Nursing Vs. Formula

I had same dilemna. I did a combination of both for about a month and then formula fed. That way he got some of the "Gentler to digest" milk along with the harder to digest formula.. and got used to both.. and bottle... and then I weaned him off.

As for WIC-tell them you will formula feed. They will give you vouchers for formula, and even if you do end up breastfeeding longer then planned, you can stock up on some formula for when the baby needs more then WIC covers.

Best of luck!

Just go for the formula. Don't let it bother you. It is what it is. I went through the same thing until I actually read the data that was available for the people who bf/didn't bf. Honestly, my children (non-bf) are at the top of their peers for everything. Not to brag. But I know at least two girlfriends who ebf whose children are autistic. NOT THAT THERE IS A LINK. Just to say. It doesn't matter. As long as they are getting the things they need.

Oh, nurse, nurse, nurse. Any bit will help. It will help greatly to protect your babies immune system. It is also a wonderful bonding experience. Now that I have kids I have a lot of mom friends, and I really do see the difference in infants health between formula and nursing. It seems like the formula fed babies get sick a lot more frequently. I nursed my daughter for 13 months, and my son is now almost 1 and still going strong..and they both were never sick during the time they nursed. You can definitely use formula AND nurse. Your body will adjust...so don't listen to your mom about engorgement ( no disrespect). Engorgement happens, no matter what. It is part of having a baby! If you plan to use formula while at work, after a few weeks of solo nursing, introduce your baby to the bottle during those times. Start with one bottle, then go to two, etc. That way you will give your body time to adjust. You can definitely still nurse before work, after work, and before bed. Formula is VERY expensive. That is great if you get it covered with WIC. Breast milk is free...and convenient. Also, I think it is illegal to not allow an employee to pump. You need to research your rights now, before the baby comes. Breastfeeding your baby is something special that we don't get to experience but for a short time in our lives. Don't sell yourself short b/c of pressure. Make the decision on your own. You might LOVE breastfeeding. You might hate it..but at least try it. And know it is tough at first, but if you can just get used to it, it becomes second nature. I am fortunate to stay home with my kids, but my sister in law lives in Brooklyn, works in NYC. She commutes via subway every day, and everyday brought her pump and cooler case to work. She pumped successfully for 8 months! Then she started to give her daughter formula just during the work feedings. It can be done. If she could schelp that on the subway, you can too!

I also want to add a few things that can help financially. When you get nursing pads, buy some cotton washable ones for at night. They are kind of lumpy for the daytime, but you will save $ by re-washing them rather than using only disposables. Also...and I am not crazy...I use cloth diapers. I am not sure if WIC covers all your diapers, but I have saved literally thousands of dollars not using disposables on my kids. I do use a disp. at night...and while we are out, but when we are home, cloth is easy, and CHEAP! If you ever want more info, just let me know!

The Obama administration recently passed a law that REQUIRES employers to provide you with a sanitary and comfortable nursing room, that is not a bathroom, as well as adequate breaks for pumping. The labor department released this information:
http://www.flemploymentlawblog.com/uploads/file/FLSA%20Br...

Wow, I'm so happy to see you got so much support for breastfeeding. I can tell you that if you breastfeed, it won't be an easy road in the beginning, but SO WORTH IT! It's the law, your boss HAS to give you time to pump. Or if he/she is a real jerk about it, just split up your lunch break, you can snack and eat while you're pumping. When I returned to work I pumped, I actually pumped in my car! You might have to get a little creative on your private space at work, maybe a storage closet or something, if there is no fridge bring a little cooler to keep your milk cold. Whatever the obstacle, find a solution. If you decide to make the commitment, because that's what BF is, a commitment (a BIG one), then everything will fall into place and become the best experience you will have as a mother, while doing the best thing you can for your baby. Good Luck, and congratulations!

