Why Formula Became Your Choice

Linea - posted on 01/17/2012

I was able to bf our daughter with formula supplement until about 4mo or so...after that she had already started and when I went to put her to my breast she just screamed and in order to keep my sanity...we had already had our fair share of issues...I just stopped trying to nurse her

Hollyanne - posted on 03/21/2011

I wanted to breastfeed my son. However he came 6 weeks early and while he was in the NICU I had a hard time trying to pump it for him. I would try to breast feed him but he wasn't getting enough of my supply. The hospital told me once they got him eating more he could go home. So I decided to have him eat out of a bottle. I would pump and when I didn't have enough he could have formula. When he came home from the hospital I found it easier to just feed him formula. I think it was the better choice for us in the long run.

Jessica - posted on 01/15/2010

I started with Enfamil A+, because thats what they used in the hospital, my son was vomiting a lot and had bad gas and I switched to Parents Choice, no change. Now he is eating Simalac Sensitive and is 100% better and happier!

Erika - posted on 12/04/2009

I had to use formula for this baby because I was diagnosed w/ breast cancer when I was 20 weeks pregnant. I've done 12 weeks of chemotherapy while I was pregnant and will start more chemotherapy on December 8th. I didn't have a choice.

Ashley - posted on 11/18/2009

My son was breastfed only for the first two weeks, and then I would supplement with formula to help with his reflux an horrible gas (with Enfamil Gentlease). At seven and a half months, he stopped nursing on his own. He only gained five ounces in six weeks, and when he was "done" nursing, he ate a seven or eight ounce bottle afterwards. I have tried to pump, but I don't get anything but MAYBE an ounce, so I stopped.

At first I felt bad, but now I realize that my son is well-fed, happy, and healthy. I am also hoping he gains more weight as he is eight months old and only weighs 16 pounds.

Amy - posted on 11/17/2009

I formula fed my first born and I am now formula feeding my second, both for different reasons.

With Lilly (my 1st) I had very bad PPD and was on medication, so I didn't feel comfortable Breast feeding her while on drugs that effect the chemicals in the brain. Also she just would not latch on no matter how hard I tried. I pumped for a week (before I started my meds) but it was such a pain and after a week, I said screw it, the breast feeding is making me more miserable, and is about to push me over the edge...she is getting a bottle! Best thing I could have done. She is now a super smart 3 year old, healthy as a horse and by giving her the bottle I was able to let people take her for a few hours so I could focus on me and getting better. In the end we were both happier.

With Michael (my newborn) I tried to breastfeed him too, and he ended up latching on and doing really good with BF imediatly. Then after 2 days when the colostrum was gone and the milk started to come in we began to have trouble. He was causing my nipples to be very very sore and bleed because he souldn't get a good latch anymore, I was in so much pain I couldn't even pump and then 3 nights in a row he had 5-6 hour feeding sessions where he would nurse and then when I would take him off to burp or try to lay him down, he opened his eyes and wanted to nurse more. I have a 3 year old at home too and daddy isn't able to get vacation to help take care of her during the day. So needless to say Michael is on Formula now so everyone can sleep a bit more at night and because, honestly, it just is better more me. I like formula feeding better than BF. I struggled this time because there is such pressure to breast feed and I felt guilty because I felt I was taking the easy route because I was too lazy to keep at it. Well once I got over that by realizing in a few years it won't matter how baby was fed, just that he had a happy mommy. Also I am starting to have trouble with PPD again, so I am glad I started him on formula again before it struck.

Sorry about the long story, lol. I had a lot I felt I needed to say =)

Paula - posted on 10/28/2009

I didn't breast feed with my first child, but promised myself when I had another baby i would breastfeed, so after my daughter was born, that's what I did..kinda. Two days after she was born she was put in NICU due to an infection in her blood. they insisted that she supplement a bottle after every time she breast fed. Then she had to be bottle fed when I couldn't be at the hospital (like I said, she's my second baby so I had responsibilities outside of the hospital, too). On top of that, my daughter plaied the little diva. She would wake up screaming and frantic that she was hungry but half the time she would just end up curling up with me and sleeping before she got enough food. It didn't take long for her to realize that the bottle was easier and came out faster then when she nursed. After that she hardly nursed and i was pumping as much as I could, but my life is busy and I couldn't always pump as much as I should have. My stress levels rose and my production sank. I wasn't producing much at all, but I was trying so that at least she could have some breast milk. Then my sinuses started acting up and I lost all production. I pretty much took that as a sign that I was done breast feeding. LOL so...she's on formula now :d

Haley - posted on 10/23/2009

i bought a book for my daughters father when i was pregnant and it had a great quote, "pro football players grew up on formula, it's her body, and her choice."

