Choosing a Baby Formula

I'll give you advice on formula (and support on the other side as well) - from some one who breastfed and used formula.

I did both - but think this is a personal issue on whether to breast feed or not so I would not be judgmental. I used the plain Enfamil with my older daughter as they didn't have the other available at that time. And for the younger, I used Enfamil with LIPIL that has DHA and ARA supplement. These are nutrients that are found in breast milk that support brain and eye development. My doctor suggested using a formula with these supplements.

My older daughter did have a more fussy tummy (and does now), but she still did not spit up much. My younger daughter has a cast iron tummy so we never did have issues. One thing is one does seem to make the baby sick, you can always switch to another. Also, the hospitals frequently give out lots of freebies here - so take as many as possible and log onto the formulas websites to get coupons and other freebies. Any reduction in price helps. One thing to note - formulas are one of the most highly regulated foods so I wouldn't worry anything bad.

I know others speak of antibodies, etc. Granted there is an advantage, but I don't think it is as huge as many say. Only one of my daughters got an ear infection and only once and when she was a toddler - beyond the breast feeding stage. Both my daughters were weaned at 3 months. Each child/baby is different and I think it has more to do with that than as much to do with breast vs. bottle. My children are both slim - not any issue with obesity.

I dislike the guilt factor to make mothers decide which is best for them - gather different information and decide for you what is best. I did enjoy the bonding experience when breast feeding, however, as I said before each person/child/parent is different so what feels right and comforting for one, may be different for another.

I say do what you want - you have the choice and there are healthy alternatives if that is what you choose. My suggestion is some one says you are neglecting your baby, etc. tell them to go to hell. It is your life and your child's - it is not like you are neglecting and not caring for the child - you are making a choice - so if don't go to a certain ideal playgroup are you neglecting them? If you choose to stay at home are you neglecting them because now they cannot go to a private school or go to camp, etc. Or if you work you are neglecting them choosing work over time with them? You will be faced with negative responses on lots of things - just stand by your guns on what you feel is right for you!

Actually as far as the pumps - I used them almost from day one. And we also bottle fed with the first from the beginning because of jaundice so don't believe "all the rules."

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Just to add - there are some health benefits of formula over breast milk - there are additional vitamins in formula - when I was going to strictly breast feed, my doctor said to supplement with infant vitamins.

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Thanks Linkat!

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I have decided I did not want to breastfeed also!
And I got the same speeches 'trying to make me feel guilty about it'.
I refused to even listen, and I am very happy with my decision.

We chose Similac, since my husband already had used it for his older daughter.
Connor took to it very well, he never had a problem with it.
It was great that my husband could get up in the night and feed the baby (as well for me, as for him, I think), it made going back to work real easy, I could take him everywhere and feed him whenever he was hungry.
I would never have breastfed in public, the thought of it makes me sick!

So with his 10 months he is now the happiest and easiest baby I know!

I have been bottle fed and never had major health problems.
Also as many theories as there are on the benefits of breastfeeding, as many are there on the negative effects.

So don't worry about it and stick with what you feel comfortable with!
Your baby will love you for being happy!

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I'm really not trying to make anyone feel guilty. "No real reason" seemed a bit light to me for this kind of a decision -- but if the information about the benefits is there and integrated into the decision, that's certainly Bella's perogative.

I thought about saying nothing but a lot of this information is new -- the AAP changed its guidelines in 2005, for example, based on recent research showing that breastmilk wasn't just better it was WAY better. I mean, there are lawmakers who are now considering putting warning labels on formula to discourage its use, the difference is so stark. I think that's a bit much, but it's based on recent research.

None of that translates to "all babies who are formula-fed have problems," of course.

Glad that Bella is getting the formula info she wanted.

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[quote="sozobe"]I mean, there are lawmakers who are now considering putting warning labels on formula to discourage its use...[/quote]

Now that would be simply sick!
There are woman who would like to breast feed and cannot!
That would make them feel really good!!!

