Stopping b'feeding and switching to bottles - PLEASE help!

[Samemka]

Hi ladies

I have been exclusively bf'ing Emma for 2 weeks but I can't do it anymore. Both my nipples are cracked and feeding her is hell, I'm in tears everytime and it's getting to the stage where I dread feeding her, which is wrong & I don't want to feel like that. I want to enjoy her and feeding her and at the moment it's making me feel so down because I just dread our feeds and I'm worried if I continue I may end up getting really.

Can anyone help me - how do I best go about switching to bottles? I'd be really grateful for any advice!

Sam x x

 

[Vickie]

Hannah was FF from birth so I'm not really sure, hopefully someone else who has switched will see this and can help you. If you want you can also post this in BF as you may get some answers there as well

 

[Samemka]

Thanks a lot, will do

 

[lyndsey3010]

Hi ya hun,

I made the switch over from last week, introducing formula during the day but still bfing at night. Partly to decrease my supply before going cold turkey and partly to put off having to go downstairs in the middle of the night for another week as I'm a lazy cow!!!

There's is really mixed advice out there as to how to do it and as far as i can tell, its for your benefit to avoid engorgement rather than your LO's tummy. Cooper has been fine switching over and didn't pull a funny face when he had his first bottle so taste wise, it has to be so similar. I dropped night feeds from Sunday and I am in a whole world of engorged pain but I have decided not to express in a bid to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.

I was so worried about making the switch but my advice would be just crack open that box of formula and do it. For me, its the best thing I have ever done.
At 2 weeks your supply is not established properly so you should in theory find the switch easier and might find engorgement doesn't last as long. Resist the temptation to feed off the boobs and ride it out, yes its sore but feeding off them will only delay the inevitable.

Go for it hun, you won't look back.
xx

 

[lyndsey3010]

Oh and she will need water now. We had a spot of constipation but now he has about 1oz of water in between feeds and is fine.

Actually thinking about it, at 2 weeks old I don't know if they need water as I was bfing then, I guess a drop will be good for them but 1oz between feeds would be too much for the little tummy.

Someone much better at this than me will be along soon I'm sure!
xx

 

[Fossey]

I have both formula and BF from day 3 (bf before) so my situation differs as she still got booby, but they do take to FF very easily, well Liss did anyway. I'd buy a few ready made cartons or SMA do a starter pack of ready prepared in a bottle that you just throw away, that may be a good starting point for you as no worry about sterlising and getting up in the night straight away and see how you go, you are right if you are upset baby will sense it and won't be happy. GL

 

[dizzyjoo]

Hiya

I switched from BF to FF at 3-weeks old. My little man was always hungry, my breastmilk was never enough and he continued to lose weight after his birth, he only started to regain weight at about 5-weeks old

My boobs were only sore for about 2-days, if that, confirming that I probably didn't have hardly any milk! We mixed fed for about 5-days but eventually I stopped all breast feeds and Toby was switched to formula full time.

He took to it REALLY well and I have to say, it was the best thing we could have done. He is an incredibly settled and contented little boy now - all of my friends and family can't believe the difference in him.

He started off on Tommee Tippee bottles with size 1 teats, but soon started falling asleep at the bottle, taking ages to feed and getting frustrated so we increased him onto size 2 teats.

He is suffering from wind quite badly, it has got worse as the weeks have gone by so this week he's trying Dr Brown's bottles and they seem to be OK but the teats appear to be a slower flow than what he's used too.

Toby uses Aptamil. We changed to Cow & Gate to see if it helped his wind but it didn't! At first, we used the pre-made cartons whilst we got settled into FF. But after a few days, we switched to the powder.

I've always been recommended to feed on demand which we do and it works really well for us - but you will find that your LO settles into a sort of 2-3hr routine, then stretching to 3-4hrs as they get older.

Toby is 10-weeks though and still often only goes 2.5hrs between feeds, but he has little and often and this week has just started sleeping through - from roughly 8pm to 6am.

I make up his bottles by sterilising them, adding boiled water (cooled for 30-mins if possible, but when I'm doing the PM sterilising, I normally just use it straight off the boil as I'm tired by then and want my bed!!!), then leaving them on the side at room temp. When Toby wants a feed, I heat up the water in his bottle warmer, then add the milk powder and swirl it about to mix. Sometimes we have a thermos of boiled water ready and discard 1ozs of water from the bottle and top it up with boiled water so the temp is just perfect for him. This is useful at night and saves time with a crying baby!!!

I have waffled a bit but hope I've given you some useful advice!

Good luck xxx

 

[Samemka]

Aw, thank you all for the great advice!!

With the cartons, do I just pour them into a steralised bottle to feed??

 

[Fossey]

Aw, thank you all for the great advice!!

With the cartons, do I just pour them into a steralised bottle to feed??

yup if you dont use it all you can just put it in the fridge still in the carton (think for 24 hours but check)

 

[Samemka]

Just gave Emma her first bottle and she took to it brilliantly!! Guzzled it down and is now fast asleep - makes me wonder whether she was getting enough before!!

Just checking - if I now switch to fully FF does that mean I'll get engorged...and then it will all go and I'll be ok? I know it'll hurt but is it a case of just riding it out and then it's done with??