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Those who moved to ff from bf...
How did you find it? Is it easier? Are your lo's more settled? Do you feel more relaxed knowing how much your lo is taking? Any problems (constipation, wind etc)? Do you regret changing?
I am bf but not really liking it. Beth is a really fussy feeder and every feed is really horrible. I actually really feel we would bond more if I was bottle feeding.
I want to stop bf before 6 months (she's 6 weeks tomorrow) but oh is really anti formula feeding and is making me feel really bad about it. He keeps saying things like 'she won't sleep if you change to bottles' (as she falls asleep on breast at night) or 'she'll be constipated,' 'you'll regret it' etc and I'd hate for him to be able to say 'I told you so' if I quit!
I am bf but not really liking it. Beth is a really fussy feeder and every feed is really horrible. I actually really feel we would bond more if I was bottle feeding.
I want to stop bf before 6 months (she's 6 weeks tomorrow) but oh is really anti formula feeding and is making me feel really bad about it. He keeps saying things like 'she won't sleep if you change to bottles' (as she falls asleep on breast at night) or 'she'll be constipated,' 'you'll regret it' etc and I'd hate for him to be able to say 'I told you so' if I quit!
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Replies
Firstly, you have to ignore your hubby's comments! I know he's been a fantastic support to you since Beth arrived, but YOU have to deal with the feeding day in, day out - not him! So you MUST do what is BEST for YOU and BETH! My hubby was the same - but he does now admit, moving to formula was the best thing for Toby (and me).
Based on my experience, I wouldn't say that formula = sleep, it did for a while, but for the last 2 months, Toby has not really slept through like he was doing, so don't give Beth formula if you think she will sleep through the night 'cos not all FF babies do.
However my experience based on Toby and my other friends whose babies are on formula, shows that formula = much more settled and content baby. But that is just a handful of babies. I do also have a few mummy and baby friends who BF and their babies are also very settled.
When we switched to formula with Toby, the difference in him was amazing. He basically stopped crying for food all of the time!!! I was continually feeding him from around 9am to lunchtime, then again from 4pm until about 10/11pm. My milk wasn't satisfying him and I wasn't producing enough so he was always screaming for food. When he lost weight, that was the final straw for me so we switched to formula.
Moving to FF was the best thing for Toby and I. He was an instantly happier baby - he really was. and because he was happier and more settled, he slept better, daytime naps became easy easy easy and to be honest they have pretty much stayed easy. Because the change in him was so positive, the change in me was too. I was no longer scared of going out in public and I loved being a Mummy so much more. I pretty much felt like T had be born again!!!
FF does come with its downfalls. Its IS a pain having to sterilise bottles etc. well it is if you leave it until last thing at night when you are so tired all you want is bed, not faffing with bottles! LOL
Going out you have to take stuff and ensure you have everything if you need to heat bottles etc.
Toby also suffered from wind issues for weeks and weeks (although he was already very windy by 3 weeks when still BF) and he is now suffering from silent reflux, but thankfully that is now under control too!
Bottle feeding ISN'T bad for babies and its def. not been bad for my baby. I am still not convinced at all about BF helping immunity from various things. Toby's baby friends that are BF have been just as ill as him with colds and coughs!
Hope this helps and sorry I've waffled.
Joo xxx
Another option would be to offer her a formula top up after you've breast fed - then you might see if she is still hungry or its something else that's making her unhappy.
(gatecrashing - I'm still enjoying bf-ing but interested to see replies to this)
Faith happily went onto formula as I had given her the odd bottle from being 3 weeks and I found that it stopped the cluster feeding which was such a relief. I can see the pros and cons of both breast and bottle but for me, I found I was less stressed once I started ff. I also think I relaxed a bit more as I didn't feel anxious about feeding her in public.
Ff didn't make Faith sleep any differently really as long as she is being cuddled up by someone I don't think it makes a difference, it also meant that my OH could feed her too which was something he was dying to do!
As I said I do see the pros and cons of both but I think if I had another LO I wouldn't bf for so long, just because I know I relaxed so much more once I'd stopped. I actually think it was a good decision for me.
Also - DS is underweight but since starting to introduce formula - his weight gain has been fantastic (10oz last week and 9.5oz this week). So I feel much better knowing that he is getting enough to eat !
HTH