How to transition from breast to formula

[Kmx]

LO has been breastfed for 7 weeks 3 days. Everything started off well, I was enjoying it although tired & struggled a bit to balance my 5 year old with cluster feeding etc. LO is now sleeping slightly better but goes a maximum of 2 hours between feeds in the day. Anyway none of this is the reason I want to stop. The reason is at 3 weeks I developed mastitis it was bad but I took antibiotics and it cleared up. At 6.5 weeks I developed it again it was worse but I went to doctors & got antibiotics. I finally felt better yesterday at 7 weeks 2 days. But woke last night to extreme pain and another lump. This time it's worse than ever - even though I'm still taking the antibiotics for the previous infection .

Anyway I never slept at all. Just cried & went back & forth on what I should do for the best. I'm so tired now I can't even believe it. My baby sleeps but I'm awake with pain & guilt. I can't take it anymore. I tried baby with a bottle and she refused it then bought I couple more & she finally reluctantly accepted 1 oz from it.

So how do I stop?
What formula?
She won't take a dummy & comfort sucks a lot. This makes me feel
Bad as where will she get this comfort from now?

 

[beanzz]

Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry to hear you're suffering. I had mastitis in the first month of bf my son and that one time was bad enough to make me want to stop, I think if I'd got it again a second time I would have. The pain is incredible isn't it like pulling knives through the nipple when they feed.

We didn't wean off the boob until my son could have cows milk so I can't help with what formula to use but we started replacing the day time feeds first as a boob sent him off to sleep at night best. I know it's a different kind of switch so I hope you find something that works for you as for the dummy have you tried different shape teats? My daughter is having an issue with the new tommee tippee shape. When my son was an infant they mimic'd the shape of a nipple in the mouth now they're too symmetrical and I think that's why we're having no luck with one. About to head out and find a more natural shape today.

Best of luck xx

 

[Ganton]

Unfortunately I can't offer any advice but you have my sympathy. I had mastitis 7 times with DS2 and also had one bout that took 3 different antibiotics to clear up. It's so so horrible.

I would say though that you're in the hardest part at the moment. There are some major growth spurts in the first few months and your supply is probably only just regulating and I found that phase to be really tough because supply was up and down and lumps would easily form.

I'm 6 months in with baby number 3 and am so relieved to have not had mastitis at all yet. I've had a couple of scares but I've managed to clear any lumps without the need for antibiotics by doing a few things as soon as I feel that soreness come on (hot shower and massage lump, followed by ice pack on lump, drunk plenty of fluids and tried to rest as much as possible, took ibuprofen to reduce swelling).

 

[Kmx]

Thanks for the replies. I genuinely appreciate it. I got some sleep last night and feel a lot better today although still not normal so I've just relaxed for most of the day.

My LO is completely refusing the bottle now so it seems that I have no option but to continue which I really do want to do as long as I don't continue to get sick. I'm going to go a breastfeeding support group on Monday to ask them for help to prevent the blocked ducts.

One theory I have is that pumping has cause the blocked ducts. Is this possible? I have stopped pumping completely so I will see if this helps.

Seems like I may never be able to leave my LO for longer than 2 hours unless she takes a bottle but I just don't see it happening.

 

[happynewmom1]

Pumping can make you produce more and it's possible it's adding to it. Having said that, be careful quitting completely. You will still be producing more milk and can make your engorged if baby doesn't empty the breasts so I don't know when you pumped but after feeding this baby, if it didn't feel like she emptied it enough, I'd pump just a very little amount.. And eventually quit pumping. So if you were pumping quite a bit I'd quit slowly just to try not to get more clogged ducts. I am SO sorry you are going through all of that. I had mastitis once and it was so so horrible so I can't imagine. I second ibuprofen!

 

[Ganton]

Ooh yes, I definitely agree with the pumping thing. I've hardly pumped at all this time and I think that's helped keep the mastitis away. With DS2, I pumped quite a lot because he was very good at taking a bottle so I enjoyed being able to get a break occasionally, but I stopped when one of the breastfeeding support workers told me that it could have been making the problem worse.

I also saw comments on your other thread about oversupply, which reminded me that block feeding seems to help me a lot. If I feel myself getting engorged and sore, I start offering 2 feeds from one side before switching to the other. At first, this can make engorgement in the unused side worse so just hand express a little for comfort. I found that this brought my supply back down quite quickly, sometimes to the point that I felt I had no milk suddenly, but I just gave my boobs a short break and was always able to bring supply back up quite quickly too if necessary.

As for the bottle refusal, my first was exactly the same so I completely understand the trapped feeling. This little one took the bottle well at first but won't take it now as we very rarely offer a bottle. However, she takes good naps and sleeps a decent stretch in the evening so I can go out for a meal after putting her to bed without worrying about bottles (as long as I'm home by about 10.30).

 

[1nceUponATime]

My baby refused bottles until she went to daycare last week for the first time and I was a nervous wreck. We tried evvvverything.... having grandmothers feed her, having DH, me trying to feed her.... she screamed when I left for four hours with anyone. We tried 7 different bottles! Well turns out she will eat from the bottle when I am not there and she is not at home.... I guess she relates home with me. Maybe if someone is trying to feed baby from the bottle leave the LO at grandmas for a couple hours and see if LO will take it in a different place. I felt the same way and thought she was literally going to starve while I was at work....we are using pumped BM not formula but maybe try to do that with formula a couple ounces at a time to see if baby will take it?

Also the day care provider told me that she will refuse the bottle if not at the right temperature so I would play around with that too?