Using formula to 'beef up' baby whilst breastfeeding

[bronwynmc]

I'm not sure I've heard of anything quite like this before...but, a first time mum I know has a 3mnth old girl who was born several weeks premmie and tiny tiny. The mum breastfeeds her and recently developed mastitis.

Bubs still looks tiny but is apparently putting weight on. Funny thing is the mum has recently opted to giving her one bottle of formula a day to 'beef her up' (her words). I'm not sure if that was recommended to her or not.

Would formula do such a thing at one bottle a day? I would have thought that bf would be far more beneficial and have more fats in it than formula. Perhaps she isn't bf properly or doesn't have good quality milk and so she feels pressure to supplement feed to put weight on bub.

An odd theory I would have thought...
What do others think?

[Tam-I-Am]

Its one of the things that people who are misinformed about breastfeeding and all its many varied benefits often recommend.

The fact of the matter is that breastfed babies are usually slower to put on weight than formula fed babies, and all the charts for normal growth and development that are used by the healthcare professionals for babies in the country are based on formula fed babies - who tend to put weight on more rapidly and in a more uniform fashion. Its quite possible that your friend has been advised to give the bottle of formula by some well meaning (but ill-informed) paed or CHN or GP etc.

You're right though, unless there's actually a problem with her breastmilk (which is really rare), its THE best thing she could give her baby - ESPECIALLY as the baby is prem.

[Chickadee]

I agree with Tami, but will just add that my MCHN actually told me to do exactly what your friend is doing - to give supplement bottles of formula to help DD put on weight faster. End result was complete breast refusal after only 24 hours.

so it certainly has hazards, but some mums are still given that advice and may not know to get a 2nd opinion elsewhere.

[Freya]

Its one of the things that people who are misinformed about breastfeeding and all its many varied benefits often recommend.

The fact of the matter is that breastfed babies are usually slower to put on weight than formula fed babies, and all the charts for normal growth and development that are used by the healthcare professionals for babies in the country are based on formula fed babies - who tend to put weight on more rapidly and in a more uniform fashion. Its quite possible that your friend has been advised to give the bottle of formula by some well meaning (but ill-informed) paed or CHN or GP etc.

You're right though, unless there's actually a problem with her breastmilk (which is really rare), its THE best thing she could give her baby - ESPECIALLY as the baby is prem.

The fat in formula is different to breastmilk, breastmilk has all the good fats because it isn't artificial. Like Tam said unless there is something wrong with her supply breastmilk is best.

[pennylane]

Yes it is recommended.well it was to me (my dd was 2 pound 8 and 7 weeks prem) whilst I was BF.By her neonatalologist (sp?),her paed and nurses.Sometimes its reccomended for weight gain reasons,and sometimes because its a bit more dense than BM so if bubs has a bit of reflux its harder to get up,so ensures bubs is at least keeping some mls down a day.thats what my daughters team of doctors told me anyway.

All prem babies are completely different though,just like all babies.Im sure she has her reasons.

[Lillynix]

This was recommended to me by the CHN when DS was just 2weeks old. He lost weight for the first 2weeks but I was determined to breastfeed, at 6weeks he was finally back to his birth weight, but even now at 3.5months, he's only around 4.5kgs. He averages 50-70grams weight gain a week, but other signs tell me he is healthy despite STILL being told to comp with formula, no way, no how, not in this life time!

[Tam-I-Am]

It disturbs me that so much emphasis is put on weight gain as THE indicator of health in infants. I never had to go through what the OP's friend and you, DF, are going through - at one point, DD put on something like 90g a DAY (I always used to joke that I made cream, not milk! ), so obviously I was never advised to comp feed formula.

I don't think that enough people understand the bell curve of normality - of statistical normality that is - and it seems that CHN are amongst the worst offenders at not understanding that anywhere within the 5th to 95th percentile of growth is NORMAL - so any amount of weight gain is probably normal! There are a certain number of babies/mothers for whom breastfeeding is NOT best, but its exceedingly rare and I think that the real problem is not that mothers don't try hard enough, not even that they are uneducated (although this is true in some cases!) but that there's just not enough understanding, and more to the point SUPPORT of breastfeeding mothers, and understanding of the range of NORMAL that comes with a breastfed infant!

Sorry....I went a bit off track there didn't I? Bit of a passion of mine...

[pennylane]

I agree with all of that,But, The OP was talking about a premmie baby not a normal 'term' baby.

Emphasis is put on weight gain with premmie babies because it generally determines how they are thriving.If they are coping with their surroundings,climate etc' as premmie babies can drop vast amounts of weight if they arent maintaining body temp. (up to 1kg a day in serious cases).which may also be a factor in the OP's friend being told to supplement with feeds.I know that was a factor in DD being given formula as well as BM in hospy.It was the middle of July and freezing and they knew that she needed a bit more fat on her so that if by chance it took her a bit of energy to adjust her body temp,which would cause her to drop weight. She would have a bit to spare.

[Tam-I-Am]

I do understand that - but BM become MORE important with premmies, not less so. It has so many immunity and health benefits that a prem baby requires, not to mention that its actually designed for them and their little tummies, whereas formula is harder to digest, and therefore takes up more of their energy in just eating rather than growing...

Again, I think its just poor understanding of the many many benefits of breastmilk and feeding.

[punkbaby]

My third child was born 2.2kgs although full term. I was told to subsitute formula but i never did as a lovely midwife told me to try make sure bubs got the hind milk. She gave me a few tips, such as feeding bubs, then disturbing the feed to change bubs and popping her back onto that same breast. DD was slow in gaining weight but she was happy, she was thriving and i knew that she was going fine, her CHN was also very supportive and gave me the reassurance there was no need for top ups. Mind you when there was a substitute CHN there i was told her gain wasnt good enough and to top her up.

My fourth bubs is similar, shes not a huge weight gainer either but all shes had is the breast and shes thriving as well, shes just petite but shes happy she sleeps she has plenty of wet nappies and shes gaining not losing. I was always told as long as bubs is gaining wether it be 50 grams a week to 100 a week or 200g all babies are different and to look at the baby not the chart.

Totally agree with what the others have said and Tam-I-Am is spot on.