My daughter is almost 6 months old now, she has been exclusively breastfed fresh & frozen BM. She just started on solids about a week ago. She must be going through a growth spurt, or maybe I am producing less since my period just came back. But lately I can't keep up with her demands. I work full time & while I am gone she is now eating 3-4 bottles of expressed milk, but I only am able to pump 2 if I'm lucky...when home I pump after each feeding for about 10 minutes, and wake up every 2 hours to pump for 20 minutes through out the night, while she sleeps! My freezer is now empty...I had really wanted to avoid formula all together (have been a zombie trying to avoid it), but it doesn't look like that will be possible. So...what are the best formulas? I am so hesitant especially after recalls & everything...Any suggestions? Thanks!
**Thanks for the advice so far! And I do take both fenugreek & blessed thistle together. I also drink mothers milk tea. I drink a minimum of 2 liters of water a day. And since starting my period have been taking a calcium supplement in addition to my prenatals...
So it's been quite a while, but just in case someone else might be having these problems I thought I'd update. I stopped waking every 2 hours & kept up with the pumping during the day & just let her nurse when & if she woke during the night. I tried goats rue supplements, but didn't notice much of a change, also didn't see any drop when I stopped the fenugreek & blessed thistle. But I did see a difference if I didn't take the calcium, I still take that but only half the month, 2 weeks after my period starts I start taking them & it does make a difference. It still wasn't easy, I was still tired, but we managed to make it the entire 1st year with out any formula!! She is now 13 months & she still gets BM at night & now just drinks whole milk during the day. I still pump, but only 2-3 times a day maybe once while home & once or twice at work. Well worth all the work!! Don't give up! :D
My niece makes her own. 2 oz of goat's milk, 2 oz distilled water and 2 oz of juiced carrots...The goat's milk is closest to human breast milk, the water for hydration and the carrots for gentle fiber. It's simple but tasty and doesn't have the down sides that cow's milk does...PLUS no synthetic chemicals like store bought formulas...
Hope this helps!
M.
Try taking Blessed Thistle and Fenugreek together - they will increase your supply to pump more (in theory). Also, make sure you pump the other breast while nursing your daughter on the other side - this will help greatly with let down.
While you are at work, ask the provider to give bottles at 3 ounces each and at least 3 hours apart to decrease the amount she's being fed while you are away. The nipples of a bottle will allow a fast continuous driop of fluid, whereas your nipple needs to have major suckling to get anything out. She's getting TOO MUCH from her bottles. 6 ounces over 9 hours of you being away is enough, and she will love to make up for lost time away from you with nursing!! She is going thru a growth spurt - since they are usually 3,6,9,12 months.
When you pump at work, make sure you are able to relax... bring something of baby's to smell and hold as well as a picture and make sure your body is comfortable. CA has very great pump at work laws... so take advantage of them for your child!!
Organic formulas at a health food store tend to be the best... including goat milk!
You've GOT to get some sleep. That's part of your problem - you cannot make milk if you are up every 2 hours! Also, your daughter is growing and many of us couldn't keep up by 6 months. Don't beat yourself up about it - you've given her a great start and lots of antibodies.
I found Enfamil & ProSoBee to be the best - my son did better on ProSoBee since it's non-dairy. I have met one of the key food scientists on the team that developed these products, and he is world renowned. He since has developed a children's supplement used for preemies up thru age 12, here and worldwide.
I found the powdered formula to be easier to deal with - not so heavy bringing it home from the market, no refrigeration necessary which made it easy to take a bottle of powder in the diaper bag and just add water when needed, etc.
Take care of yourself - your baby needs a mom who is not sleep-deprived!
I had the same issues as you but a lot sooner, you are doing a great job! I would sleep more and pump maybe once a night. Also pump the "other" boob when your daughter nurses. I would also consult a lactation consultant for their view and try the teas.
Much love and luck, N.
Anything organic is good.
Amazing that you were pumping all night! Get some sleep now. Enfamil with Iron, I used for 2 babies.
I have a couple of random comments that may or may not help with your supply - it sounds like you are doing an awesome job - and you work full time, wow!
Anyhow, I noticed that as long as I nursed or pumped at least every 4 hours during the day and went no more than 6 at night without nursing, I would not ovulate - it was only when I began spacing out the feedings to more like 5+ hours in between that I began to ovulate.
