Don't know what to do about breastfeeding?

Question

I have been breastfeeding my daughter for the past 10 weeks, belive me it has been hell feeding every 2 hours day and night. Yesterday I gave in to fomula only 1 feed in the afternoon and another at 7pm, then she fell asleep at 8.30pm and didnt wake till 5.30 this morning. I then breastfed her then she went back to sleep till 8.30am then she had a fomula feed at 10am. She has been an absolute pleasure to be near today .She has even been smiling and giggling which she never hardly does, normally she is grumpy and irritable. Im really confused and so is my mum who couldnt belive the change in her. Even now as I type shes quietly nodding off after another fomula feed. Now is this normal or is she ill, she doesnt have a temp and isnt crying, or should I just stick to solely fomula feed from now on???

OH I FORGOT TO MENTION AFEW WEEKS AGO I TRIED FF IN EVENING BUT HV ADVISED ME TO TRY AND STICK TO BF AS BABY WAS BORN AT 36 WEEKS AND WAS STILL PROBERBLY ADJUSTING.

Answer 1

why not mix the two, I have a 10 week old daughter and while I mostly breatfeed she does sleep for longer with formula so I alternate the two, works for us.

Answer 2

Goodness, what a lot of cross answers.

It's true that formula milk takes longer to digest and this is probably why your daughter is more contented. If you start giving formula milk you will probably find that the amount of formula milk goes up and the amount of breastmilk goes down - no problem with that as long as you are comfortable with it.

If you want to carry on breastfeeding it's worth contacting a breastfeeding counsellor, if you can, to give you more information about positioning your daughter at the breast. Babies settle best on the fat-rich hindmilk which they get at the end of a feed, but they may not get much of this unless they are well latched on. Her mouth should be really wide open like a yawn and she should be on her side with her tummy against your tummy. Before she starts feeding her nose should be level with your nipple so as she opens her mouth the nipple points up to the roof of her mouth.

Good positioning can make a huge difference and I've seen many babies settle properly for the first time after latching on well.

Good luck and whatever you choose enjoy being with your daughter.

Answer 3

Make it easy for yourself, If you are not enjoying BF and you feel that even the baby's happy when u give her the formula then give her that.life really becomes much more pleasant if You are at ease with the situation,going out and feeding the baby in public wont be an issue as well.I had a 31 weeker baby who was very sick and i didnot hv a good flow of milk supply i remember his doctor kept on insisting that i give him BReast milk only since its far better then the formula.Forumal was introduced during worldwar1 for babies as a supplment to replace breast milk because of the malnutrition and plenty of deaths.. i guess it also gives more immuinty to the baby against allergies.How she is reacting to forumla is very normal her tummy gets filled n plus formula takes longer to digest cause its heavy then the Breast milk.Inshort, if you are happy to give her just formula then do so!..make life easy n enjoy feeding her but if you are more concerned about the nutrients then go both that way she will be getting both.Sleep is also very important for the baby since while the babies sleep more blood cells are being made. a baby on a full tummy should sleep anything up to 4 to 6 hours that is normal..anything beyond..isnt.:)

Answer 4

Hi well done on sticking it so far. I have three children and breastfed all three til they were one year old so have a fair idea how hard it can be.

i think you are right to mix the two. there is no poiint being a martyr cos only you and your daughter will suffer. yes continue to feed her (if you want to ) but by all means top her up with formula if thats what she wants/needs.

the other thing you can do is check you r own diet. if you eat more or eat differently it can change your milk but at 10weeks you are probably trying just to shovel stuff in as andwhen you can ....been there and still am somedays and my youngest is one!!! hehe

sounds like you are doing a great job and you know your daughter better than anyone so enjoy your precious bundle and keep up the good work
xooox

Answer 5

Well what is important is that she got the first milk that you gave her, My son is ten months old and I have breastfed the whole ten months and now that I am working full time it got to be too much so while I mainly breastfeed, I also started to introduce formula. It helps a lot on me and it okay to mix the two. Your baby will be fine. This is just the beginning of a long journey! The main concern is that you baby continues to gain weight and seems happy. So keep an eye on you babies behavior and make sure that she does not seem like she is not getting enough. Which I am sure that she is... but that is the only thing you should be concerned about. Good luck in the future.

Answer 6

Your baby sleeps more and longer with formula because an infant cannot digest it well. Human milk is perfectly suited for infants, they digest it easier which means they absorb more nutrition from it but it also means it passes through their system faster. On average a 1 month old baby needs to be nursed every 3 hours (even at night). An infant who has formula has a big lump of lactose sitting in their stomach as it tries to break it down and iwll not feel hungry as often.

Just because your baby is a little more crabby with nursing then formula DOESN'T mean its better. I would suggest you keep nursing, stock up on some of those baby gas drops (like mylicon) and try adjusting what YOU eat. Usually when human milk is irritating an infant it is from something inthe mothers diet. DO oyu drink a lot of caffine or consume a lot of artificial sweeteners??? If so I would try eliminating those first.

