Breast and Formula Feeding...

**lukaelmo** · 19-01-2006 14:11

Hey there,

Little dude is 6 months old now and up 'till now has been exclusively BF. I'm now interested in starting him on a bit of formula, but not giving up the BF altogether.

My idea is to BF for his first and last feeds of the day, and formula feed in between... Is it possible to do this? Does anyone out there do something like this?

**Lallas' Mum** · 19-01-2006 14:58

Yeah you can do that. When I weaned DS1 he was having cows milk during the day and BM morning and night. He was old enough to go onto cows milk at the time. I had trouble trying to wean him earlier because he hated the taste of formula. So he was breastfed until he was about 11 and 1/2 months. He did have formula for about a week before he started on cow's milk though. The only brand he would drink was Karicare gold.

You may experience the same trouble. Breastmilk is apparantly quite sweet - I can't tell you first hand as I thought it would be like picking my nose and eating it if I tried my own milk!!

!! Karicare is suppose to be a bit sweeter tasting than other brands. Each to their own though. You may need to try different brands if you have trouble. You can sometimes buy little sample size packets which I highly recommend. It is much cheaper than buying a whole tin especially if your little hates it.

You will find your supply will drop off though. But providing you still feed at those regular intervals bub should stay satisfied.

The only other trouble you may experience is a little bit of bowel discomfort while bub's digestive system gets use to the formula. Play it by ear.

Good luck with it all.

**Bonnie77** · 19-01-2006 15:03

Hi,
I've just started giving Alyssa (5 1/2 Mths) a formula feed for morning tea. She's been taking it pretty well for the last few days. My boobs are pretty full all day! Next week I'm going to swap the arvo feed for formula and still bf her in the morning and at bedtime. (She has solid breakfast and dinners- big, hungry bubba!)

This was all with the intent to wean her but I'm just going to see how my boobs go and see what she wants to do.

With some women dropping feeds interrupts their supply and confuses bub too much. It's a bit early to tell with me yet but Alyssa is ok so far. It took her a couple of goes to get used to the taste of the formula.

Good luck.

**lukaelmo** · 19-01-2006 15:03

Hey thanks Tracey and Carolyn,

Maybe I should start off with one feed per day of formula so that little dude's digestive system has more time to adjust...

Just thinking to myself

**Goosie22** · 19-01-2006 15:12

Hi lukalemo,

I am interested to know why you would want to go and buy something inferior and feed it to your baby? The breastmilk you are feeding to your baby is the best thing for your baby, Formula is a substitute it is only adequate as a food source and has been linked to more than a few serious health complaints.

G

**Crazy Monkey** · 19-01-2006 15:16

Thanks for starting this thread lukaelmo...
I have been thinking about putting DS onto formula for some feeds as well but wasn't sure how to go about it or whether it was really possible...

Thanks for the info ladies...

**Trix** · 19-01-2006 15:17

Goosie22,

I have to say that is quite a rude way to put that question.

Lukaelmo is obviously ready to start weaning her baby and is trying to find out the best way to do so.

Don't turn this into one of those BF/FF debates, its not what she asked for.

**veve** · 19-01-2006 15:24

hey hon

that is what I am doing with Jack - he has two breastfeeds ( first and last of the day - when we have mummy and Jack time

) - and he has two formula feeds - and I express milk during the day to give him around lunchtime...
so his day might go -

7am bf
11am F
3pm EX
7pm F
11pm BF

You will definaltey have to express for awhile after you skip a BFeed... otherwise you will have a baywatch moment... and it may turn into mastitis... do you have a pump???

I would definately go with the 'skip one feed' approach - that way if the formula you use doesn't suit him it wont be too hard on him ... and his tummy will have time to adjust to the new food... (I'll be interested (and you'll be delighted) if he starts to pack on weight - let us know!!!)

hope it goes well

((hugs))

xxx
Jen