my son is 10 weeks old i breast feed him n also give him formula milk should i wean him?

Priscilla - posted on 03/30/2011

I think that giving him both is great. The breast milk is excellent for you sons health and getting him use to formula should make for an easier transition for the both of you. Plus formula gives you a little but sometimes needed break for your body.

Rowenia - posted on 03/17/2011

Excellent advice and so glad to hear your son is doing so well.xx

Julie - posted on 03/08/2011

That is up to you and how dedicated you are to breastfeeding. My son was born 2 months premature, weighing 2 lbs. 15 oz. For the first 2 weeks he was critical and we couldn't even touch him. They had me pumping every 2 hours at first and after a week of special i.v. fluids they started giving him my breastmilk a little at a time through a tube down his nose. At 34 weeks I was able to do what they called non-nutritive breastfeeding where I was able to put him to the breast to get used to what it was and see if he would latch on. I was allowed to do this once a day. At 35 weeks I was allowed to try twice a day. At first he couldn't latch on. I had to use a nipple shield and his suck was very weak. To help him gain weight they would fortify the milk I pumped, with special preemie formula. We didn't have a lot of success because we had to limit the sessions. He would tire easily or my letdown would overwhelm him and his oxygen level would drop. At 36 weeks he was strong enough for me to come 4 times a day. He would do well for a few days and then have a setback and not nurse at all for a few days. When he was 38 weeks we finally got to take him home and had to do 2 bottlefeeds to every breastfeed because he was so tiny and so tired and they didn't want him to burn more calories nursing than what he was getting. It was a struggle. He seemed too tired for the most part to breastfeed and it would take him over an hour just to drink a few milliliters from a bottle. My milk supply was overwhelming in those first few weeks after he was born. I was pumping anywhere from 6-10 oz. at a time and had it stockpiled in my freezer and deep freeze. Once he was home though, it was so stressful trying to do it on my own without nurses to help take care of him, not drinking enough, not having time to pump 8 times a day, and not getting enough sleep, that my supply dropped and I was lucky to get 1 oz. a pumping. I've tried taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle together or Dom Peridone to boost my milk supply with limited success. Finally after a few weeks of being home I decided the only way he was going to be able to nurse was if I did it EVERY feeding even if only for 5 min. a side and he was actually doing it. Then when he was 2 months old he got strep pneumo meningitis and was in the hospital for 20 days. He was on high flow oxygen and so I couldn't nurse him. Once he went onto low flow oxygen I tried nursing again and he had seizures and a stroke. He had to have a feeding tube again so I was pumping for that. My supply never got back to what it was in the beginning, but I was able to pump enough for his feedings. When he was able to go home from the hospital, it was like we were starting all over again with breastfeeding. Most people would have given up at this point or long before, but because I successfully breastfed my 6 daughters I wasn't ready to give up yet. With the help of speech and occupational therapists and lactation consultants I continued to try nursing and afterwards supplement with a bottle. By 4 months he finally started REALLY nursing on his own, with no nipple shield. We question how much he gets so he still gets some bottles afterwards, but as he is gaining weight and his stamina improves we've been able to eliminate 3 of the 8 bottle feedings and hope to slowly eliminate more. (If I have to miss a feeding I pump after someone else gave him a bottle and I get about 80 mils. so that's how much we think he gets when he nurses.) I So the point of my story is that if you want to breastfeed I know you can do it and you