Formula fed from birth

[Lovelybluesky88]

My baby had a tongue tie and couldn’t latch on the breast. The tongue tie was snipped but he still isn’t latching and even though I’ve been pumping, my supply is pretty rubbish. I’ve been giving him about 3oz of expressed milk once a day for the last week (he’s about 3 weeks) but I’m struggling to pump even that and I want to stop. Has anyone had any experience of this? What did you do? I feel so guilty he never got colostrum and barely any breastmilk, but for the amount of effort and time I could be spending on him in other ways I don’t think it’s worth carrying on expressing. I’d really like to hear other people’s experiences with formula feeding from early on, or low supplementing with breastmilk. Is it worth it? Thanks.

My second son was FF from the start. I had a terrible time breastfeeding my first with awful anxiety and depression. I had pretty much made up my mind I wasn’t BF second time around but I had to go for surgery immediately after giving birth and it was taken out of my hands. Zero regrets. I sailed through the baby stage and enjoyed every minute.

DC1 was a sickly child and picked up every bug going whilst DC2 has always been very robust in that regard 🤷🏼‍♀️

My daughter was 80% formula fed from 5 days old. I’m a midwife and did everything to get my supply up but it wasn’t there. Still wanted her to have the antibodies from my breast milk so BF her first but the majority of her calories came from the formula she had immediately afterwards. Tried all kinds of pumps/pumping techniques as well but never got more than 50mls so gave up expressing after a couple of weeks. I was disappointed but accepted that I had done everything I could. She’s 4 now, tall, clever, no ill effects. Yes there are societal benefits to BF but you can’t look at a class of nursery kids and tell which ones were fed how. Do what you gotta do to be the best mum for your baby.

Just use formula. I’ve a friend with a child same age as mine. I did months expressing, combi feeding all that nonsense. Ran myself into the ground and spent hundreds on lactation consultants. She said from outset she didn’t want to breastfeed. She chilled and enjoyed her baby while I panicked and fussed about breastfeeding. Kids are older now and hers outstrips mine on everything - clearly formula feeding has had absolutely no impact. It’s one tiny thing in babies life. I wish I hadn’t bothered and had enjoyed my baby more! There is so much to who they are and what they will be able to do than whether they were breastfed. Enjoy your baby and give yourself a break!

As per PP you literally can't tell from a group of kids which ones were FF and which ones are BF.

Both my DD's were FF from birth. I had gestational diabetes and they needed specific amounts of milk immediately post birth. DD1 was prem and on a feeding plan so BF was out, DD2 downed so much milk in theatre post birth that there was just no way I'd have wanted to keep up with her!

Both are strong and healthy and far too clever for their own good! DD1 has a stomach of steel and has a vom bug twice in her 7 years, we'll see how DD2 fares.

I'll advocate for BF for anyone but honestly, don't make your life miserable by trying! Better to FF and enjoy baby then run yourself into the ground trying to BF.

Dsis FF from start never even tried bf - kids are fine managed nursry and childcare setting full of bugs as kids.

I did bf mine but never manged to get much out expressing - so I don't think that's unusal - and frankly with second did a bit so could be away only to have him refuse bottle or cup and with third never bothered.

I knew many mothers who only did first few weeks bf then switch to FF - my kids are older so don't know if that's got less common but it was the most common route when my ones were babies.

I breastfed but would definitely bottle feed in your position. I found pumping virtually impossible and consider it a waste of time when you could be resting or doing something more enjoyable.

Bottle feed and don’t feel guilty. I breastfed two babies, one for 6 weeks and one for 6 months. With both I felt bereft when I stopped, almost as though I was losing my baby. I think it’s a biology thing to ensure that babies get fed in very different circumstances. I think it also explains the breastfeeding two year olds .. I think teeth are natures way of saying to stop breastfeeding!

Like others say here, just bottle feed. Breast is great if you can do it, but if like me you have hardly any mik and a baby that's permanently screaming because it's hungry then give them formula. If you don't want to even consider breastfeeding then don't bother, ts your choice either way.

A fed baby is best!

I FF from Day One. DD is 5 now. No effects whatsoever.

Do what's best for you 😊

I have two, now 18 and 12, both formula fed from birth. I had no intention of even trying to breastfeed and never did, I’m very pro breastfeeding, but had my reasons for this. Both are healthy, no allergies, good dental health, healthy weights and very rarely ill. Apart from health care professionals while they were still babies, no one has ever asked how they were fed.

I FF all of mine from birth. I've never had any desire to breastfeed so I didn't do it. I've never felt any guilt, why should I?

I FF my twins as I had inverted nipples - they’re 35 now and very healthy!

Stop. He'll be absolutely fine. Do you know what a baby needs more than anything else? A healthy mum. Look after yourself, for your baby's sake.

We’ve seen the infant feeding specialist and taken advice from the midwives but he just wouldn’t latch, so it’s a shame but hearing everyone’s stories has helped. Thank you for taking the time to share x

Sounds like my experience. I pumped as long as I could. She was on formula from about 6 weeks.

Shes now going into her 3rd year of medical school.

Oddly, my twins were easier, they were bf until two.

I absolutely believe that what your child eats from the age of one to the age when they start to buy their own food, is vastly, vastly more important than what they’re fed as an infant.

My experience exactly as well, even down to the sickly first child/robust second child. Wish I'd FF my first.

Please bottle feed and let go of any guilt.

Formula feed and don't look back. In 20 years time you'll be more likely to regret the fact that you spent the time stressing and feeling guilty over it than regretting not breastfeeding. Don't waste anymore of this precious time stressing over this, your baby will be just fine with formula and a loving, happy mum.

Don't feel guilty. I bottle fed my twins and another 2 years later. You can't tell which babies have been breastfed or bottlefed.

DC’s only ever had formula. Never tried to breastfeed. They have always been very healthy. Never felt guilty - why should I? Healthy babies = happy parents.

Didn't BF at all and it went fantastically. I can't speak to tongue ties and the like as I've no experience there, but it was such a wonderful thing to have the concrete benefits of blocs of sleep, focus on recovering and really enjoying the time with the babies. I'm not planning more but would do exactly the same again.

FF from day 1 and my daughter is thriving! no regrets x

Tried breastfeeding with my first and lasted around 6 weeks, I hated it! Hated expressing and sterilising all the breast pump stuff, hated not knowing if he’d had enough, didn’t want to be solely responsible for all the night feeds so stopped and switched to formula. He’s 2.5 now and absolutely thriving. My daughter was born 19 months later and for all the same reasons plus the fact that I didn’t want my son to feel excluded, I decided to formula feed from the start and it’s one of the best decisions I could’ve made for my mental health. She’s one now and on the 95th centile for weight and 91st for height, she is big and strong and absolutely perfect 🥰 wouldn’t change a thing and I wish I’d have just done it the first time round as well

Also to add my younger brother was formula fed from the start and he’s about to start playing county tennis and will soon be starting at Oxford so didn’t do him any harm 😅

Both my kids were ff from birth. Aside from the 2nd head and third nipple they are totally fine