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Wow,

This is a great example of why we as mothers feel so bad about ourselves and our opinions.
We second guess everything we do with our babies because everyone else thinks they know what is best for our children no matter what.

I bottle fed Jillian.

She is not fat.
She has a milk allergy, but so does most of her fathers family.
No problems otherwise.

I tried to breastfeed her, and believe me, if I could have kept doing that, in my mind there was no other way.
But I had my tubes tied which turned out to be very messy and I was loaded on meds that I could not pass along to her. The meds ended up drying my milk supply.

I could not imagine someone telling me that I was making a bad decision if they saw me bottle feeding Jillian.
It would have turned into a fight if someone tried to tell me that the 'breast is best'.

I know that.

So does every mom.

But when you have important medications like Thyroid pills involved.. Im not so sure breastfeeding IS best in this situation.

And, no matter, it is her individual choice.

What saddens me when it comes to the whole Breast vs Bottle debate ( in my mind there is no debate!) is that our society has convinced us that a powdery substance in a can is better for our babies out of sheer convince.
That they can reproduce human milk so we should ' keep our breasts covered' .. heaven forbid you show a piece of skin in public. Wouldn't want anyone to think about sex.
We are given the cold shoulder when we DO choose to breastfeed because we have to "" expose"" ourselves Rolling Eyes

to do so, and that is seen as inappropriate.
If we bottle feed, we are seen as horrible mothers.

I think people need to take that judgemental energy ( not the people in this thread, I mean the people in our society) to the REAL horrible parents.
The abusers
The people who neglect their kids
The people who insult their kids
The people who beat their kids

And stop handing such horrible labels to mothers because of their choice of feeing their child.

Breast or bottle, you are feeding your child. Period.
Ya know, there are parents who DON'T feed their kids out of punishment..

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There's a lot that goes into the decision to breast feed or not. When facing the decision myself many years ago I read that there are three instances where a woman should not breast feed:

if she is unable to produce milk (don't know until you try)
if the baby isn't thriving (don't know until you try)
if the mother is personally averse to the idea of nursing (it comes from your gut, heart, brain)

If you find yourself agreeing with the third point, bella, then don't push yourself to do something that you know in your gut, heart, and brain isn't for you. There is no one answer fits all -- there wouldn't be a market for formula is all babies thrived on available breast milk or all mothers were willing to consider it.

I'm much too removed from infant rearing to be up to speed on brands. If you plan on bottle feeding then the hospital will provide you with formula for the time that you're in the hospital. You'll be able to see what brand they use (or call them and ask them if you want to pre-purchase a supply for when you get home). Don't overstock in advance. You might need to switch brands after a few weeks if the one you start out with isn't working out.

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Linkat wrote:

And for the younger, I used Enfamil with LIPIL that has DHA and ARA supplement. These are nutrients that are found in breast milk that support brain and eye development. My doctor suggested using a formula with these supplements.

Echo that. These were just coming in to being when I was choosing a formula for my son as supplemental. I breastfed but went back to work and wasn't sure the pumped milk would be enough.

Bella, I know you've heard all the arguments for breastfeeding and you have made your choice. Is there any chance, though, that you could pump? I found that breastfeeding sped up my healing from childbirth and helped me shed those pregnancy pounds. In short, I think it might have been better for me than for my baby. And on that note, I have two children. My son was weaned at 6 months and always took formula as a supplement. My daughter I nursed for 1 year (I wasn't working by then). I hate to say it but I think my daughter got the better deal. Of course, there's no real way to know that breastfeeding had anything to do with the differences between them.

Any chance you could do it just for the first 6 weeks and then use formula? Or the first few days? Apparently the stuff that comes out before your milk comes in contains a lot of immunities.

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More info on DHA/RHA.

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/nutrition/dha_ara_basics.html

I tried to find a list of formulas that contain it but couldn't find one. Through google I found some from Ultra Bright Beginnings and Nestle Good Start. I'm sure both Enfamil and Similac will have some too since they have been the market leaders. Now might be a good time to find a pediatrician that you can trust and ask them about it.

