Should I bottle feed or breast feed?

Question

I am 38 weeks and not even leaking the premilk stuff, I did with my other 2, I want to breastfeed but I am afraid that I wont be able to and If I bottlefeed I wanted to breastfeed if I started getting milk in, Can my baby get sick if I formula feed and then start the breast feed too when the milk comes in?

Answer 1

I'm not sure what the concern is with breastfeeding. Are you worried that because you're not leaking colostrum that you won't have any milk? I had more milk when I did NOT leak, and less when I did leak during pregnancy. Leaking at any point is no indication of how much milk you have now. Your milk will come in sooner if your baby is nursing. At the beginning, remember that it feels like baby is getting no milk. He's only getting a tablespoon or two at each feeding, but that's all he needs. Your milk will come in on time and plentiful as long as you keep formula out of your baby! I'm extremely confident that you can breastfeed. Get help from a lactation consultant or La Leche League leader if you start to lose confidence. You can do it!

Answer 2

Just breastfeed from the beginning. If you start with bottlefeeding you milk may not come in, but if you start breastfeeding it will come in in a few days. For most women the milk comes in between 2 and 7 days after the baby is born. It's OK for the baby to lose 5-10% of his body weight over those days. His body is designed for that. The colostrum, which you have before your milk comes in, is the most important thing for your baby to get - it has lt has tons of antibodies that will help keep him or her healthy.

Try to find out whether the hospital you will be delivering at has a lactation consultant, and work with her. Find your local La Leche League and go to a meeting before you give birth, if possible. At least have the phone number of the leader handy - I'm sure she would be happy to answer any questions you have before or after the birth of your child.

Good luck!! Breastfeeding, and especially giving your baby the colostrum you will have in the first few days, is so important for your baby's health!

Answer 3

Your milk will have a hard time coming in if you are giving formula. The baby's sucking is what causes the milk production to start. I had no leaking until my daughter was born and I was able to nurse for 1 year. I would not keep any formula in the house so you are not tempted and I would exclusively breast feed. It is the best for your baby. If you need to go between formula and breast wait until 4-6 weeks so the baby will not get nipple confusion and reject the breast.

Answer 4

As I am sure you already know breast is the best. It is a personal decision though. I did not get any milk in until a few days after my son was born. If you want to breast feed I suggest do not start off with formula it can cause nipple confusion also by formula feeding your body will not produce the milk because it thinks it will not need it. When the baby is born you will have the colostrum which is the best nutrition the baby will ever eat in their entire life.

Answer 5

The milk probably won't come in if you don't start out breastfeeding. I would try to breastfeed first; if you did with the other 2, chances are you will be able to with this one. Try it first, then bottlefeed if it doesn't work. The hospital's the perfect place to try; they can weigh the baby and keep an eye on the number of wet diapers, to make sure your baby's getting what he/she needs. I'm sure you know that initially the colostrum is sparse anyway; it's only when the milk does come in, a day or two after delivery, that the baby gets a bellyfull.

Answer 6

Your milk will come in, don't worry! Not every pregnancy is the same.

You should nurse your baby as soon as he/she is born and let him/her get the colostrum. Even if it seems like you're not making any milk, the baby is still getting precious nutrients from you.

Stay positive. Breastfeeding requires a positive attitude. :) If you have to supplement with formula for a couple days (which I wouldn't do, but if) your baby won't get sick. It will make the breastfeeding relationship harder to start though, so try and stick with just your milk.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Definately breastfeed you child; it is the most natural thing and soooo healthy for them. Try to manually get you milk to come out to help with production. Do NOT give formula unless you must while you are trying to build your supply. I have heard of people pumping before their baby was born, so maybe you could try this.? Just keep trying and do not give up with breastfeeding. You should have a lactation consultant in your area (call your local hospital to find out). They will really be able to help

Answer 8

Try breastfeeding.

Leaking (or not leaking) while PG has NOTHING at all to do with your ability to produce milk postpartum. Milk supply postpartum is determined by supply and demand. The more you nurse, the more milk you'll make.

Get help from the Lactation Consultant at the hospital or a La Leche League Leader if you have questions or concerns.

Answer 9

i think of maximum folk have listed the main considerable differences right here. in basic terms a pair of ideas to function. Breast milk has the fore milk (watery, thirst quenching milk) and hind milk (wealthy, fatty and pleasant milk) which follows a jiffy later. as quickly as I exhibit, that all and sundry gets blended mutually, so sometimes my toddler has to have some water besides to be certain his thirst is quenched. I went returned to artwork while my toddler became into 3 months, so pumping became into the only way he gets my breastmilk in the day time. So from that point of view, that's a actual helpful. yet as quickly as I had the alternative between breastfeeding or pumping, i might choose at once from the breast every time.

Answer 10

Your milk will come in. Premilk (colostrum) doesn't appear with every woman or with every pregnancy sometimes until after the baby is born. My wife had never leaked colostrum until after she gave birth.