Going From Breastfeeding To Formula

going from breastfeeding to formula

Kendyl - posted on 05/20/2009 ( 2 moms have responded )

my daughter is now 7.5 months old, takes breast milk, water and juice from a bottle pretty well. i'm trying to decide if i should start putting her on some formula, this taking the worry away about having milk pumped if i am going to be away from her for a while. just wondering how to go about it ? how much and what time of day is best and how often. i'm not trying to wean her, just ready for a bit more freedom

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Kim - posted on 05/24/2009

I always pumped for my daughter. When I went back to work my milk started to go away because I couldn't pump as often as needed. So when I had to make the switch I started out mixing the two together as she wanted nothing to do with straight formula. Eventually we got to the point where she was ok with straight formula.

Jennifer - posted on 05/20/2009

I understand completely about the freedom thing. I recently quit breastfeeding and I do feel guilty about it every day, but I definitely have more freedom and the day doesn't seem to revolve around my son's feeding schedule anymore.

Anyway, I just decided one day to try my son out on formula and he took it like a champ. I had been pumping everything and giving it to him from a bottle for awhile to get him used to bottle feeding and he actually seemed to do better with the bottle than the breast. I tried my little guy out on Enfamil Gentlease and he's done great so far. I have heard of many moms mixing breastmilk and formula if baby wouldn't take straight formula, but hopefully you won't have that problem. My son never seemed to know the difference!

I think it's wonderful that you're still breastfeeding and keep it up for as long as you can, but I don't think it would hurt to feed one bottle of formula a day if it helps you feel less stressed out and able to do more. Hopefully your little girl will take formula just fine. The only formula my son wouldn't take at all was the hypoallergenic kind and I've heard they do taste very different.

Good luck!