/c i used formula. but there is a lot to be said about formula now a days. it's not like the junk that we had when we were babies. i used Similac Advance (which is available in regular milk based, soy or even organic) and my son is now almost 3 and he is smarter and healthier than anyone that i know. formula did come in handy when i had to put my son in daycare or when we would go out of the house for the day also. you can just put the powder into the bottle and not mix it with water and just use what you need...it's perfect!! they also sell it pre-mixed but i always made mine a little on the watery side since that was the way my son liked it.

you could try breastfeeding at first while you're on leave but it will be hard to get baby to change while baby's tummy is still so undeveloped and it could be almost unbearable for the baby and the nanny. in the end, nothing any of us is going to tell you is going to make up your mind for you. follow your heart and you'll never go wrong. good luck!!

Answer 9

Breast feeding is definitely the healthier option--for both you and your baby--and it's also cheaper. I would definitely recommend you try to pump while at work--it really is the best food you can give your baby. If it turns out that it just doesn't work for you and your baby, you have formula to fall back on, but breast feeding should definitely be your first choice.

Answer 10

You can breastfeed at first and then after about a month and a half start to wean to formula during the 6-6 hours. You can breastfeed when you are with the baby, and formula feed when not. Pumping is tiring, but if you can do it, go for it. If not, then don't hesitate to mix breastfeeding with formula feeding. My son was in daycare and took formula during the day, and I breastfed the rest of the time. Other people may try to push breastfeeding on you, and it is the best, but I am tellin gyou that I mixed them and my son is very very healthy and happy. I would be happy to help you if you have questions.. [e-mail]