If not try eliminating one food from your diet for a week. (common allergy foods such as dairy, soy, nuts, or strong tasting foods such as peppers, garlic, or onion) and see how that has an effect on your baby.

Also remember that the more formula you give her the less she will nurse, the less she nurses then the less milk you will make and your milk could dry up. If you want to make more milk try drinking some fenugreek teaor "mothers milk" tea. Also drink lots of fluid, nurse often, and eat lots of healthy foods.

Answer 7

It sounds like if she was really fussy when she was breastfeeding, and feeding every 2 hours that she might have not been latching on properly and not getting enough breast milk. My daughter is only a week and a half but since my milk came in, she feeds every 2-4 hours, and sleeps most of the night (usually 9pm-1:30am... and then again from around 2am - 5:30am or 6am).

I would say that she just wasn't latching on right, so now that you gave her the formula she is fuller and more content!

Answer 8

To me, it sounds like you are just looking for permission to formula feed, you clearly know breastmilk is best so you are making up stories so people will tell you it is ok to switch.

3 weeks ago you said that you were already feeding your daughter formula and that it was making her throw up:
"Why is my baby so hungry?

She is now 6 weeks old and was born at 36 weeks, I have soley breastfed until this week when I have started giving her 2/3 formula feed to give me a break, but she is still hungry. She gulps both breast and bottle so fast she can hardly breath then she throws it up and then cries for more. I have tried to make her wait and I have changed teats on the bottles. Im now thinking this could be some sort of illness or medical problem???
Additional Details

3 weeks ago
I am still breastfeeding around 6 times in 24 hrs aswell as 2/3 SMA gold feeds inbetween."
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoAIxJmWsFS9N7lSMwsq7Czty6IX?qid=20070226151000AAJoPLC

Really I don't know what you are doing or why you are seeking attention in this way. My only suggestion is that if breastfeeding isn't going well you should get some help. It is possible that your daughter isn't effectively emptying your breast causing her to be hungry.

If you really don't want to breastfeed, then don't, but own your decision.

Answer 9

What health visitors dont tell you when embarking on breast feeding, is that it is very hard and for most very painful. They make it sound like the most natural and easiest thing in the world, but for the experienced mothers amongst us we appreciate that its, demanding, painful, exhausting. I am all for breast feeding if it works for the individuals amongst us, but it takes time and patience, and the lord knows i wanted to give up at times, but I was blessed to have a wonderful community midwife, and partner,and this can sometimes make the world of difference. Just knowing how you are feeling and the way your baby is responding is normal eases the most amount of pressure and guilt, but ultimatly i would say be guided by your baby, if you feel she is not getting enough milk from your breast then offer some bottle feeds, but what i would also say, work on increasing your own milk supply, by using a breast pump if you wish to continue with exclusive breast feeding, this will increase the ammount of milk you make, however if your baby is very demanding and your exhausted, then the both of you may well benifit from mixed feeds. Dont let the health visitor pressure you into exclusive breast feeding, if it is not what you want to do. My daughter is 3 years old, and has enjoyed the benifits of extended breast feeding. As you can imagain this issue brings mixed feelings, but i continue it because my daughter enjoys this reasurance, and continues to get health benifits from my milk. I guess what im trying to say is that you have to do what is right for you and your baby. If you wish to breast feed exclusively but are having problems such as latching on or sore nipples, I would advise you to see your health visitor for advice and practicle demonstration of latching your baby on, and once your sure that is right, just perseveer.
The fact that your baby is 10 weeks old and feeding every 2 hours, is completley normal, your baby seems to be thriving well. Formula milk is more dense than breast milk, and that may be why she appears more forfilled, when you do breast feed her try letting your baby feed until she either falls asleep or takes herself off, if she is still awake give her your other breast and let her feed till she has had enough. If all else fails, remember although you may not feel like it now, your babies feeding will get better and more established, and you will get more relaxed and confident in understanding her needs/ demands. Emotionallly you and your baby will have much to benifit from the breast feeding relationship too, as it premotes a very close bond which you do not get from bottle feeding alone.
Good luck, i hope my response has been in some way useful.

Answer 10

Something that you are eatting is making her fussy. Do a food diary and write down what her reactions are to find out what food is causing the problems.

If she is not happy with the amount that you are producing nurse more or pump in between feedings.

Formula also takes longer to digest and is not as healthy as breastfeeding.

Just think of it this way, you only have to nurse her for a year. And you are giving her so much more than if you were feeding her formula.

Answer 11

Don't worry she is fine and it is perfectly normal.

Breast milk digest much quicker than formula milk.

I had this problem with my son who is now 13 weeks. I started off by breastfeeding but he was feeding every 2 hours or so and would be so grumpy in between feeds. Like you I eventually gave into formula and he started to settle. Sleeps for longer (all through the night now) smiles and gurgles and is generally happy.

I have put this down to the fact the formula milk sits in the stomach for longer so my son feels fuller for longer.

Though having said all that you need to trust your instincts. As mum always knows best. If your gut instinct is telling you that something is not right, go see your HV or GP. They can put your mind at rest!!!!

Hope everything goes well xx