We have to supplement :(

[jean]

Baby wasn't gaining weight as much as we'd hoped, so I have to supplement with formula. I have real issues with this since Enfamil was just recalled due to bacteria. (And one that can cause NEC at that!) I am SO paranoid as I've read even FT babies can get NEC, and up to 3 mos PP! We are using Similac, but I worry...
One friend said the premade formula is less sketchy than the powdered stuff, but I don't know if that's true or not..

[mnmom]

I know that is disappointing. I had to supplement with my last two, and honestly, they did great. And as I went back to work fulltime when they were 3 months, formula allowed dad to do some of the night feedings. While the recall is scary, I'm not sure that they have actually determined for sure that the formula from the manufacturer was tainted or if it was the water that they used to prepare it.

[tree]

I had to supplement my daughter from the beginning (with Enfamil). I know that the formula recall has to be scary, but you have to remember the MILLIONS of babies who have done well on formula. I have no faith in the food safety system in this country/world, and I was tremendously anxious and angry about feeding my precious little baby a bunch of sketchy chemical garbage. I had to get over it because she was otherwise going to starve. That was definitely riskier than formula. There are some things we have no control over, and breastmilk supply and formula manufacturing are two of the most frustrating. That said, I am very thankful that we generally have access to high quality formula and clean water in this country. My daughter did really well on it.

I believe that the premixed (liquid) formula is sterile. I am not sure that they are all sterile, but the ones they feed in the hospital generally are. They should be labeled as sterile.

My body completely failed to make any milk for my daughter, so I understand the guilt and pain many women feel when breastfeeding doesn't work out according to plan. I am always hesitant to suggest supply building because it didn't work for me and just made me feel worse while my daughter went hungry. However, it works for some women. I don't say this to make you feel guilty or worse about the situation. This is just another option if you really don't want to use formula. If you have some milk supply, can you work with a lactation consultant and your OB to increase it? There is plenty of information on doing that on this board. I had no supply and was only able to build up to about 6 oz/day, so I had no choice but to use formula. If you really don't want to use formula, and you think you have a prayer of boosting your supply, you could try the standard tricks of fenugeek, reglan, nursing "vacations", etc. You might need a temporary supplement while you boost your supply. You might be able to get breast milk from a milk bank if there is one in your area. It is expensive, but a few of my friends have used that option while they increased their own milk supply.
Good luck. I hope you can find a solution that works for you. Many of us have raised healthy babies on formula for all kinds of reasons.

[jean]

We've been using the Similac powder, but I worry about it. I have been talking to our local lactation consultants, and they had me pump to see how much output I had..and I had what is recommended. However, apparently women's milk can vary in the amount of calories it has, and our pediatrician suspects I am on the lean side.

I figured eventually we might have to go to formula, but just not this soon. (We had to start it around 2.5 wks)

Maybe I'll look into the premade formula instead of the powder, but I think it's a lot more expensive. Also, do you have to refridgerate it, and how long is it good for? My other concern is that right now we are supplementing with only about 1 fl oz of formula per feeding, and I think that premade formula comes in containers no less than 2 oz...I would hate for any formula to go to waste. I don't know if you can re-use formula that wasn't eaten in a previous feeding..

Anyone else on here have to supplement this early, and did you use powdered formula? Did you just use regular tap water with it? (That's what we've been using)

[tree]

We supplemented from the start. It stinks, but you do what you have to do sometimes. I used all of the liquid pre-made formula they sent home with us from the hospital (maybe 3-4 days worth). We switched to powder as soon as we got home. The pre-made stuff is expensive. You can pour some out into a different bottle and put the rest in the fridge if you keep it cold and use it up pretty quickly. I have no idea how long you are supposed to leave it out for. In addition to being expensive, the pre-made formula stains EVERYTHING it comes in contact with. It is a minor but annoying point.
I boiled the water for formula because we had only untreated well-water running to our house. I knew it was drinkable and safe, but I hadn't had the well tested in a few years. I decided to boil it for at least a month or two. I stopped after I got tired of doing it with no ill effects on us or baby. I wouldn't boil if I had "city" water or treated well water. Bottled water is usually more highly contaminated than tap water, so I didn't see the point of using that unless we were out and about. Rather than worrying too much about water quality, I was fanatical about hand washing and bottle cleaning when we fed formula.
Good luck! I hope you are enjoying your first holidays with your little one!

