Switching form BF to FF

[Miss_Bump]

Im really thinking of switching to FF soon for my own reasons and have a few questions....

Evie is exclusivly BF right now and i feed on demand. Sometimes she will feed for 30 mins, sometimes for 5 etc and sometimes she will go 4 hours between feeds and sometimes 45 mins.

With FF is it still so erratic? If i give her however much she needs for one feed should she last about 2 - 3 hours before she needs another feed? I know formula is more heavy therefor baby stays full up and satisfied for longer but is it easier to do a feeding routine this way?

If she feeds from the boob for half hour sometimes she will be hungry again after an hour so im just trying to get pro's and con's before i decide for sure.

Thanks
xx

 

[cherylanne]

Hi hun, it is sooo much easier to get into a feeding routine when you are FF. They go every 4 hours. I breastfed my LO, but i was so jealous of the freedom my FF friends had lol xx

 

[Miss_Bump]

Ok thats a pro then

Thanks for the reply im really craving freedom again as much as i love my daughter ive BF for nearly 11 weeks now and its felt like she has been constantly attached to my boob and ive had problems and pain etc and i give myself a big pat on the back for doing 11 weeks i would just like to go out and see friends for a few hours without worrying about feeding or i can leave her with DH and go shopping and just have more me time
xx

 

[tinkerz23]

I BF my daughter for 12 weeks. I also wanted the freedom that being FF would offer. It does make her feeding times less erratic. Baylie pretty much feeds every 3 hours, sometimes 4, but keeps the same routine from day to day. I originally intended to combination feed, but she decided she preferred the bottle and weaned herself. I find it much easier when returning to work or leaving her with someone. But there are ways around that with BF'ng by expressing.

Do be prepared for some mixed feelings if you do stop the BF. I never thought I would miss it, but I do.

Also, do not quit cold turkey. Wean her gradually over a couple weeks. You will be much more comfortable that way. I began replacing feeds with formula starting with the second feeding of the day. After 2 or 3 days, I'd replace two, then three, and so on. The last feedings to go were first thing in the morning and through the night.

Some babies will refuse formula at first. I started trying a bottle of formula at night when she was 4 weeks. She refused it at first, so I had to mix it with ebm and over a period of about a week, she took straight formula.

I hope this has been helpful! Good luck!

Edited to add:
I realized you asked about pro's and con's so I will try to list them. I am sure someone else can add to them.

Pro's of formula:
easy to do and less preparing for outings
baby will have a predictable feeding pattern
don't have to worry about expressing when leaving with a caregiver
may sleep for longer periods at night

Con's of formula:
may miss the closeness BF gives
BF if healhier for baby
lots of bottles to sterilize
doesn't last as long at room temp as ebm does

 

[bubbles123]

Hi, yep is easy to get a FF baby on a feeding schedule, my son is fed every 3 hours or so but can go for 4 sometimes. I feed when I get up around 9am ish, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and 11pm ish. Same routine every day X