BF Baby introducing Formula

[Mia and Lily's Mom]

I wasn't sure which forum to put this in so hopefully this is the right one.

My almost 8 month old dd has been exclusively breastfeed so far, and I have been back at work fulltime since she was 3 month old so gotten really good at pumping.  My job is starting to get more demanding and I am starting to travel more and lugging a pump and a cooler along with actual travel items around and finding places to pump while in business meetings is starting to become almost impossible so I am thinking about switching her to formula for the daytime and continue nursing in evenings, night and early mornings.

How do I go about introducing formula, do I mix it in with the breastmilk and slowly increase the amount?  Dd has some problems with constipation so I am wondering which brand of formula might be the gentlest on her stomach.  I am hoping to keep bf up until she is a year old and just suplement with formula.

Any ideas or advice
TIA

[daisymelan]

Good for you for continuing for as long as you have considering what you've had to go through to do it!  WOW!

I use formula to supplement and you are exactly right. Start with half/half and keep adjusting until she's ready for full formula.  You could even start less formula if you wanted.  Some los take to it straight away, others do not.

I don't know what to suggest in regards to the constipation.  Perhaps more ppl could help you over in the bottlefeeding forum, since not too many of us will be able to advise you on that in this forum.  Some los don't like the taste of certain formulas so you may have to try a few.  The only one that worked for us was Similac Advance.  But you just never know.

HTH

[jer-76]

RE: constipation. All formulas have iron in them. Check the amounts because iron can easily constipate people.
 Also look at every teat in the shop. Pick the one that closely resembles your nipple shape post feed. My niece likes Tommy Tippee Nuby, my LO likes Mam ultivent.
 Don,t have it too warm or too cold as it sort of surprises them at first.
Also my LO soon sussed what time she could have breast milk again but didn,t refuse it too much during the day.
 Oh and....Don,t forget that it takes longer for them to digest so they do lose the comfort part of B/F. It does not harm them but extra hugs may be required.
Erm...........thats all I can think of, hope it helps you, good luck 
p.s you could test her with a sneaky formula dream feed to see if she actually notices the difference in taste!

[Mia and Lily's Mom]

Thanks everybody, she will actually take the bottle OK since that is what she has been getting the ebm in for the last few month.
I tried just to give her a bottle of formula and she did not want anything to do with it.

Good tip with the iron, I had heard that it was constipating but forgotten about it.  Will definitely check.  I am wondering if some of the formulas that state that they are extra gentle on the stomachs would be better?  I don't think she has an issue with milk products so that should be OK but there are so many formula options out there and I really never paid much attention since I was nursing.  I know we have some Similac at home because we got samples when dd was born so maybe I start with that, but I believe that I have heard that you don't really want to switch formulas either.

Nursing was so nice and simple 

[Adamsmum]

I'm having the same issues with Adam and introducing the formula.  My milk supply has dramatically decreased and I'm really trying to keep enough fluids in him.  I've gotten some ideas but nothing has worked so far.  I did put a little formula in my EBM today and he took it.  I'll just try to keep doing this and at the same time keep pumping so I can maintain what supply I have left to help the transition.  I'm kind of freaking a little though because I don't want him to be deprived because I can't make enough milk which is what he wants.  Oh yeah, he's gotten very impatient with bfeeding as well and takes  the bottle better now unless he's really sleep when he nurses.