should. If you feel like you're at the point where it's more work than you can handle, then feel good about giving him a good start. I will tell you what was told to me about increasing your milk supply. #1 you need to nurse your son at LEAST 8 times a day for at least 10 minutes of active nursing in order for your body to be stimulated to produce more milk. If you have a pump, try to pump for 15 minutes afterwards to make sure your breasts are completely emptied with each feeding. The pumping and completely emptying your breasts will stimulate them to make more. You need to drink A LOT of water in order to produce enough milk, at LEAST 8 glasses a day. The easiest for me is to keep a water bottle with me and sip on it throughout the day. You also need to sleep when your baby sleeps as much as possible. If you don't get enough sleep you won't have the energy you need to produce milk let alone do anything else. If you're doing all those things and your supply is still low you can try using the herbs or compound I mentioned above. I will tell you that you can find Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle at a health food store. It's about $20.00 for the 2, for a 1 month supply. The lactation consultant told me to take 3 of each with each meal. It increased my supply by about 3 oz. The Dom Peridone was about the same, but is prescription only, isn't covered by my insurance and cost me $87.50 for a one month supply because it's a special compound from Canada that is made at only 1 pharmacy in town. The only bad thing with the herbs is they did have the unpleasant side effect of foul smelling gas. I think the thing that helped the most was frequent pumping, but it's very difficult to do. As my son has gotten older and eats more I am unable to pump enough for all of his feedings, so I breastfeed for 6 of his 7 feedings and then after 5 of the feedings give him preemie formula by bottle.(My husband gives him a bottle for the 5 a.m. feeding so I can get some sleep.) I won't kid you, it is very hard doing this, but for me it's totally worth it and the doctors said that because I was breastfeeding my son, he had some strep pneumo antibodies when he got the meningitis and that helped him to fight it off. His outcome could have been much worse. The way I look at it is this, if you breastfeed for a year that's a really short time in your lives, even though it seems like an eternity when you're going through it. If you choose to continue it will be hard, although hopefully it will get easier the older he gets as it has with my son, but it will most definitely be worth it. If you wean him will you have regret for the rest of your life? Only you can know. My first baby I struggled with breastfeeding and gave up at 5 months. I wish I had someone with experience that could have helped me, but I didn't so I try to remember that 5 months is a long time and I gave her that initial immunity to disease from breastfeeding that's so important and with bottle feeding she got to bond with Dad and other family members and it's okay. Thankfully from there I learned with each one. If I had my son first I probably would have given up, but with my experience it has helped me to persist. Do what's right for you and don't let anyone make you feel bad if you decide you can't do it anymore. You can love and care for your son feeding him a bottle too. Yes breast is best, but the most important thing is your son gets the nutrients to grow, whether it's breast or formula, and that he's being held lovingly by his mom while he's being fed. If you would like more specific tips or need more support with the breastfeeding feel free to e-mail me at jules1970@rocketmail.com. I would like to think someone could benefit from what I've gone through with my son and I would love to help others succeed with breastfeeding. He's 5 months old now and last week weighed 11 lbs. 9 oz. and even though I haven't had the perfect breastfeeding experience with him that I dreamed of, it has been precious. Good luck! There is no greater thing you can be doing than being a mother!