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[quote="FreeDuck"]I found that breastfeeding sped up my healing from childbirth and helped me shed those pregnancy pounds. [/quote]

What healing are we talking about?
And how do you know it went faster through breast feeding?

Also, how do you know you shed your pounds faster than you would have otherwise...

As I said, I bottlefed from the beginning.
I had no problem with any healing.
If we talk physical, there wasn't much to heal anyway.
And five weeks after the baby I had three pounds left from the pregnancy...

Cannot complain about that!

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I don't want to sound as if I am anti-breastfeeding!

I am not!
If you are happy with it (whoever) I am happy for you!
But I don't like the single minded approach many men and woman have!

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Bohne wrote:

FreeDuck wrote:
I found that breastfeeding sped up my healing from childbirth and helped me shed those pregnancy pounds.

What healing are we talking about?

Uh, the sort that goes on after giving birth vaginally. And it's true I have nothing to compare it to, but it went very fast -- faster than predicted by doctors. I believe it is generally established that nursing helps your uterus shrink back up and reduces bleeding after birth.

Quote:

Also, how do you know you shed your pounds faster than you would have otherwise...

Again, I can't say for sure, but I gained a whopping 55 pounds with my first pregnancy, and I can say that it is not likely I would have dropped all of it within the first 2 months without something else going on. That said, I believe it is a scientific fact that nursing increases the metabolism -- it requires more energy to produce breast milk than your body would normally use.

Quote:

As I said, I bottlefed from the beginning.
I had no problem with any healing.
If we talk physical, there wasn't much to heal anyway.
And five weeks after the baby I had three pounds left from the pregnancy...

Good for you.

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Thanks everyone.

Again, one big concern for me breastfeeding is my thryoid medication.

If I take it and breastfeed, baby takes it.

I am sure that if I really wanted to breastfeed I could work closely with my peditrician and my endocrinologist and make it happen. But honestly, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that breastfeeding just isn't an option for me.

Quote:

Grave's disease often gradually improves during pregnancy, allowing for a progressive reduction in the dose of antithyroid medication. Following delivery, Grave's disease may become more accentuated, requiring reinstitution of higher doses of medication.

Quote:

The antithyroid drugs are also excreted into the breast milk of nursing mothers.

"reports thus far" say it's a small amount that passes and that generally it does not affect the nursing infant or cause side effects but I can't help but worry about it.

I am currently taking the same dose I was prior to pregnancy with slightly higher thyroid levels than normal. So the changes of me being able to quit my meds after birth are small.

And I can't sacrifice my health to breastfeed by not taking my meds.

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I understand, Bella. Baby formula has come a long way in the last 10 years or so. I'm sure you'll find something right for your baby when the time comes. Any luck choosing a bottle? That's another whole adventure.

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Quote:

Formula Feeding: The Challenges

As with breastfeeding, there are some challenges to consider when deciding whether to formula feed.

Organization and preparation.
Enough formula must be on hand at all times and bottles must be made. The powdered and condensed formulas must be prepared with sterile water (which needs to be boiled until the baby is at least 6 months old) or bottled sterilized baby water. Ready-to-feed formulas that can be poured directly into a bottle without any mixing or water tend to be expensive.

Bottles and nipples
need to be sterilized before the first use and then washed before every use after that (this is also true for breastfeeding women who give their babies bottles of pumped breast milk). Bottles and nipples can transmit bacteria if they aren't cleaned properly, as can formula if it isn't stored in sterile containers.

Bottles left out
of the refrigerator longer than 1 hour and any formula that a baby doesn't finish must be thrown out. And prepared bottles of formula should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 to 48 hours (check the formula's label for complete information).

Bottles also need to be warmed
before feeding the baby, although some babies actually prefer cold bottles to warm. Some parents pop bottles in the microwave for a few seconds; however, the microwave should never be used to warm a baby's bottle because it can create dangerous "hot spots."

