I've been breastfeeding my now six month old daughter since birth. Now that's she's bigger and eating more I think that I'm going to supplement with one bottle of formula a day to help her stay hydrated due to it being so hot outside! I'm looking for advice as to which formula would be best to supplement her with - is there a certain formula that's been proven healthier then others? Anybody have any problems or suggestions with supplementing? Any complaints about any certain brand of formula?
I greatly appreciate everyone's input!!
The fact of the matter is, if I didn't know about the benefits of breastfeeding, I wouldn't be breastfeeding. Nor did I say that I was going to quit either, I just asked advice as to which formula would be best if I had to supplement. Some of you guys are failing to see the the bigger picture here: with this economy, it's hard enough to find a job at all, let alone one that will allow you to pump every 2-4 hours when they could just as easily hire someone who isn't breastfeeding. I am a single mother, so having a man work and provide for us is out of the question. It's also illegal to breastfeed in the car, let alone while you're driving. So far I've been breastfeeding my baby about every 4 hours, along with 2 jars of baby food a day and 4 oz of juice. I'm telling you, that 4 oz of juice is a blessing in the car and while you're out. I just thought that since juice doesn't offer that much nutritional value, it would benefit my daughter more if I offered her a bottle of formula instead. My God, the stuff isn't POISON. I feel sorry for the poor mothers that try to breastfeed and can't.
Another factor to this matter is that I have an exceptionally healthy baby. She was born 9 pounds and now at 6 months she is 22 pounds. I didn't start her on foods till last month, so most of the weight that my baby has packed on her has came from exclusively breastfeeding.
I also was pumping and storing my milk, and taking an extra bottle of breastmilk with me when I went places, but now that she's bigger she has used up all that I've had stored and she takes so much milk from me that I haven't been able to pump more then 2 ounces at a time when I used to be pumping up to 13 ounces. So yes, when I can I take an extra bottle of breastmilk in place of the juice, and I imagine I will do the same when I can instead of formula.
So thanks to everyone that has offered me advice as to which formula would be best, which is what I was asking about, not the benefits of breastfeeding.
My decision is that I'll keep with the juice for now, she does love it. But if I do have to end up supplementing with me working I think I'll go with Enfamil Premium Lipil. Thanks to everyone that has suggested this to me, it's really helped :)
When I started supplementing my son, he had digestive issues with all the major brands. Believe it or not, Wal-mart's Parent's Choice Gentle was the best. There were no issues and it had the added benefit of being the cheapest. I had not wanted to try a store brand, but my sister had used the same formula at her pediatrician's advice. There were no problems with clumping. I am not a Walmart fan, but do highly recommend this formula.
I love how you ask for advise and people preach about the evils of formula, unreal. I apologize for them. I tried exclusively BFing ALL of my kids and it didn't work out for long. My pediatrician (and a bunch of my mom-friends) all recommended Enfamil Premium Lipil. It is as good as it gets! Also, if you want to help her stay hydrated, you can also introduce juice mixed with water at this age. Now some people will say 'don't give water to a baby!'... How did we EVER survive as kids ourselves?! I also buy pedialyte pops and once in a while when we HAVE to be outside in the heat for a while, I'll break a piece off and put it in one of those mesh pacifier looking things for baby to suck on to keep up his electrolytes. If your baby is into solids already, you can also freeze watermelon and put that in the mesh thingy... my son LOVES it, I have to buy one watermelon per week between him and my daughters! Best wishes :)
When my milk dried up with our first (at about 6 or 7 months) we used Enfamil. The regular stuff.
Our second never had any formula........ Strictly bf till 9 months and continued till 18 months.
HOWEVER, our doctors (have had about 6 different ones......) all said the same thing! ALL FORMULA IS CREATED PRETTY EQUAL. Check the ingredients. The only ingredients that are different are the ones that make the TASTE different. Formula is regulated. So, PERSONALLY, if you choose to supplement, I'd just go with an off brand.
