Baby feeding thread

[fancynewbeesly]

So with DD1 I had to formula feed. I was on medicine I couldn’t breastfeed on. This one though I can nurse and DH and I want to really try.

However she will have to be bottle fed too. So that means either pumping or formula feeding. Is there a best way or time to introduce bottles early on?

[kookie3631]

Do it earlier rather than later is my advice. DD was born in March so when I went back to work, DH was off for the summer and kept her during the day instead of us sending her to daycare. I think we waited too late to introduce the bottle (a couple of weeks before I went back to work) as it took FOREVER to get her to take to them. Have someone else give the bottle to your DD - I would even take that time to get out of the house so your baby doesn't smell you.

[fancynewbeesly]

Thanks. It will probably have to be the week or so she is born. If I have to take DD1 to the clinic or inpatient at the hospital DD2 needs to get fed.

[lily]

General recommendation is, when feasible, wait to start pumping until after the 3 week growth spurt. It's totally normal to pump as little as 0.25oz when pumping in addition to nursing full time. Once you have an ounce or two you can try the bottle: replace a full feed, nurse a little then finish with the bottle, or start with a little in the bottle and then finish at the breast. Any time you replace a full feed, you need to pump so your body knows baby ate. Introduce a bottle between 4-6-8 weeks old (recommendations vary, obviously). Some indication introducing a bottle becomes more difficult after 12 weeks. Use paced feeding techniques so the bottle feed more closely mimics a breastfeed; this protects against overfeeding and bottle flow preference.

paced feeding link
paced feeding video
kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

I've got lots of tips on different things to try if baby isn't gung ho on the bottle.

[lily]

Just saw your post it'll be week one. You may want to consider bottle alternatives because even a slow flow paced fed bottle tends to be quicker & easier than nursing, and before nursing is well established, baby is more likely to develop bottle flow preference.

kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/alternative-feeding/

You've got a lot going on and not much time before baby, but can you reach out to your local IBCLC and/or peer support person (La Leche League Leader, Breastfeeding USA counselor, etc) to come up with a pumping plan before you're in the thick of postpartum? LLL support is always free and typically available in person, via phone, and via email. IBCLC may or may not be covered by insurance.

www.lllusa.org/locator/
www.ilca.org/why-ibclc/falc

^Those are both international organizations

[gustierx]

With both kids I had to supplement starting day one (both were 37 weekers and couldn’t keep their weight up). Both kids have done awesome switching from breast to bottle and back, possibly because we did it so early? I pumped after every feed with both kids, I think this time I have an oversupply so now I pump twice per day. I get more than what I need for our supplemental bottles, which he pretty much has dropped now (he’s 16 days old). Feel free to PM me with any specific questions as I’ve now done it twice!

[Madymoiselle]

Just like @gustriex, I had to supplement my DD1 from the beginning since she was a 36 weeker and my milk was not coming in. And she also always did awesome at switching back and forth.
So start early, with a few different bottles/nipples. We have the advent ones but she was also getting pre mixed little 2oz formulas that have their own nipple.

Good luck !

[robot]

I had a very, very low supply with DD1 and had to supplement at every feed. She happily took a bottle after the boob at every feeding for 4.5 months. It wasn't until 4.5 months that she refused to BF but my supply issues were severe, so I wasn't surprised.

[itsmemeg]

If you need to bottle feed at week one, then do it. You may have to experiment w different bottle types. My son took a bottle around 3 weeks old with no problems but this baby isn’t liking the same bottle so we are going to experiment this weekend.

[jaidit]

I have been supplementing with bottle feeds since the beginning, as twins were born underweight. At first, it was after every breast feed, now it’s after breastfeeding 3x a day. I anticipate continuing with a bottle or two a day until I stop breastfeeding.

With DD we introduced one bottle of breast milk a day starting at a month.

All this to say that your baby will adapt and you will be fine introducing a bottle right away or waiting a bit.