Pj - posted on 10/22/2009

I tried to pump for a few weeks it was insane I has no time with my daughter I was starting to get post partum depression. With feeling so bad I couldn't breast feed now I'm so happy my daughter didn't latch because this works so much better for our family :)

Malissa - posted on 10/21/2009

I originally was breast feeding Orion, but the poor little guy is borderline tongue-tied (not enough to need corrective surgery) and had issues latching. He literally massacred my nipples because he had such a hard time. The amount of lanolin ointment I went through was insane... We did have a health nurse and lactation consultant we were in contact with but nothing seemed to help. I was a cranky/sobbing mess because I was in pain and he was ALWAYS hungry. Because he was always hungry, I would constantly be feeding him. I was soooo exhausted, I had quite a few 24 hour days (honestly I'm not exaggerating, ask my husband). Actual breastfeeding lasted 2 weeks (because I was a wreck, hubby even threw the words postpartum depression around), I pumped for another 4 weeks before drying up and since then Orion has been on formula. He's thriving now, we're both sleeping wonderfully, and he gets to bond with everyone important in his life. Everything is a lot less stressful around here now too. And to people who try to make you feel guilty about not doing it, honestly during the Victorian era and my grandparents time it wasn't considered proper/fashionable/healthy to breastfeed. We obviously have perfectly fine new generations of people on the planet following those phases so really what's the big deal? My mom and uncle are fine and they grew up on carnation milk for crying out loud!

Pj - posted on 10/21/2009

I also cant wait for solid foods! i keep telling myself 2 more months 2 more months!!!

Pj - posted on 10/20/2009

I tried to pump as well but I felt like I had no time with my daughter I honestly felt like a moo cow lol pump eat and sleep haha

Haley - posted on 10/20/2009

i decided to use formula as a supplement initially because breastfeeding 24 hours a day was making me cry, lol. my daughter was in the NICU and i was not only suffering from lack of sleep (i spent all but 2 hours a day with her...that's 22 hours) but from feeding difficulties with a baby who had low blood sugar. at some point she sort of just weened herself off of the breast and exclusively onto the bottle. I pumped for a while, but it wasn't as good at keeping up my supply as she was. I wish sometimes that I had continued to breastfeed. But this too shall pass! (i can't WAIT for solid foods!)

Pj - posted on 10/20/2009

I was going to try to breastfeed but my daughter just couldnt latch we had a terrible time. I spent about 2 weeks having nurses and lactation consultants grabbing at my boobs and pushing her head to them she would scream and cry i felt horrible! I felt like a failure because the nurses seemed disappointed in me. I ended up formula feeding our daughter and she is so happy and healthy! Its also nice because my husband can help with the feeding and that gives him some bonding time as well which I like! :)

Sarah - posted on 10/20/2009

i did plan on trying to breastfed .. but i wasn't planning on doing it long term .. i wanted to combine feed intitially but it didnt work at that way. i bought a box of formula before he was born just in case.

i breast fed my son at birth and for the next 9 days of his life ..

those 10 days were extremely emotional .. i was shattered and was on the verge of suffering from pnd.

the main reason i gave up was because everytime i put my son to the breast he fell asleep! or he'd only stay on for a couple of mins and then fall asleep so i'd put him to bed thinking he was done .. but he'd wake up screaming that he was hungry. the cycle just went on really.

i tried pumping .. but i found that really difficult and it hurt ..



so he's been on formula ever since.



other reasons why i felt uncomfortable breastfeeding are.



: i'm not really comfortable with my boobs so i didn't really want them on show in public .. i felt really self concious at feeding times

: i work at mc donalds so i dont really have the best diet!!

: i've always been slightly anemic .. i used to only eat fish before i was pregnant but during pregnancy i started eating chicken as i was planning on bf and wasnt planning on bringing ollie up veggie. in the final month my mum made me eat red meat as i was admitted to hospital with a stomach bug so she said i needed to eat properaly .. so i feel that being ff ollie gets a better diet.

: i couldnt see how much he was taking at each feed

Michelle - posted on 10/20/2009

i breastfed my daughter isabelle for 3 months then fell ill i hadnt expressed any milk to give to her so put her on formula i tried to breastfeed her once i was better but it was just so much hard work getting her back on the breast. since then both me and my daughter are so much happier as i dont have to stressabout whether she is getting enough milk. and i love the fact that her daddy can now feed her too it takes alot of pressure off and we are all very happy. =]