my baby is 8 days old today, i have been breast feeding the whole time and want to continue, but i have just started giving him formula at bed time and during the night. is this safe?
having breast milk at night he wakes up hourly (i have a toddler to get up to in the morning), since i have been giving him formula at night he sleeps for 3-4 hrs befor waking. i like that
i am still waiting for the health nurse to call with an app'
he is still weeing and pooing properly, but is it safe?
2007-09-21 00:24:44 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
To answer your question first, it is safe to give formula and breastmilk. However if your plan is to continue nursing, its not safe. It's going to hurt your milk supply and your breastfeeding success. Babies nurse a lot in the beginning to help establish your milk supply and because their stomachs are small and can't hold a lot. If he isn't nursing at night , then your body doesn't know he needs to eat at those times and won't continue to produce. Your baby is only 8 days old, he won't be getting up througout the night forever. My exclusively breastfed baby slept through the night (5+hours) from about 3-4 weeks old. Of course the lack of sleep was difficult, but we made it through. Some things that helped was that I "cluster fed" her (basically nursed several times all closely spaced together) in the evening to fill her little tank. We didn't even try to put her down to sleep until we were going to bed and she always nursed before going down. She stayed in our bedroom so that if she did wake up it was easy to nurse her in bed and then put her back.
Every baby is different, I understand so maybe it won't work for you. I just wanted to share an idea that worked for us. Good luck with whatever decision you make.
2007-09-21 02:12:55 · answer #1 · answered by Ann W 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm just wondering if you weaned your baby off the breast gradually or just made a direct switch to cows milk? If you didn't do it gradually then your breasts will hurt due to the milk building up which will cause some discomfort for a few days and can even lead to mastitis. 3 months may not seem a long time either, but in terms of a baby's development it is quite a significant time scale and during this time they need all the vitamins and nutrition to develop and grow healthily. Cow's milk isn't anywhere near as nutritious as formula or breast milk and doesn't contain enough iron. I think that if you are replacing your baby's milk intake totally with cows milk then you need to discuss things through with your health visitor. Formula would be a much wiser option for your baby at this age if breastfeeding is no longer an option
2016-05-19 23:38:41 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got to ask you, has your milk came in yet or is it still just sugar water? Sometimes it takes a little longer for the milk to fully come in. With my first, It took about 7 days for my milk to FULLY come in and it seemed like I was feeding her all the time, but that's how it is when you breastfeed. It has a lot to do with your diet, stress in your life and your availability.
How long are nursing on each side at a time? Does your baby latch on easily because some babies want nothing to do with it no matter how hard you try.
One thing you need to be careful for is overfeeding. If you are nursing and giving him a bottle you can overfeed him without realizing it because the amount the baby gets when we nurse is totally different from a bottle. Everyone says nursing is better because it is more healthy and it is. Your baby will get a more fulfilling feeding by nursing rather than a bottle.
I hope this has helped you. Congratulations on your new addition and good luck.
2007-09-21 01:17:36 · answer #3 · answered by Da1uWanna 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's perfectly safe, but with all the issues that go along with deciding to bottlefeeding such as maybe your baby not taking to a particular brand, getting more wind from a bottle if he doesn't suck efficiently etc. It's not like babies come with labels saying "This one must be breastfed" :)
That said, it's not as good for him, and may put him off breastfeeding altogther. But only you can decide whether being tired in the morning outweighs this. Is there any alternative - do you have a partner who can get up to the toddler, at least sometimes? Or can you sleep in the afternoon when he has a nap or goes to playgroup? Or can someone take over at the weekend and let you catch up on sleep?
2007-09-21 00:43:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes it's very definitely safe. I was brainwashed into thinking that my baby would die if I mixed the two by a well meaning natrupath. I was so relieved when the Child Care Nurse told me that I could use formula. Oh it was bliss I finally got to get some sleep.
2007-09-21 00:31:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is very safe to do this. Breast milk is best for the baby but it doesn't hurt to substitute formula. I have a healthy 8 year old son who is proof of this.
2007-09-21 00:28:40 · answer #6 · answered by zil28ennov 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes it's safe to do... but know that the schedule for waking at 8 days old and breastfeeding is normal.
Though I can understand your family's needs , especially w/ the toddler around...
this link is awesome: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning-partial.html
I know you said your health nurse is going to call... but the woman who runs this website is an IBCLC (international board certified lactation consultant) and there is no higher level of breastfeeding education!! so I'd go w/ what she has posted on this site, before the advice of a nurse :)
a tip though... in order to minimize wasting the breastmilk, give it separately to formula... if baby is taking 2 ouces mixed... then give him one ounce of breastmilk, then the one ounce of formula.... because formula must be discarded after one feeding, if it is mixed with breastmilk then they must both be tossed. on the contrary, breastmilk (because of the live antibodies preventing spoilage) can be left out at room temp for several hours and reused/reheated.
2007-09-21 01:14:24 · answer #7 · answered by Tanya 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sure it's safe. But you haven't waited very long to introduce formula, have you? Can't you really manage a few more weeks of interrupted nights, for the sake of your new baby's wellbeing? By six weeks most babies settle into a good night time routine and let you get a reasonable amount of sleep.
2007-09-21 00:29:42 · answer #8 · answered by Juno 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I dont see anything wrong with it
my son is a week today!
so congrats for us!
and my boyfriend is the same
has to wake up early and it helps
the baby stay asleep longer
and i just breastfeed him during the day
hes had no problem with it.
as long as hes making his bowel movements
and doesnt get an upset tummy
due to the switching
you should be perfectly fine
2007-09-21 01:25:18 · answer #9 · answered by ♥ Stephanie Louise♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It is definitely safe. I did the same thing because my breasts were so sore when I first started nursing that it was too painful to feed him.
2007-09-21 00:29:14 · answer #10 · answered by bonstermonster20 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