But I'd be wary. By supplementing a form of milk in a bottle, your baby may start to self wean........ Have you ever tried just giving her water instead? Too many of my friends and some relatives have had their child self wean at an earlier age than what they preferred because of supplementing.......
PS> I've never heard of it being illegal to bf in a vehicle as long as it's parked............
Oh my goodness! Do what you think is best for YOU and YOUR BABY, and don't worry about what other people think or say. I too, have exclusively nursed my 7 month old son until now, but have recently (yesterday) started giving him the occasional bottle of formula. For me, its because he's such a big boy and eats so much, I can't seem to feed him and be able to pump enough to store. With 4 kids in the house, it is vital to my marriage that I am able to be out of the house with my husband alone, and I need to be able to do so not worring about if my son has enough to eat.
Anyway...if you're concerned with hydration, it is ok (and even recommended) to give her a bottle or sippy with water a few times a week. Our pediatrician says that our city tap water is just what baby needs because it gives him the little bit of flouride that he needs.
With my other children, I always used Enfamil Lipil, because it just seemed to have a better consistancy and smell than Similac. This time around, I compared the ingredients and the vitamin levels in Enfamil and the Walmart brand (Parent's Choice), and they are identical. That is what I'm giving to my son, and he seems to really like it. Although, he won't take it from *me,* it has to be from my husband or someone else.
Good luck!
Here is the beauty of breastfeeding-it really is the perfect food! It nourishes baby, grows baby and hydrates baby! There is no need to supplement with formula or even water. The foremilk (the first thing baby gets when she begins to nurse at each session) is very watery and helps satisfy thirst and then baby ends the nursing session with the creamy, rich, filling hindmilk. If baby is thirsty she will signal to you that she wants to nurse! That's how it works. Can't get much easier than that!
I'm wondering too if you are misreading baby's signals for thirst and extra nursing (as she's right around a growth spurt) that you aren't enough for her. That very rarely is the case. Babies around your daughter's age will ramp up their nursings around the 6 month mark to get your body to respond by upping production for what she'll need in this next 6 months.
I nursed both my babies exclusively here in hot florida and didn't ever need to offer water or formula to satisfy thirst. Just offer the breast-if it's thirst they will likely not do a complete nursing-just get a little snackie of the watery foremilk.
My very best advice is to be confident in your ability to feed and grow your baby! Our bodies are amazing, wonderful things and baby knows just what to do with us!
Best to you and baby!
I tried a lot of different kinds of formula with my little one, in part because some were cheaper then others. First off I hated similac. It constipated my baby right away, and I had so many other mothers tell me not to use that type of formula. Then I tried enfamil and I was pleasently pleased (this is the regular enfamil, not the premium one). Later one to save money we tried a few others, and what I relazed is, it was the type of power. The regular enfamil was a very fine power that when you poured the scoop of it in water it would start dissolving and mixing a little bit before you even shook up the bottle. The other powers were clumpy and seemed heavy when it hit the water, and it didn't mix well. Like if you didn't shake the heck out of the bottle there were sometimes clumps, un-unmixed. Kirkland (costco brand), similac, up&up (targets brand), Parent's Choice (walmart brand) and other types of enfamil all seem to be the same clumpy powder. I liked the regular the regular the best. If you are concerned with the type of formula, maybe check into the organic one's? I was surprised when I went to enfamil's website (all other brands have it too) how many types of formula they produced because you dont always see every one of them at the store. I would just start checking around. Good luck!
Added: I just went to the good start/gerber website and they said if you want to supplement formula when breastfeeding to choose a formula that is easily digested. There's is called good start gentle plus and even have ready made small nurser bottle. They look pretty cool. I hope this helps!
If you want to supplement, do. You don't need to for hydration's sake, however. If you want to keep nursing exclusively, just make sure you're drinking enough water - your body will make sure your baby has everything she needs, but it won't look out quite as well for you!
If you want to supplement, my pediatrician said that they're all equally healthy, but and my daughter got similac (I think) but my son crinkled up his nose when offered similac; he much preferred good start. It's thinner, so it has more the consistancy of breast milk, and I have to say, it's the only formula that didn't smell foul, so I think it's a little sweeter like breast milk too.