Julie - posted on 03/08/2011

That is up to you and how dedicated you are to breastfeeding. My son was born 2 months premature, weighing 2 lbs. 15 oz. For the first 2 weeks he was critical and we couldn't even touch him. They had me pumping and after a week of special i.v. fluids they started giving him my breastmilk a little at a time through a tube down his nose. At 34 weeks I was able to do what they called non-nutritive breastfeeding where I was able to put him to the breast to get used to what it was and see if he would latch on. I was allowed to do this once a day. At 35 weeks I was allowed to try twice a day. At first he couldn't latch on. I had to use a nipple shield and his suck was very weak. To help him gain weight they would fortify the milk I pumped with special preemie formula. We didn't have a lot of success because we had to limit the sessions. He would tire easily or my letdown would overwhelm him and his oxygen level would drop. At 36 weeks he was strong enough for me to come 4 times a day. He would do well for a few days and then have a setback and not nurse at all for a few days. When he was 38 weeks we finally got to take him home and had to do 2 bottlefeeds to every breastfeed because he was so tiny and so tired and they didn't want him to burn more calories than what he was getting. It was a struggle. He seemed too tired for the most part to breastfeed and it would take him over an hour just to drink a few milliliters from a bottle. My milk supply was overwhelming in those first few weeks after he was born. I was pumping anywhere from 6-10 oz. at a time and had it stockpiled in my freezer and deep freeze. Once he was home though, it was so stressful trying to do it on my own without nurses to help take care of him, not drinking enough, not having time to pump 8 times a day, and not getting enough sleep, that my supply dropped and I was lucky to get 1 oz. a pumping. I've tried taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle or Dom Peridone to boost my milk supply with limited success. Finally after a few weeks of being home I decided the only way he was going to be able to nurse was if I did it EVERY feeding even if only for 5 min. a side and he was getting it. Then when he was 2 months old he got strep pneumo meningitis and was in the hospital for 20 days. He was on high flow oxygen and so I couldn't nurse him. Once he went onto low flow oxygen I tried nursing again and he had seizures and a stroke. He had to have a feeding tube again so I was pumping for that. My supply never got back to what it was in the beginning, but I was able to pump enough for his feedings. When he was able to go home from the hospital, it was like we were starting all over again with breastfeeding. Most people would have given up at this point or long before, but because I successfully breastfed my 6 daughters I wasn't ready to give up yet. With the help of speech and occupational therapists and lactation consultants I continued to try nursing and afterwards supplement with a bottle. By 4 months he finally started REALLY nursing on his own, with no nipple shield. We question how much he gets so he still gets some bottles afterwards, but as he is gaining weight and his stamina improves we've been able to eliminate 3 of the 8 bottle feedings and hope to slowly eliminate more. So the point of my story is that if you want to breastfeed I know you can do it and you should. If you feel like you're at the point of it's more work than you can handle then feel good about giving him a good start. I will tell you what was told to me about increasing your milk supply. #1 you need to nurse your son at LEAST 8 times a day for at least 10 minutes of active nursing in order for your body to be stimulated to produce more milk. If you have a pump, try to pump for 15 minutes afterwards to make sure your breasts are completely emptied with each feeding. The pumping and completely emptying your breasts will stimulate them to make more. You need to drink A LOT of water in order to produce enough milk, at LEAST 8 glasses a day. The easiest for me is to keep a water bottle with me and sip on it throughout the day. You also need to sleep when your baby sleeps as much as possible. If you don't get enough sleep you won't have the energy you need to produce milk let alone do anything else. If you're doing all those things and your supply is still low you can try using the herbs or compound I mentioned above. I will tell you that you can find Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle at a health food store. It's about $20.00 for the 2 for a 1 month supply. The lactation consultant told me to take 3 of each with each meal. It increased my supply by about 3 oz. The Dom Peridone was about the same, but is prescription only, isn't covered by my insurance and cost me $87.50 for a one month supply because it's a special compound from Canada that is made at only 1 pharmacy in town. The only bad thing with the herbs is they did have the unpleasant side effect of foul smelling gas. I think the thing that helped the most was frequent pumping, but it's very difficult to do. As my son has gotten older and eats more I am unable to pump enough for all of his feeding, so I breastfeed and then after 5 of the feedings give him preemie formula by bottle. I won't kid you, it is very hard doing this, but for me it's totally worth it and the doctors said that because I was breastfeeding my son had some immunity when he got the meningitis and that helped him to fight it off. His outcome could have been much worse. The way I look at it is this, if you breastfeed for a year that's a really short time in your lives, even though it seems like an eternity when you're going through it. If you choose to continue it will be hard, although hopefully get easier the older he gets as it has with my son, but it will most definitely be worth it. If you wean him will you have regret for the rest of your life? Only you can know. My first baby I struggled with breastfeeding and gave up at 5 months. I wish I had someone with experience that could have helped me, but I didn't so I try to remember that 5 months is a long time and I gave her that initial immunity from breastfeeding that's so important and with bottle feeding she got to bond with Dad and other family members and it's okay. Thankfully from there I learned with each one. If I had my son first I probably would have given up, but with my experience it has helped me to persist. Do what's right for you and don't let anyone feel bad. You can love and care for your son feeding him a bottle too. If you would like more specific tips or need more support with the breastfeeding feel free to e-mail me at jules1970@rocketmail.com. I would like to think someone could benefit from what I've gone through with my son. He's 5 months old now and last weighed 11 lbs. 9 oz. and even though I haven't had the perfect breastfeeding experience with him that I dreamed of, it has been precious. Good luck! There is no greater thing you can be doing than being a mother!

