My daughter is 3 weeks old and i have been breastfeeding since birth. I have begun to realize that it is not?

Question

for me. She latches on and does well I just decided that I would rather formula feed her. I need some advice on how to do this. I gave her a bottle of formula a few hours ago and she did okay with it. Should i continue to give her formula in the bottle or switch from breast to bottle? I am so confused on what i should do. I know that i no longer want to breastfeed but i don't know how to go about giving her a bottle with formula now. She is three weeks old. What should I do????

Answer 1

You could get a pump and continue feeding her with breast milk. Or you could just give her strictly formula. That decision is totally up to you. Don't let some of these breastfeeding nuts tell you any different; it's a personal choice.

Answer 2

I had a horrible time learning how to breastfeed. It was really rough for me. It turned out I had very serious postpartum depression. Anyway, what got me through the breastfeeding difficulties was setting goals. I told myself before my daughter was born that I would breastfeed for 6 weeks come Hell or high water. The first 5 weeks were Hell, but I did not give myself the option of formula. After those initial six weeks, I began to enjoy the real benefit of breastfeeding--the convenience. I urge you to keep going for a little while. You're halfway there. Soon, feeding your baby will be easy, fast and fun. It's so easy to tuck your hungry baby under your top, rather than going into the kitchen, warming up a bottle and then washing that bottle. Then, while baby sleeps, you have to mix up more formula, sterilize bottles and make up bottles! That's way too much work for a new mom. If you really want to do that to yourself, then be proud that you gave your baby the world's best food for three weeks. I have never heard a woman say "I wish I had switched to formula earlier." I often hear women say that they wished they had continued to nurse longer. If you need breastfeeding support, it's out there. You have to go looking for it, but it's there. You don't have to go far to find bottle feeding support. Just don't bind your breasts. You don't need an infection. Wean slowly to protect your own health.

Answer 3

You could pump & feed her breast milk in a bottle instead of formula. Either way, take 1 breastfeeding out & switch that feeding w/ a bottle, continue to take 1 more breast feeding out every day or so until you're down to not feeding from the breast at all.

Answer 4

My best suggestion is to wait 6 weeks till you actually make a decision if breastfeeding isnt for you. It seems to get a bit easier after that. If you do decided right now that enoughs enough then replace one feed at a time with a bottle increasing one feed ever couple of days. This way your milk will decrease slowly. You can also look up weaning on the internet or if you want breast and bottle feed. Its hardly an option moms are told about but it works great. I breast fed untill my daughter was 6 months and now she breast and bottle feeds. This way my mother can have her for several hours and I can get a little break.

Answer 5

You should give it until she's at least 6 weeks old.

At 6-7 weeks of age, it just seems to become much easier. The longer you can nurse her the better, the longer she gets any kind of breastmilk, the better. It's your choice, of course, but breast is always better for your baby.

See if you can give nursing a fair shake. If you still want to supplement or quit at 7 weeks, then you can say you tried.

I hear women ALL The time who are sad they didn't continue nursing, but you never hear anyone say, "I wish I'd given them a bottle earlier."

3 weeks is a huge growth spurt, it seems like the nurse constantly and you're a wreck, we've all been there. If you can make it past this spurt, which lasts about 5 days, and then make it past the 6 week spurt, you will be home free.

So try a little longer, you can always quit, but it's hard to restart after you quit if you regret your decision.

Answer 6

I had made the decision to breastfeed my son, Chris, before he was born. We never had a problem. I had to have a spinal fusion when he was seven months old and because of the pain medication I was going to be on. I had a MRI on Friday and the surgery was scheduled for Monday. As a result the transition from breast to bottle had be done in a weekend. The first day (friday) I went back and forth between the breast and bottle. The second day (saturday) I would give my son a bottle for all his daily feeding except his last one before bed. On the third day, he was completely on the bottle. Anyways, congratulations on the new baby!! and good luck!

Answer 7

you will in all probability have some soreness or soreness for the few weeks. It takes your boobs a on an analogous time as to fully adjust. you're able to additionally use a handbook pump that has a soft shelter and exhibit a sprint milk before feeding. do not supply up in simple terms yet and proceed to artwork with lactation professionals. in simple terms supply it time and it will artwork out for you and attempt to not overstress your self given which will purely make it extra durable. If using a pacifier is assisting pre-nursing then in simple terms circulate forward with it. My daughter became into thoroughly reliant on a pacifier and he or she had no subject nursing. in case you shrink pacifier use to cases in simple terms before feeding then you definately've an less complicated time weaning off of the pacifier later. good luck, wish it works out for you.

Answer 8

Do reconsider. Breastfed babies don't get sick, where a formula fed baby will pick up every bug that goes around. Unless you absolutely hate breastfeeding, stick with it. It's much more convenient and a sick baby makes an unhappy baby, mummy and daddy. Expressing is a bit of a drag, but it's the best way to avoid breastfeeding, but still get the benefits of it. Antibodies don't mind whether they are delivered by breast or bottle.
If you do decide to continue with the formula, just follow the instructions on the packet. Also, you'll need to express when your boobs get uncomfortable. Just enough to get rid of the discomfort, and eventually you'll dry up.

Answer 9

At least you have given her a good start with breast feeding.

You should call her pediatrician and ask for advice. That is always the best thing to do.

Also, be ready for some misery as the your milk subsides. Your breast will get very engorged with milk and very hard and painful.

Answer 10

Is pumping an option for you? You could pump your breast milk, and freeze it. Then when you need it, you can just thaw it out. She gets the best nutrients, and you get the convenience.

Otherwise, just be sure you check with your daughter's doctor, and ask what sort of formula she should be having. One upside to formula, is you can monitor how much she's eating, to make sure she's getting enough.

Cheers