Whenever my supply dropped, it came back in 2-7 days (depending on the reason) with frequent nursing or pumping. During the times when my supply dropped, I supplemented with food, like applesauce.
Lastly, Dr. Jack Newman says that nursing moms have the potential to exclusively nurse until age 6 months, some longer. You're not alone.
The only thing that you didn't mention (and I am impressed by your research - great job) is Domperidone. I took it for a year because my supply kept on dropping for various reasons. It took only 4 days and it worked very well. I don't take it now, and my milk production is just fine - I think I just needed the security while I learned about my body and breastfeeding. I ordered it online.
I am glad that you mentioned the calcium - when I was reading up on it, I read that it was a cal/mag supplement (at a particular ratio) that was needed to offset the hormonal effects of menstruation on lactation.
I'm sorry you're having a tough time keeping up with demand, your period can really make your supply tank, and coupled with a growth spurt is bad. There arent really "good" and "bad" formulas. They all must meet certain basic requirements and all meet standards for acceptable nutrition. Anything that one has that another doesn't isn't considered necessary. "Organic" can mean different things and doesn't necessarily mean what you might think but it lets them charge you more for it. You can ask your pediatrician what he/she recommends. Hopefully your supply will increase soon, you're doing all of the right things to do that.
I have twin girls and they were on similac the whole time they were on formula...they have so many different kinds to work with their immune systems...Lactose and tollerant, fussiness and gas, and then just regular advance, also some for premature babies. I 1st started breast milk with them because that was best for premature babies, but i started running out just like you so that's when i started on formula. i never had any problems with similac and our pediatrician is the one who suggested similac. The recalls were taken care of as far as i know. Well i hope you find the right thing for you. you only have about 6 more months of formula to go, then she will probably be drinking milk. Becareful with whole milk because sometimes it doesnt agree with babies. It didnt agree with my girls and we had to try all kinds of different things. Pediasure was the main one that they liked but then we tried 2% milk and that is way cheaper and it agreed with them.
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I have twin girls and they were on similac the whole time they were on formula...they have so many different kinds to work with their immune systems...Lactose and tollerant, fussiness and gas, and then just regular advance, also some for premature babies. I 1st started breast milk with them because that was best for premature babies, but i started running out just like you so that's when i started on formula. i never had any problems with similac and our pediatrician is the one who suggested similac. The recalls were taken care of as far as i know. Well i hope you find the right thing for you. you only have about 6 more months of formula to go, then she will probably be drinking milk. Becareful with whole milk because sometimes it doesnt agree with babies. It didnt agree with my girls and we had to try all kinds of different things. Pediasure was the main one that they liked but then we tried 2% milk and that is way cheaper and it agreed with them.
Updated
I have twin girls and they were on similac the whole time they were on formula...they have so many different kinds to work with their immune systems...Lactose and tollerant, fussiness and gas, and then just regular advance, also some for premature babies. I 1st started breast milk with them because that was best for premature babies, but i started running out just like you so that's when i started on formula. i never had any problems with similac and our pediatrician is the one who suggested similac. The recalls were taken care of as far as i know. Well i hope you find the right thing for you. you only have about 6 more months of formula to go, then she will probably be drinking milk. Becareful with whole milk because sometimes it doesnt agree with babies. It didnt agree with my girls and we had to try all kinds of different things. Pediasure was the main one that they liked but then we tried 2% milk and that is way cheaper and it agreed with them.
You're such a good mama to care so deeply about giving your baby the best. Now take a deep breath, and repeat after me: my baby needs a mama who is not a zombie. :) Do what you need to do, know that your baby is healthy as can be, and don't feel defeated or guilty.
I BFed both my little ones for 6 months, and when I couldn't keep up I switched to formula. I was able to drop down to 2 feedings of breastmilk a day for a while, so my son still got the immune and health benefits. If you can do that, it's a good compromise. We found that Good Start was the best for us, but I agree: they all meet certain rigorous standards, so it's a matter of preference really. Our ped was able to get us started on some samples, and the companies are always willing to send some to you if you give them a call. Good Start claims to be the closest to breast milk, and it seemed to taste more like it (my son preferred it to Enfamil.) It was also slightly cheaper.
Best of luck, and enjoy your sleep! :)