Rowenia - posted on 02/24/2011

Hi ya Bhakti i breastfed my secound son and i also gave him formula too,i tryed to give as much breastmilk during the day and formula at night so my husband could also help out with the feeds.i did this for eleven weeks in total then i weened him of the breastmilk altogether.I also expressed during the day and i found it handy if i needed to go out anywhere.The best of luck.xx

Kerry - posted on 02/21/2011

your choice is best but from my experience of feeding 3 now i dont think theres a need for fomulae, breastfeeding is on demand, you will lactae for the chilkds need, if they dont drink much its could be teething,cold, sinus, anything but formulae doesnt give them as much as you can.........if you do not have a breast feeding group near you for advice and support try your nearest surestart centre or health visitor for assistance, there are times if you are unwell you could be a little low but persevere and try eating well, drinking plenty and you can get there, express if you feel you need to give him more and more will come, find a reciepe for lactation cookies which may help, even just the fat in a normal home baked cookie coud help, also use things like fennel n mango and ther super foods which all help........there are very few women who do not produce ''enough'' milk for a child, facts show that even women with poor diets in poor countries lactate enough for their child to give them a good start in life...if you feel you cant get the right support or information just let me know and i will try to help....the fb page the leaky b@@b is fantastic and eats on feets is too, dont get me wrong i sound like a preacher and i dont mean to but too much miss information is given, do what you feel you need to for your child, you are mummy and mummy knows best theres no right or wrong in parnting just trying the best to do what you are happy with in the childs best interests.......i have duo fed my first and found it worked as she had one feed whilst i worked at night and waited for me to get in at 6am for her favourite brast milk......i also found that the second two both didnt want it and only took boob milk so every child is different, expressing can be easy and can be quick but if formulae is all you can do then try getting one that is not the one for hungary babies as it is noot necessary at all and holds too much of the stuff they dont need and just makes them heavy and tired when they might not need to be........good luck sent with love and not meant to preach xx

Jessica - posted on 02/19/2011

dont delay if you want to keep feeding try pumping to get it flowing... i hear while lookin at your baby will help?? not sure. good luck!!!!

Leiloni - posted on 02/18/2011

I would give him both since that is what is best for your baby.

Stephanie - posted on 02/18/2011

Keep giving him both because he is still getting the "better" nutrients from your breast milk such as your antibodies that formula milk cannot give him.

Heather - posted on 02/17/2011

For those of you who think that there is no such thing as not producing enough has not had the experience of not producing enough. I DID go to BF only and BF every 1.5 hrs and he was losing weight. Therefore, actual proof that I wasn't producing enough. This was VERY upsetting to me, because it may me feel like as my Son's mother I could not provide for him what he needed. This is not true. I was (and still am) a good Mom, because I did try so hard to give my Son the very best. The reason things happened the way they did is my Son was almost 11 pounds when born. When delivered by cesarean it usually takes longer for your milk to come in. My Son had stool while in utero, due to this pneumonia he spent his first 5 days in NICU with the first 2 NPO (nothing by mouth). I had a few things stacked against me. No matter what I did I did not produce enough. But, I have to be proud of myself because I gave it my best try, and still made it to 6 months. As I have said before, Bhakti, you are your baby's Mom you need to do what is best for Baby & YOU. Take some of this and consider it, try it, but don't let anyone make you feel bad or inadequate due to the decision that you make.

Sarah - posted on 02/17/2011

I think the reason you may not be lactating enuff is b/c you are using formula as well...or maybe your baby isn't eating that much. Doctors have always told me that a baby will eat the amount they want from breastfeeding, and that it shouldn't worry me about how much they are getting. Maybe you could feed him more often? Anyway, at 10 weeks, they still need 'mother's milk' so I'd recommend breastfeeding until about 6 months or 1 year. Hope this helped

Nicole - posted on 02/17/2011

give him both and try fenugreek herbal capsules.
also try this group - they are all old pro's xx
http://www.circleofmoms.com/breastfeedin...

Sally - posted on 02/17/2011

Why do you think you don't have enough milk? As your breasts figure out what to do, they will get softer and leak less. It looks like they are making less milk, but they are actually getting more efficient. As your baby figues out what to do, he may nurse less because he's filling his tummy faster or nurse more becase it really makes him feel good. Both of those can make it look like he's not getting enough food, but they a really a good thing.
If you really want to nurse, giving your baby formula at all; is the absolutely fastest way to destroy your supply. Your breasts will not make milk if your baby is not eating it.
If you are having trouble with nursing your baby, find a LLL group or lactation consultant or even a friend who nursed successfully. Support may be all that you needs.
Good luck

Annaliese - posted on 02/17/2011

It depends with how you want it,i was co feeding my baby girl from when she was born till when she was 6months after that i stopped breastfeeding and it worked well

Jamie - posted on 02/17/2011

its ok to do both i am also breast feeding and giving my daughter formula so its ok!!

