Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding

perly

I know many mothers breastfeed and formula feed at the same time, but my question is it ok to do that or is it better if you do one or the other instead of both at the same time?
For example, breasfeeding at certain times of the day and formula feeding at other times of the day.

@mijita can you help?

Joshuaswifey_711

It's better to just breast feed so that you can keep up your milk supply

smcox

It is definitely better too only breastfeed, supplementing makes your supply go down. My friend (who was originally over producing so much she was giving me a bunch...i couldn't breastfeed) ended up having too completely do formula cuz she started only bf at night.

perly

@joshuaswifey_711 @smcox ok. The reason i ask is because i really do want to breastfeed when i have my baby, but by the looks of hubby's income i might need to go back to work sooner than i thought. So i was thinking that maybe i could breastfeed before and after work, and my grandma(which would be the babysitter) could feed my baby formula while im at work.

Joshuaswifey_711

It may work, it just depends on how your supply is . You may have a very good supply to where you can bf before and after work? But then again you may not?

nameless

lots of times ..if you do both it will end up ultimately using formula.
If you can just stick to breastfeeding and pumping you should be able to build a supply..enough so you don't have to use formula

sands3

I supplemented when I was out of the house because I wasn't comfortable breastfeeding in public. My supply was great

Mijita

EBFing is important in the first few weeks due to baby's rapid growth and supply and demand. Breast milk is more easily digested than formula so baby will feed more often. Introducing formula may interfere with supply, it just depends on your established amount. Also formula is digested slower, which will cause your LO to go longer between feedings which in turn can affect supply.

You can always pump prior to returning to work to establish an abundance and have your LO's caretaker give BM in a bottle. If your employer employs 40+ employees then they have to provide BF accommodations for mothers, which will allow you to pump at work to maintain supply.

Mijita

Oh and breastfeeding and pumping are hard work, but so well the rewards!

jules

I used to pump at work but we had formula too just in case. But as far as your question it first matter the time of day I think it will work out well u breastfeeding before bed well calm you're lo down.

MorgDeeBee

I did what @sands3 did and for the same reason lol. This time i am going to get a good pump so i can try to stock up and be able to take breastmilk with us instead. I dont see anything wrong with doing both.

perly

@mijita see i did think about pumping, but i work for a small privately owned gym, so they dont have an area where i can pump. Im an assistant manager, but my work area is at the front desk. I don't have an office. And there is only one employee at the front desk per shift, the only time i could possibly pump would be during my 15 minute break in the break room, but the trainers are usually in there.
I may breastfeed only until im ready to go back to work and then i'll switch to formula and stay like that.

Star4221

I started ebf and at 2 months my pedi was concerned about weight gain so i had to start giving a little formula after feedings. My supply never was great and when i first started pumping i would only get 4 oz max a day. Working full time makes it hard to pump and feed on demand like is needed for my supply issues. I am still pumping as much as possible and also giving formula but he is smart and has now started to cry and fight nursing until he gets the bottle. I pump about 12-17 oz a day now and have just decided that i will keep up trying to nurse and pump until i am all dried up and the switch to all formula has happened. Since he will be starting solids soon i am not as worried now. Never would i have thought that breastfeeding was so stressful and time consuming! And ultimetly anything you can do is great and something to be proud of!!!! (Something i need to remind myself of)

ScarlettsMama

Just remember everytime you supplement your milk supply goes down, I tried nursing before and after work and pumping at home other times so she wouldn't have to have formula and nearly lost my supply, after reading alot and taking lactation classes I learned you shouldn't go longer than 4 hours tops without nursing or pumping because then your telling your body that u don't need that milk by not using it... I know alot of women who tried going back to work without pumping and lost supply all together... rent a pump, it's much cheaper than formula and after a week of pumping on breaks at work you get the hang of it, I had to do it for 17 hours a day as I worked 2 jobs ... it was worth it, my daughter has never Really been sick and she's smart as a whip!!

ScarlettsMama

AND btw its illegal for them to not have a place for you to pump and by law they have to give u 2 pump breaks per shift on top of your lunch .... if your uncomfortable pumping there you could always get an adapter and pump in the back of your car

perly

@scarlettsmama see that's the thing, pumping at work is not an option. I don't have anywhere to do it, or enough time too.

ScarlettsMama

I was bartending at nights and the bathroom of a pub was not an Inviting place to pump so I'd pump in my car lol

perly

@scarlettsmama oh. lol i just saw your next comment. Sorry. Aahhh Im just so confused.

ashley_smashley

Scarlettsmama is right! It's ILLEGAL for them not to provide you with a private (non bathroom) place to pump!

perly

@ashley_smashley how do i get them to make a private space to pump? Or am i supposed to report them somewhere? How does it work?

And honestly how does it work? I know public places are supposed to have a private place for pumping and nursing mothers, but we don't have one because we don't allow kids in there to begin with, so people don't bring kids and babies around.

ashley_smashley

How many employees does your employer have? What state do u live in?

perly

@ashley_smashley i live in Houston, Texas. The gym has about 11 trainers and 10 class instructors plus 5 front desk staff (including me) and 4 sales guys (including the manager) and that's it. So in total its 30 employees. I work for a bodybuilding gym.

MorgDeeBee

I would just try asking your boss or manager what their policy would be. They may be more willing to work with you then you think.

perly

@MorgDeeBee they will probably want me to pump in one of the tanning rooms. But then the problem with how long i can do pump for. Because i already only get a 15 minute break because they only have one front desk person per shift. When i go to break, the manager watches the desk. But he can't be watching the desk several times during my shift.

ashley_smashley

Dang fortunately bc you have less than 50 employees your work place actually does not have to provide accommodations for pumping. (Double checked just now) I would talk to them about it and see what they say. You might be surprised!

perly

@ashley_smashley i'll try to talk to them, but im almost 100% sure they won't do anything about it because it would mean that they would have to spend a lot of money for only one person(me) and it won't be worth it to them =\

it doesn't hurt to try!

ashley_smashley

What a out useing a bosses office? It only takes like 15 min to pump.

perly

@ashley_smashley i can do that too. Just have my break in there and pump.

MorgDeeBee

I dont think your manager having to be up front twice or so for 15 minutes at a time would be a huge deal. Just have a sit down with them and see what they say.

perly

@MorgDeeBee it shouldn't be a problem, but with these people i just never know. Im gonna give it a try and see what happens. Thank you

smcox

You can also pump in your car. You have every legal right to take a break to pump! And if you guys aren't financially awesome.... Pumping is WAY cheaper! I wasn't able to breastfeed and if it weren't for family helping out and free samples from the pedi I don't know what we would have done! Another option (and one I hate even to suggest!) is always the restroom as a private place to pump. And then store it in the fridge at work. Trust me, way better than formula! I'm doing everything in my power to breastfeed with this baby due in June!