Instead, run refrigerated bottles under warm water for a few minutes if the baby prefers a warm bottle to a cold one. Or the baby's bottles can be put in a pan of hot water (away from the heat of the stove) with the temperature tested by squirting a drop or two of formula on the inside of the wrist.

Lack of antibodies.
None of the important antibodies found in breast milk is found in manufactured formula, which means that formula doesn't provide the baby with the added protection against infection and illness that breast milk does.

Expense.
Formula can be costly. Powdered formula is the least expensive, followed by concentrated, with ready-to-feed being the most expensive. And specialty formulas (i.e., soy and hypoallergenic) cost more - sometimes far more - than the basic formulas. During the first year of life, the cost of basic formula can run about $1,500.

I cant really comment bella It really is your decision but I'd just suggest keeping your options open at this time. Mumpad found it was just... conveinient especially when as a new mum she was tired all the time. I used to get up in the middle of the night to the babies and bring them in to bed I basically hooked em up and she snoozed.

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Dr Browns

A friend of ours had a preemie with acid reflux and colic. She switched to this bottle and the problems got so much better.

So we are going with these.

Dr Browns

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That sounds promising.

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dadpad wrote:

Quote:
Formula Feeding: The Challenges

As with breastfeeding, there are some challenges to consider when deciding whether to formula feed.

Organization and preparation.
Enough formula must be on hand at all times and bottles must be made. The powdered and condensed formulas must be prepared with sterile water (which needs to be boiled until the baby is at least 6 months old) or bottled sterilized baby water. Ready-to-feed formulas that can be poured directly into a bottle without any mixing or water tend to be expensive. no one I know has been told to sterilize their water. 2 of our friends have had babies in the past 6 months and both bottle feed with tap water

Bottles and nipples
need to be sterilized before the first use and then washed before every use after that (this is also true for breastfeeding women who give their babies bottles of pumped breast milk). Bottles and nipples can transmit bacteria if they aren't cleaned properly, as can formula if it isn't stored in sterile containers. sterilized before use-yes. We also have a microwave sterilizer for the bottles. Then, you take them out, seal them up and they are ready to go. No need to sterilze before each use because they are already clean.

Bottles left out
of the refrigerator longer than 1 hour and any formula that a baby doesn't finish must be thrown out. And prepared bottles of formula should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 to 48 hours (check the formula's label for complete information). Not an issue to me.

Bottles also need to be warmed
before feeding the baby, although some babies actually prefer cold bottles to warm. Some parents pop bottles in the microwave for a few seconds; however, the microwave should never be used to warm a baby's bottle because it can create dangerous "hot spots."

Instead, run refrigerated bottles under warm water for a few minutes if the baby prefers a warm bottle to a cold one. Or the baby's bottles can be put in a pan of hot water (away from the heat of the stove) with the temperature tested by squirting a drop or two of formula on the inside of the wrist. not worried about this either. You should never heat your bottles with formula in them anyway because of the risk of the pastic crap seeping in...there was big thread about this earlier.

Lack of antibodies.
None of the important antibodies found in breast milk is found in manufactured formula, which means that formula doesn't provide the baby with the added protection against infection and illness that breast milk does. They've just come out with a new forumla that does simulate the antibodies in breast milk. Probably not exact or as good but they are getting better. http://www.verybestbaby.com/GoodStart/Overview.aspx?ProductId=F0F54F5C-70FB-42B9-B068-146908A87191

Expense.
Formula can be costly. Powdered formula is the least expensive, followed by concentrated, with ready-to-feed being the most expensive. And specialty formulas (i.e., soy and hypoallergenic) cost more - sometimes far more - than the basic formulas. During the first year of life, the cost of basic formula can run about $1,500. - Yes, there is the expense but even if I choose to breastfeed for a few weeks, I can't pump effeciently at work so pumping breastmilk for the day probably wouldn't even be an option for me and I'd have to switch to formula anyway after I go back to work.

Choosing a Baby Formula

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