Danielle - posted on 02/16/2011

I did the same for my daughter who just turned 3 months old. I wasn't lacting enough either but that was because she wasn't filling herself with just breast milk so I just stopped all together.

Sally - posted on 02/16/2011

Bhakti, Breast feeding is how we give our children the food that is especially made for them....The belief that you do not have enough milk is usually felt during those first few weeks when it seems the baby is constantly hungry..often crying. This is in fact normal infant behaviour. It does NOT mean you do not have "enough". It is necessary for the baby to nurse frequently to stimulate the hormones that "continue" the milk supply... adding formula interrupts this cycle and very soon..because one can see the desired effect one does not realise that the baby is being given more bottles than at the breast. If felt necessary and certainly if medically directed formula is given then think of offering the breast frequently and first, supplementing smaller amounts not as often. Remember ,babies have growth spurts about every 3-4 weeks and ,would you know it.. be HUNGRY again... and will want to nurse every 1-2 hours..this is to increase the amount at a feeding,the baby settling after 48 hrs or so..there is a hormone that is increased if the breasts are not emptied that tells the brain the milk is not needed,then the supply will dwindle.It is suggested that if one wants to keep the supply going and increasing to the baby's demands and requirements that one offers the breast frequently or pump when this is not an option. breastfeeding /pumping should be done to equal 9-12 times in a 24 hour period. Bhakti.. this is a lot of information to absorb...and perhaps not welcomed however....to make an informed decision one should have the knowledge...it is so your choice as you are the one to feed your baby... it often takes a little while to get truly going....so formula,BF or both.. it is up to you.just know that if doing both your supply will dwindle....esp. if your baby sleeps more than a 5 hr period at night. Do find a Lactation clinic ..usually offered by the hospital for a person to person and hands on assistance...Good Luck! Enjoy you baby...

Racheal - posted on 02/16/2011

I would continue to give him both till you personally can not do not do it anymore.

Maria - posted on 02/16/2011

keep on with both!!

of course if thats what you really want. But any breast milk is good for baby :D

Heather - posted on 02/16/2011

Bhakti,
How are things going? Have you tried anything? I have tried many of these things and none of them worked very well for me. I say try them, but don't get discouraged if they do not work. Supply and demand could be the best, nurse every hour and suppliment only a couple of ounces of formula. Drink LOTS and LOTS of water. Try that for a week or two and see how it goes. Ultimately you need to do what is best for baby & you. If doing all this is just causing too much stress, then don't do it. Stress can prevent you from producing milk as well. So, if you are stressing nothing will work. If you are for breast feeding, just don't give up. Always remember, "this too shall pass", and in the end you will be happy you tried so hard. I know I was.

Paige - posted on 02/16/2011

Oh you can give him both of the breastmilk and formula. I was struggling with mine but I managed to keep breastfeeding my daughter until she was 6 months old. I was told to try to simuliate my breasts to increase the milk flow- did work a bit but not as much as I would want it to. Oh, and increase a bit of amount of food you consume to produce more milk. I will try to do more of it after my 2nd baby is born.

Reanda - posted on 02/16/2011

It's your choice, if it is convenient for you to continue breastfeeding then you should do so, remember breastmilk is best for babies.

ASHLEY - posted on 02/15/2011

both he will still get the benefits of breastfeeding so its worth it

Amber - posted on 02/15/2011

i would say you should breastfeed him more. I honestly would try to wean him off formula. Unless your pediatrician is saying he isnt gaining weight you may be producing more milk than you know. I know I always wondered, How am i making enough to sustain my boy.. but if you just keep breastfeeding without doubting yourself you truly will be doing the best thing for you baby!

Isabel - posted on 02/15/2011

It's really up to you, what ever you are most comfortable doing. The more you breastfeed the more you'll produce. I had the same problem in the begining and now I produce enough for my baby and all i do is breastfeed. she refuses formula/ bottle so i have become successful at breastfeeding she is 9 weeks. Doing both is also great because your baby is getting the best from breast and yet formula is easy to use when out in town. i did that with my son. good luck at what ever choice you go with. :)

Valerie - posted on 02/15/2011

keep breastfeeding and remember the rule of supply and demand. You are only lactating enough to feed the baby's demands. Your body "should" be producing enough milk for him, but my supplementing with formula, your body doesn't know that your baby needs it at other times, as well. My suggestion is to pump, pump and pump, when you are not breastfeeding. Your milk supply should start coming in heavier if the demand is heavier, if you know what I mean :)

Katrina - posted on 02/15/2011

Definitely keep nursing. If you can, I would suggest nursing as much as possible to get your supply up and nurse without supplementing.

