Good idea to have formula just incase?

[Calif]

Depends on how tempted you would be to use it when not needed. I know I really wanted fb to succeed so I bought just-in-case formula only to be used if I really needed it but never had to use it thank goodness. But if you feel like it would be too tempting, then don't buy it until or if you need it.

 

[mama01]

I really wouldn't have it in the house. My LO is 15 weeks and EBF, never had formula, but there were times when I would have used it out of sleep deprivation!

 

[AP]

I dont think theres any correlation between whether your mother was able to breastfeed or not and whether you will be able to. I wouldn't bother to buy any to be fair. I know when times got tough the only thing that stopped me was having to take that trip to the shops for formula. And I'm glad. I never bothered!

 

[mrssunshine78]

I personally would have some bottles of pre-made stuff, my LO couldn't/wouldn't latch until day 10, i did express and gave her that, but she was really tiny and wasn't getting enough from me, so she needed formula, it certainly didn't harm me or her as we BF until she was just over one.

 

[supertabby]

It doesn't tackle the supply problem, but does tackle nipple confusion - our hospital have little cups so that if you do decide to top up with a bit of formula you don't need to use a bottle. They're designed so you can put them to baby's lips and they kind of lap at it.

Once your milk comes in you can try to express so someone else can give a feed when you desperately need a break. We bought a Medala Calma bottle on the recommendation of the lactation consultant while we were still in hospital - DS had a tongue tie which was fortunately caufht at a day old but he'd already made my nipples extremely painful so it was a option if I needed to use a bottle for a break. As it happens I've not used it yet (13 days pp) though do intend to at some stage so hubby can do a feed with expressed milk. The Medala Calma bottle has a special valve that works in the same way as bf - so it avoids nipple confusion - baby has to create a vacuum for the milk to flow, like on your boob, and has to move the tongue in same way as bf.

Lack of supply is rare (can happen sometimes of course) when you feed on demand. The body is very good at producing to baby's demand. Formula top ups can interfere with this - a one off won'thhurt but if it starts being every day it will affect supply. Likewise listening to old fashioned advice about spacing out feeds every 4 hours etc will affect supply, baby will let you know when he/she is hungry and feed them on demand.

We've had a bit of ready made formula in the house with both babies - last time I used it but this time we haven't. Last time we had thrush, possibly undiagnosed tongue tie and I'd been very ill during delivery and had bad baby blues. I'm coping much better this time so could be making the difference.

 

[noon_child]

Not a drop of formula in my house. If you are determined to BF then you will make it work & work through problems. If formula is needed to top up then it will have been the result of issues that will be apparent over time and not an all of a sudden baby needs formula NOW. You'll have time to go out to buy it if you need it. If it was in the cupboard I think there would have been a couple of nights I 'd have been tempted to use it but that wouldn't have needed - it'd be out of convenience. Short of a medical condition - with the right support, most women can breastfeed and will not fail if their family is fully supportive and the determination to succeed is there xx

Definitely this! If there are any medical reasons (or you change your mind and decide to FF) your baby would survive - and so would you - until your nearest shop opened. Formula in the house might well have been too tempting for me during bad days so I'm glad I didn't.

 

[Dawn11]

Would you be less stressed having some formula in just in case? The first few weeks I didn't have any formula in but I decided to have in stock a couple of the ready made cartons just in case of emergencies such as I was too poorly and being prepared gave me one less thing to worry about.

Breastfeeding is really hard work in the first few weeks so I can understand why some people would worry about the temptation if formula is I the house. As other people have said if you get to the point you need formula you'll be able to get some quickly enough.

With regards to the midwife who said that the one formula feed could mess up a babies intestine, I can't believe she said that. My baby's first feed was formula for medical reasons and he is absolutely fine and he's been exclusively bf since