Hellobee Boards

It may not sound like a success story, but I credit formula for helping me BF for the 7 weeks I did. We dealt with a combination of a baby who refused to latch most of the time and my low supply. I did everything you're supposed to do - copious amounts of mother's milk tea, More Milk Plus, oatmeal, hot showers, massaging, lactation consultant visits etc., and LO was still not satisfied and not gaining weight. So, I would attempt to BF, then top off with formula, then pump. It was a grueling exercise and one that I couldn't maintain long-term because I was barely getting to sleep or spend any time with the baby. BUT, I'm glad I got those 7 weeks in.

Also, for what it's worth because I saw you posted something about immunity on a different thread, LO is 7.5 months and has never been sick whereas several of his BFed friends have been, so BFing is far from a guarantee of perfect health. It's a great thing to do, but I felt a lot of guilt at switching to formula like I was dooming LO to illness when that's been far from the truth in our case.

@Cherrybee: supplementing is good if it's going to work for you and your baby! I supplemented early on because M wasn't latching well and wasn't gaining weight. We supplemented with formula but then started supplementing with breastmilk I had pumped. She loved the bottle and the boob, never had a problem between the two. I have NEVER had a problem with my supply dropping or dipping just because I supplemented because I continued to pump when I did supplement.

oh i posted something on your other thread, but in case someone who needs help reads this thread instead...

5 days after LO was born, the pediatrician recommended supplementing with formula and seeing a lactation consultant. he didn't say replace nursing with formula--i would nurse LO (who was a really, really sleepy nurser and i think that's why my milk supply had issues getting established) for 15-20 minutes, and then supplement with a few ounces of formula. while he was having his formula, i would pump (with a hospital-grade rental pump) for 10-15 minutes.

after the formula ran out (we had one of those ready to eat 6-packs), i had enough pumped milk that i would nurse, then supplement with bottled milk. supplementing with a bottle was still necessary because he was still so sleepy during nursing and i wanted to make sure he was getting enough.

we stopped supplementing after every nursing session when we could tell LO wasn't really interested in eating more after nursing. i did keep pumping for a while after each nursing session to make sure my supply didn't dip, and actually led to an oversupply (and i have a freezer stash now).

even after we stopped supplementing with a bottle after nursing, he still took a bottle each day. when he had the bottle, i would pump. we continued with the bottle because: (1) i wanted him to stay used to a bottle since eventually he would be going to daycare; (2) nursing was still stressful and i needed a break; and (3) other people could help out by feeding him.

we never had nipple confusion issues, and never had to worry about bottle strike, for which i am grateful. supplementing worked really well for us even though it was a lot of work at times (especially the pumping)!

I was EBF for DD's first month. When we went for her 1 month checkup, we found that she had lost 7 oz from her birth weight! She was supposed to have gained a pound or two by that time. I felt TERRIBLE that I had been starving her, so we had to start supplementing her right away. I would feed 15 minutes each side, then she would take 2-3 ounces from the bottle! After the bottle I would pump 20 minutes both sides to try to increase supply. I think it was too late, because I was never able to increase my supply very much. By 5.5 weeks, I was exclusively pumping, and only making 9 ounces. I started supplements and prescriptions and got up to 18 ounces. I stopped supplements and dropped to 10 oz. Started them again and I've been holding steady at 16 ounces for 5 weeks.
A LOT of guilt and frustration and reading later, and I'm able to give her 50% BM each day.