Saesha - posted on 02/15/2011

Continue to do both since breastmilk it best for babies, if you find your supply is low try breastfeeding more and give a little less formula. Your body will naturally respond to the increase and start making more milk, it might take a couple of days but it will work. Its all about supply and demand, more demand and your body makes more supply. Good luck

Kealy - posted on 02/15/2011

You have to do what you feel is best, and what's best for you and the baby is what is the best answer. My first was a premie and she never nursed well, so I pumped for 6 months, and then my milk dried up, so I had to switch her to formula, but at least she got 6 months of my milk.

With my second, I wasn't making enough to begin with either, so I would nurse, and then pump right after, to drain anything left. I never had to use formula to supplement, but I did have to give my baby my breastmilk that I pumped, in a bottle for awhile. I only had to do this for about a month, and then I was producing enough milk and then some, that I did not have to pump anymore, and she nursed exclusively for 13 months.

Good luck,a nd I hope you find what works best for you and your baby.

Lyndsey - posted on 02/15/2011

why are you supplementing your baby with formula? i would put baby to the breast more to increase your milk production and as that increases, decrease the formula.

Cassandra - posted on 02/15/2011

Keep both up. I had to do that with my son and eventually my supply got big enough to not have to supplement very often.

Radhika - posted on 02/15/2011

They also how certain types of food that help in lactating more, theres a type of cokkie that you can by, and you only have to eat one a day, and they're pretty good, and they help, google it, im not entirely sure what it is, a friend of mine tried, and i also read about it in , I thiink it was parents magazine

Radhika - posted on 02/15/2011

I would say to give him both because he will still get the immune support from breast milk, I did both after 6 months, and I thought of weaning him, but I just loved the bonding experience of it. Breast milk has alot of health benefits, which in my opinion is the reason my son hasn't been sick yet (he's almost 15 months, we survived flue season with only the sniffles)

Savona - posted on 02/15/2011

have you tried different measures to produce more? You can try Fenugreek, get the special mothers tea from a nutrional health store, drink more water and continue taking your pre-natal vitamins, I was having a hard time producing enough at the beginning, so I was drinking the Mothers Herbal tea and it worked perfectly for me, I was soooo happy because I didnt want to substitue my babys best chance with formula

Heather - posted on 02/15/2011

I feel for you, I went through the same thing. I would nurse then bottle feed then pump. It was frustrating, but I loved it when I nursed, it was comforting, the best feeling ever. At 2 months he wouldn't nurse anymore during the day, so I just pumped and gave it all to him in a bottle. Then at 4 months he wouldn't even nurse at night. So he quit nursing period! I had wanted to nurse him until at least a year, but I was getting burnt out. I vowed to myself that I would at least make it 6 months. I did, and I was proud of myself. I miss nursing now and still wish things would have been different, but they weren't and I did the best that I could. That is what you need to do. Do what you feel is right and what is th best for both baby AND you.

Brandie - posted on 02/15/2011

you need to stop giving formula you will produce more by nursing more supply and demand your body will make more once it knows it needs more

Jennifer - posted on 02/15/2011

When you supplement with formula it canmake your supply low because your baby isn't nursing as much. Milk production is increased and decreased by your baby nursing more or less depending on their needs. So you your gonna have to decide one or the other.

Nancy - posted on 02/15/2011

I should also point out that I nursed my 3 until they were 14, 15 & 18 months. They are now adults, and one has a 4 year old whom she nursed until his was nearly a year old. There is nothing better than breast milk, and as one of the others said, it's a lot easier than formula, the mess with bottles and cheaper too.