Good luck with your decision. And seriously, kudos to you for nursing so long - if you want to supplement, feel good about that choice too.
Why do you think you need to start supplementing? I nursed each of my daughters until they were about 18 months old and never supplemented at all. My daughters are now breastfeeding their children...in fact one lives in FLorida where it is just as hot as it is where you are and is exclusively breastfeeding her 7 month old.
Breastmilk offers plenty of hydration and as long as YOU are taking in plenty of fluids, there should be nothing to worry about.
Once you introduce formula and the ease of drinking from a bottle to your little one, she may not be as vigorous at nursing at the breast anymore. If you have a local Nursing Clinic that is associated with the hospital where you gave birth, or a La Leche League you could talk to them to give you some more affirmation on this.
I personally wouldn't give formula just to keep her hydrated while outside for long periods at a time. A few ounces of just water or even 1/2 water & 1/2 juice is good. With the different types of formula I recommend Good Start. With my first baby she was on the Enfamil that always stopped her up and gave her lots of gas. With my son I bf for a while then went to Similac which he did not adjust to at all. The Similac had a sour smell to it. I finally got him on Good Start and had no problems. Good luck.
Formula doesn' hydrate babies. It has much more sodium than breastmilk. Formula fed older babies sometimes need a little water supplementation (formula is NOT a drink, it's a food). Breastmilk has lots of hydration, your baby doesn't need formula. It will fill her up and make her take LESS breastmilk, thereby lowering her hydration and your supply. I am not sure where you got the idea that daily formula would hydrate a baby in summer, but you are mistaken. Breastfed babies don't need formula at all, and despite what any other poster said, it is NOT recommended to give babies water at this age. Someone's individual doctor may say so, but their "recommendation" is not based on anything other than personal opinion and the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend water for infants - it fills them up and offers NO nutritional value. The AAP also does not recommend juice at under a year.
Our first daughter used Enfamil but had some spitting up issues. Our 2nd is on similac advance along with breastmilk and is doing great. But they're all pretty much the same so whatever your baby does good with, go for it! :) Also, don't forget to go to whichever brand you use website and sign up for free offers. You'll get good samples and coupons! And ignore the breastfeeding nazis....you trust your instincts, and feed your baby however works for you. Formula, breastmilk, or a combo...your baby will be healthy and happy! :)
Ask her dr, which one he wants her on.
Hi! I breastfeed my nine month old son in hot Florida. From what I have read breastmilk has all your baby needs to stay hydrated.
Here is a great website:
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/baby-water.html
This is such a hard question... It's hard, because most of us who breastfed our first babies remember that feeling of 'not enough', and our first reaction is to warn other moms against trying formula... believe it or not, all of this 'no, no, no!' doesn't come from a judgmental place - it just comes from experience and being unable to express our sentiments properly.
Most of us who tried supplementing had the same experience; the gradual slowing or stopping of our own natural milk production. I think almost all women mourn the end of our time to nurse our babies... we miss the closeness, and the ease. So we look back and try to figure out what happened... what we did wrong. Then we respond vehemently on message boards because we don't want other moms to make the same 'mistakes' that we did.
I was lucky, in that I was able to catch myself in time to fix the production slowing problem, and here's what I did: I took one day, every couple of weeks to spend nursing my baby whenever he indicated a need or want... I would stockpile snacks and cold water bottles (for me) in the morning around my bed, and we would just spend the day in bed nursing and napping and playing. I did this a few times (as much for the benefit of spending exclusive time with my baby as for the milk production) and I was able to nurse him exclusively until he was 14 months old... I only had to stop then, because I am pregnant and hormones made my milk dry up.
Whatever you decide to do, just choose to be at peace with it. Know that it's going to be hard (emotionally) after you wean your baby completely, and that beginning to supplement WILL lead to that place eventually. These are facts, not judgments.
Good luck!
-H
