is an occasional bottle ok?

[Maggiesmum]

Hi Everyone it's been ages since I posted but I'm back with more questions! So I hope some of you out there have some advice for me!

Let me start by wishing you all a belated Merry Christmas and best wishes and luck for the New year!

Now let me get down to asking the questions!.... I gave DD 120mls of formula tonight after she has had both bobbies and a bowl of Farex ( she is only 5.5 months) is this too much?

I started her on solids 3 weeks ago - just the farex - as to me she was putting out the "feed me" signs. I haven't been to see the health nurse in a while but DD is very long about 70cm and looks a little skinny she's probably a little over 6 kilos - I don't know it just got the better of me I couln't wait anouther month!

And as I find it really hard to express I got a tin of the formula to make up the Farex, anyway one day I decided to see if she would take the bottle and she did! (she wont take a dummy and I had tried a bottle of expressed milk - that took 3 months to make! - and she wouldn't take it!)

So today she wanted to be feed every two hours (feed, play for hr, then sleep for an hr, then start agian) it was a hot day too, and then her last feed she was just so screamy after she had her bobbies that I gave her Farex then i tried the formula, she was so happy and contened afterwards, we had giggles galore and then when I put her into bed she didn't even give up a 'protest' cry instead I got a smile!

So I'm wondering if any of you other BF mum's out ther give your bubs the occasional formula bottle before butting bubs into bed.?

Will doing this stuff around my breastfeeding?

Does anyone know if it is true that the later you get in the day the less milk you produce?
Maybe that's why she seemed so hungry tonight because she drank to much during the day, but isn't the rule that the more they suck the more you make!?

Is she going to want fomula instead of boobies when it comes to feed time? (I'm not ready to give up BF just yet)

Ahhh my mind is going a million miles an hour I hope all this makes sence! I hope I've even posted this in the right area! I'll probably read back over this tomorrow and realise that every sencond word I meant to type is missing!

Ok so I'm sorry this is so long winded but if you get through it I'd love some response!

Cheers Maggiesmum x

[OM]

I had tried a bottle of expressed milk - that took 3 months to make! - and she wouldn't take it!)


Will doing this stuff around my breastfeeding?

Does anyone know if it is true that the later you get in the day the less milk you produce?




For starters I think that EBM only lasts for 3 months in the deep freeze so just watch that one. You don't want to be giving bubba stale milk.

Giving a bottle can upset your breastfeeding. Because bub isn't taking as much milk it may lead to weening of bub. Having said this though I do know of alot of people that comp feed their baby with formula at night.

Yes later in the day or at least once during the day you will find your milk is lower than normal.

[JanetF]

At the age your child is, all she needs for optimal health is breastmilk. Anything else will impede her digestive system's development and potentially lead to problems later in life. You can exclusively breastfeed a baby to 12 months if you so choose! Giving her formula will not only rock your supply but not improve your child's health. Giving her farex is also harmful to her delicate little gut right now. You already have the perfect, convenient, optimal, normal food on tap so don't worry about fussing with other stuff. Whack her on the boob and know that you're doing everything perfectly!

You're doing a brilliant job, it's free, it's perfect, and it's setting her up for a healthy adult life!


http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/Heal...=302&id=1487#1
When to start
Babies are ready to have solids (other foods) as well as milk some time around the middle of the first year. By this stage their digestive systems are able to cope with different foods and their sense of taste is becoming well developed. Breast milk or formula provides all a baby needs for healthy growth and development for about 6 months and continues to provide most food needs for 12 months or so.
If you are breastfeeding, it is best for your baby to have only breastmilk for about the first six months, and then continue to have breastmilk as the main food with some solids (which are also called 'complementary foods'). Look for the following signs when deciding when to start:

Your baby is interested in things around her; she tries to get hold of things and put them in her mouth. She watches you eat and tries to grab the food.
She can hold her head steady and sit with some support.
She has lost her 'tongue-thrust' reflex which makes young babies push anything solid out of their mouths, so she is able to cope with spoon feeds. (Many babies push the food out for a little while until they get the idea of spoon feeding).
She may seem less satisfied with just milk feeds - she may stop gaining weight or start wanting a lot more feeds. However, it is normal for breastfed babies to gain more slowly between 3 and 6 months.

Wait until about 6 months?

Solids are not needed earlier so they only make unnecessary work for parents.
Starting solids does not usually help babies sleep at night.
There is more risk of allergy to some foods if they are started early.
Young babies are more likely to get infections - such as "tummy bugs" (gastro) than older children, so you need to take great care with preparing and storing food for them. There is less risk after 6 months.
A young baby may become constipated on solid foods.
Young babies may not be able to digest some foods well.
If the baby is eating other foods he may take less breast milk so the breasts will make less and he may not get as much milk as he needs for healthy growth.
It can be hard to get solid foods into a young baby because of his "tongue thrust reflex" which makes him push them straight out again.
Young babies are less able to tell you when they have had enough so they can be overfed.

[Crazy Monkey]

Hi Maggiesmum,

I don't give my DS a formula feed, but from what I have read, giving a formula feed (on a regular basis) will effect your supply..

You can make up the farex with cooled boiled water instead of formula or breastmilk if you like... I have done this with DS and he seems to like it (but I guess he doesn't have anything to compare it to)..

Best of luck, I am sure you will get some great advice here..

Cheers
Jacksmum

Just noticed your signature - you and DD are a day apart like me and DS.. Did your DD give you a hard time on your birthday?? I spent the whole day in labour...

[moonblossom]

Hi maggies mum,

I have done exactly what you are doing for my seven children and they thrived. Breastfeeding advocates will disagree with me, but hey I say what is right for you, and feels right, is right.

I breast fed each of mine till six months, then it was me who chose to stop, either because I was pregnant, or just had enough.
Good luck

[xkwzit]

Hi MaggiesMum
I wouldn't worry too much about starting solids now. Its just an experimentation for her at this point, because she does still get most of her nutrition from BM (or formula). I'm very sceptical about the "recommended" age to start because for DD1 it was 4 months and for DD2 it was 6 months (and they are only 2.5 years apart!). I think that the real reason for the variation is that all kids are individuals and some are ready to start experimenting with solids from 4 months, while others are certainly not ready until 8 months or older. They are all different and if it wasn't OK with her, she'd let you know.

I do think that there is a real risk of complimentary feeding affecting your supply (due to the supply = demand) or (and I think maybe more likely) baby might develop a preference for the bottle (because it is easier than the breast). So it really depends on how passionate you are about continued BF and whether you want to risk weaning to formula. Personally, by about 6 months, I was OK if my babies weaned to formula (coincided with me going back to work and I wanted to see if I could stop night feeding). It may not prove to be a problem for you continuing to BF, but I think that the risk is there.

Cheers

[Goosie22]

The government recommendation has changed to suit research that has been saying for over 10years that delayed introduction of solids reduces the risk of serious gut problems and is benificial to optimal development along with exclusive Breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Government agencies are notorious for being late with adequate and acurate information. If we relied on the government to tell us the information we need we would all be in a very sad state.