will it be ok if i substitute with formula?

Question

my baby is two weeks old and today all she has wanted to do is eat eat and eat some more and it seems like my breast just can't keep up with the demand. i haven't really been able to take a minute to eat or drink any water because she has been keeping me busy all day and i know that helps with the milk supply. will it be ok if i substitute a few feedings, like one or two, today with formula to let my breast bulid up a supply of milk for her? or does anyone have other suggestions on what i can do?

Answer 1

It's completely normal for a baby to want to eat constantly. Your daughter may be going through a growth spurt.

Breastfeeding works on supply and demand. The more she nurses, the more milk you will produce. It can seem like a scary concept and your mind is very good at playing tricks on you and convincing you that you simply aren't producing enough and that's why she's nursing so much. That's simply not true and substituting with formula only convinces your body to produce less and less milk. Here's a couple articles I strongly recommend you check out before doing anything:

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/enough.html
http://www.babycenter.com/expert/baby/babybreastfeed/8907.html

Have you tried pumping at all? It can be hard to find the time but if you could even pump off and store away tiny amounts, that would make someone else able to handle feedings a bit more so that you could eat and drink more. Here's information about storing breastmilk if that's possible: http://www.todaysparent.com/baby/breastfeeding/article.jsp?content=6229&page=1

It's also a good idea to always keep a bottle of water or juice near you when you nurse. Purchase packages of bottled water and leave them by chairs or couches where you nurse regularily and keep one in your purse or diaper bag at all times.

If you can also buy faster food or prep food the evening before, after your daughter has gone to sleep (at least for a while) that can be a huge help. Then you only have to heat up something.

Answer 2

You've gotten some good advice so far, I just want to clarify a few things:

1. This is a growth spurt. Baby is demanding to nurse so that it will tell your body to make more milk. If you supplement with formula your body will not make the milk that your baby is asking for.

2. Breast milk is completely supply and demand. If the baby "asks" to nurse, that cues the body to make more milk. The only real way to guarantee your supply is to nurse whenever she asks.

Please know that this is temporary!

Babies going through growth spurts nurse what seems like all day and night. They do this for about two days. That extra nursing makes your body produce more milk. It's simple, if you substitute a feeding, your body will make less milk. Your breasts are never really 'empty' they are continually making more milk. As soon as your supply ups to meet your baby's demands, your baby will go back to spacing out her sessions. Growth spurts happen around 2-3 weeks, 6-8 weeks, etc etc.

Have a friend or a family member bring you some water or fast snacks. Don't be afraid to cash in all those people who said they wanted to help you!
As soon as baby fell asleep, even if it was just for 5 minutes, I would go fill my water bottle, cut up some apples and grab some oatmeal cookies (oatmeal is a natural milk stimulant) and set them near my nursing station. Even granola bars and a banana. That way I'd have something to munch on during our next session.

Just keep nursing, that's the only way to keep up with demand.

Answer 3

It's most likely a growth spurt. No subsituting a few feedings will HURT your supply NOT help!!! Please understand this. The basic principal of breastfeeding is the baby sets the supply. If you substitute a feeding with formula, that will signal to your body that you don't need to make more milk and your supply can diminish. It's called supply and demand. Plus by skipping a breast feeding, you could become engorged, possible plugged duct or even mastitis. Newborns do keep us busy, sounds totally normal with what she is doing. Newborns typically go through growthpurts where they need to feed more. It's very important to eat and drink yourself as well, you need to do this!

Answer 4

The only way to build your milk supply is through nursing! Your breast will "build up" the milk to its current capacity in about 30 minutes... so if you alternate the side you start with each time, you will always be giving your baby the current capacity of milk.

If your milk supply was well established, I would say to go ahead and substitute a feeding here and there, but.... it sounds like you are still working on getting your supply to where it needs to be. Try not to skip any nursing sessions, and the second that she is done, go get some food and a drink!

Answer 5

The breasts are never empty so there's no need to give them time to "refill". http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html. In fact, the best way to ensure you keep up w/ demand is to let her keep nursing as often and for as long as she wants. She's likely going thru a growth spurt right now and this constant all-day feeding won't last long. Try to set yourself up w/ several water bottles and snacks that easy to eat w/ one hand and settle in for some marathon nursing. It should only last a day or two. If it lasts longer than that, see a lactation consultant (check the hospital) or La Leche League (www.lalecheleague.org) for free support/advice. It could be that she is not an efficieint nurser due to poor latch/positioning and someone w/ breastfeeding education can help you solve that. Giving formula this early could cause nipple confusion (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/concerns/pacifier.html#confusion) and could affect your milk supply (http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html). It's also not a great food for babies (http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/infant-formula.html), though it's obviously the next best choice if human milk is not available. Best of luck- hang in there, it does get better!

Answer 6

It is really normal for the baby to want to eat like that. When our daughter was born, I lived on sandwiches because that was the fastest thing to eat and to make.

I wouldn't supplement with formula-
1. tummy upset- formula is harder to digest and she has been used to breastmilk.
2. your own milk supply. She is helping your milk to come in and establish itself. She is getting food- she is just going through her first growth spurt- all babies go through the first at 2 weeks old.
3. Confusion for her- not just with the nipple - but with the formula. She is really young to switch to the bottle now as well as the fact that she is getting used to getting the milk from the breast. Formula has a different flavor.

For me....I never kept formula in the house so that I wouldn't be tempted.

Get comfy- have someone do take-out and just know you are doing the very best for your baby.

Good luck!

Answer 7

You actually need to keep putting her to your breast and not supplement because by giving your baby a bottle your body thinks it doesn't need to make more milk. I mean you'll be alittle fuller the next time you feed but in the long run you're just diminishing your supply. If you do give her a bottle in between make sure you at least pump to signal your body to make more milk. I would suggest that you invest in renting a hospital grade pump for the first month or two to well establsih your milk supply!

Answer 8

Babies have a natural instinct to suck... that's all they know. That's why I personally push pacifiers. I feel it helps prevent overeating, also recent studies have shown that they help to reduce the risk of SIDS. It's perfectly fine to supplement with formula, though I personally wouldn't until she is on a somewhat regular feeding schedule. I would seriously reccomend that you give her a binky between feedings and feed no more often than every 2 hours. You should always alternate sides that you begin with so that she drains one completely before going to the next... that is how you build your supply. The first few weeks are the hardest but after you both get on somewhat of a schedule I'm sure you will find it to be the best decision you have ever made.

Answer 9

hmm... what i would do (if you ever get the time! i know how tough it is to find time for yourself being a new mother and all) is pump extra breast milk and freeze/refrigerate it for when she wants extra. i really tried to breastfeed and had the toughest time. so i pumped milk for about 3 weeks and then went to formula. but now i wish i had tried harder so the baby could've had more breastmilk. so i would definitely pump, to give her the maximum amount that she needs. but if you do decide to give her a little formula, thats fine too. but just know that if you start giving it to her on a regualar basis she might start to favor the formula because its sweet. good luck!

Answer 10

i have that what to expect the first year book and it says its fine. a few of my friends use formula after they go out and drink until its safe to breast feed too