[danielsmom]

Sorry to hear you're battling this. We were in that boat too and its stressful. Of course Daniel was really growth restricted so it was one of the doctor's top concerns from the start. They added a teaspoon of Neosure powder (preemie formula) to every couple ounces of breast milk and we bottle fed him. So he was getting the benefits of breastmilk, but it was further concentrated with fat and calories by the Neosure. There was never any water or premade liquid formula added. And my son caught up like a champ, and then some in time. Are you doing this, or would this be an option?

You might ask your pediatrician if your milk can be analyzed. No biggie if not, but if your insurance covers it and the ped orders it, it's a nice to have nugget of information. They assumed I was pumping water while Daniel was in the NICU. He wasn't making progress for awhile and they were adding the neosure AND something called human milk fortifier to my breast milk. My test came back and it was the highest fat and calories the lactation consultant had ever tested, and she'd been there for over 25 years. I read something Dr. Sears wrote about how your body can know what your baby needs and produces it in your milk, sort of a perfect prescription for your baby. I guess it held true in this case.

Another thing... your baby hasn't been Earthside that long, and babies have growth spurts. He could be gearing up for one. It's good to pay attention and not get too far behind, but I hope you're not as neorotic about this as I was. I know, easier said than done! I'll probably obsess over feedings with the next one too!

[jean]

I did ask, and they said they didn't have the ability to test my milk. *sigh* So I've just been offering him formula after he feeds from the breast. He is gaining weight now-which is a plus..but I'm just paranoid and neurotic about the safety of the formula. We're just using city tap water with our powder.
Yesterday we tried switching to the liquid premade stuff, but he didn't seem to like it as much, and he spitup really badly after eating it each time. So, I guess we'll go back to the powder(?) I was hoping that switching to the liquid would help with his gas too (he has horrible gas in the mornings), but no such luck. Tempted to use some gas drops, but I worry about adding anything extra into his system, esp. things that could possibly mess with his bowels. Yes, I am definitely very paranoid!

[danielsmom]

You are taking such good care of that little man! He's going to be just fine. Remember, it's a completely different ball game with a full term infant. Plus, he's getting breast milk which puts a protective coating on his intestines. This might be comforting and informative: http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/breast ... es-illness

It's normal for babies to spit up formula more. It's just harder to digest than mommy milk, and that will improve in time as the gastroesophageal muscle matures. For the gas, lay him on his back and push his knees gently towards his chest. It might help. I also noticed that lowering dairy products from my diet helped my son's colic, but make sure you get enough calcium from a supplement if you do this. There are some proteins (like that found in cow's milk) that our little ones have trouble digesting until the lining of their intestine closes after around 3 months.

As I write this, the news just revealed that Enfamil found none of the bacteria responsible for killing that poor infant.

[jean]

Yay-thank you for the information!
I was wondering how much spitup is normal..he spits up after each time that he eats and also it seems like every time I lie him down. Also his poop lately is just like water, an he poops often. He strains with it and grunts and groans. I just don't know what's normal and what isn't..

That link is great-thanks so much!

[riehlism]

Jean, we could talk for hours about this. I know I'm a little late posting, but I've had a crazy feeding experience. As I've mentioned in other posts, I'm on domperidone, which has helped my milk supply considerably. Lucas gets 2 bottles of formula a day so he can get his iron and other vitamins, plus I need it to supplement. Prior to the domperidone I was producing maybe 5 oz a day at my lowest point. My lactation consultant said, at the time, I should be producing one ounce an hour, or 24 ounces in a day. Now I am anywhere between 16-20 oz a day. Not "normal" but it's allowed me to make most of his meals.

I am on Gerber Good Start. I started off on Enfamil and had to switch because he seemed to be throwing up a lot. My pediatrician said Gerber Good Start Gentle, or Enfamil Gentlease as those milk proteins are similar in size to mom's milk so they are easier on his belly. I chose the Gerber because it was cheaper. I also realized that the Gerber is the new name of Carnation Good Start, which is the first formula on the market! That was a fun little tidbit my pediatrician told me. He's been doing great on that. It's been a month since your post, so now they confirmed the bacteria didn't come from the formula, which is a good thing. That worried me a lot since Lucas was hospitalized for an E Coli infection. I thought he got it from the formula. But he actually got it from a bad UTI that spilled into his blood stream.

Good luck with feeding your baby. It's been quite a challenge for me.