Nancy - posted on 02/15/2011

The main reason you are not lactating enough is BECAUSE you are supplementing with a bottle. Stop doing that and your milk supply will improve. If it is not enough still, you should try taking yeast tablets. (Not the red yeast). You can ask for them at a vitamin store. Yeast will improve your milk supply fully. I nursed 3 children & had pneumonia during one of my children's nursing time. The doctor told me I would have to stop because I was nearly dehydrated. I refused. I began taking the yeast, and my milk supply and dehydration improved so much that I got better and more milk than I needed. Try it.

Stephanie - posted on 02/15/2011

Completely up to u ... I breast fed my first until he cut a tooth at 4mo then that was that i pumped till he was 7mo but my supply slowly dwinddled bc i felt like me n the pump we having bonding time instead of me n my lo ... My twins i breast fed till 2 solid months old ... Whoowhoot!!! Then enough was enough, the milk factory had enough and I was sick of being a machine ... I WISH i could have breast fed them longer only bc I loved the conection, but I did what was best for all 5 of us, my husband included and went on to formula feed my twins so i had more time with my 1 yr old ... Now, thats what I chose and thats what was best for me ... You do what you feel like doing both are fine bc formula has come a long way ... and they r both good for baby ... Dont listen to us, listen to u, what do u want to do?

Patti - posted on 02/14/2011

I would take note of what Jennifer Laur wrote. From my experience with my 7 children, the key was to drink lots of liquids and allow them to nurse frequently until my milk supply increased. I found it lots more convenient, less expensive, and relaxing to nurse my babies than to try and mess with formula, bottle sterilizing, trying to get the right formula, carrying it everywhere, let alone affording it. If you find that it is really out of the question for you, then don't get down on yourself for switching from breastmilk to formula. Take time to enjoy the time with your baby though. Some lanolin for nipple tenderness can help avoid cracking from dryness which can be mighty uncomfortable if you overdue the "let the baby nurse whenever he wants" routine. You do need to establish a real routine that you have charge over, but that balance does take some time and patience on your part. Get rest and lots of fluids. I hope for you that you will find nursing a bonding time that will strengthen your relationship and help you both to enjoy life more.

Thepmala - posted on 02/14/2011

If you can keep up with breast feeding then I would suggest you keep doing both. Breast feeding will help you lost the weight girl!

Mahfudzah Haji - posted on 02/14/2011

oh by the way bhakti..my children are in their teen years now.. i joined this circle just to share my experience with all the moms here..lucky for me i think cause i have plenty of breast milk then and i have to express them during the day when i can't make it to their nursery n when am back home after work I breastfeed them till the next day...

Mahfudzah Haji - posted on 02/14/2011

it's up to you actually cause i have kept on breastfeeding my two children at the same time giving them formula milk until they were 2 years old. i am a working mom n I do both to ensure they have all the milk they need.

Laura - posted on 02/14/2011

If you want to continue breastfeeding you may want to consider giving him less formula. B/Fing is a supply and demand type body function. If he gets milk from you your body will tell you produce more. If he gets formula from a bottle your body will tell you to produce less. Does that make sense?

Breastfeeding is better nutritionally for baby and also improves their immune system. It also is considerably less expensive. In the middle of the night, I would much rather breastfeed than make up a bottle. However if you want to switch to formula that is fine, it is your personal choice. Many a baby has been fed formula from the get-go and turned out just beautifully.

Fleur - posted on 02/14/2011

I would try the pumping milk to stimulate your milk production, I had the same problem I bought the Medella pump and Go and it worked great. My lactation increased b week 6.

Debbie - posted on 02/14/2011

Do both, most important thing is that your little one is getting calories to support his growth and development. If you decide to wean him choose a formula thats the closest to breastmilk. Debbie (Dietitian)

Jane - posted on 02/14/2011

the more you nurse or pump, it will increase your supply. you can always supplement if you want. i did it w/my 2nd two after they had nursed, just to give them some more in their bellies. you can add a feeding in b/w or you can pump in b/w so your milk will increase. but if you aren't into breastfeeding, he'll be fine. i bf'd our 1st for 6 mos, our 2nd for 3 weeks and our 3rd for 2 1/2 mos. do what works for you.

Serree - posted on 02/14/2011

I would continue to do both if you can and if you want to. I had the same issue with my twins and just kept going until about 6 months when was making so little that it didn't make sense anymore.

Kasasanda - posted on 02/14/2011

I would do more breast milk then the other but you can do both