I haven't read all of your posts, but I wanted to point out with the new healthcare bill that was passed a few month's ago, your employer is REQUIRED to give you time and a reasonable place to pump milk for your baby. That means 30 minutes every 3 hours (unpaid) NOT in a bathroom. I mean would you eat in a bathroom? :)

Good luck in your decision. I formula fed my son due to severe illness for both of us after delivery, but I am exclusively breastfeeding my daughter and LOVE it. It was not easy for us and it took her 4 weeks to regain her birth weight, but now she is thriving and doing great without even one drop of formula!

Breastfeeding is not only what is 'best', but it is also what is normal and optimal for your child AND yourself. The first few weeks of breastfeeding (after the 3 day delay - which is just colostrom, very good for them to eat!) you will have an oversupply and can easily pump one side after nursing from the other side. There are freezer bags especially made for expressed milk. WIC proveds free or cheap electric breast pumps too. Your baby will adapt to bottles of expressed milk with Grandma, and exclusively breastfeeding with Mommy - BUT - you must first have a successful nursing relationship first before introducing a bottle.

Both the law and ethics are on your side if you request pumping breaks. People take cigarette breaks or cell phone breaks, so no reason you cannot expect to have two 10 minute pumping breaks over the course of a 8-10 hours shift.

WIC is a SUPPLEMENTAL organization, they do not cover all the formula costs your child will need as they mature - you will eventually be buying a lot more formula to support that habit. Breastmilk is FREE, storing it is very easy - as is defrosting it.

I was and continue to be a single Mother. I breastfed exclusively 6 weeks because my cesarean had serious complications and I could not return to work even tho missing work was going to put me way below catching up on financial issues. When she went to daycare at 6 weeks, she had pumped breastmilk and formula to supplement as a last resort. I would occassionally drive to the daycare on my lunch breaks to nurse her, and would enforce management to give me at least ONE pump break. She would nurse exclusively when she was in my care.

It can be done, and it will decrease your ovarian, uterine and breast cancer risks, aid in uterine contraction (going back down to original size and placement) and help you lose the baby weight faster. For the newborn, it instills amazing immune boosters and protection (which formula can never simulate), help coat the immature gastrointestinal tract to aid in protection of the gut and with digestion... the list just goes on and on.

Nurse as long as you can. Get a hospital grade pump if you can - better suction. If there is a meeting room or conference room or something that you can use at your office, do it. Depending on your state, I believe that you should legally be able to do it, and if you have a stronger pump, it'll take less time. Also, I had a PUMPING bra that was basically a bra without the breast covers - it held the pump pieces in place on both breasts at once so the pumping can take even less time.

Also, people taking freaking smoking breaks every few hours, you can take pumping breaks every few hours. Honestly, you'd take mid morning, then lunch time, then mid afternoon, then when you get home you can nurse. You might want to see what kinds of bottles there are, and talk to a lactation consultant about your situation so you can make the nipple/bottle transition as smooth as possible. Good luck!

Pump, pump, pump! It is likely that your employer is required to allow you to do so under a new health care reform law. You can read the summary here http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs73.htm

I was reluctant to ask my employer to allow me to pump too, but once I asked they were totally fine with it, and I was able to pump for over a year. Just be sure to get a good electric pump that is close to hospital grade. You should also read the book Nursing Mother Working Mother. It has lots of good tips.

Good luck!!

Definitely breast feed! I am a single mom of 5 and can relate where you are coming from. I had to go back to work after 6 weeks as well. I breastfed solely for the first 6 weeks and then nursed only at night for the next 6 months. Surprisingly my milk supply maintained even though I only nursed at night. (It does not always do that) Even if you only nurse first 6 weeks its better than not at all. Its also soooo much easier nursing at night then bottle feeding because you do not have to fully wake up and can both nurse half asleep and then go back to bed without much interruption compared to getting up, making a bottle, warming the bottle, etc. My son still wakes up every 3 hours (7 months old and eating food) and I wish I was still breastfeeding. :)

Also, WIC does give you some formula, if you tell them you are doing both in the beginning. Then you can stock up on formula for later when they dont give you enough. They will also supply you with a breast pump for free if you tell them you want to breastfeed and need to pump at work (if you decide to do that). The supplies for breastfeeding is really not that much and you can get non-disposable breast pads that are washable to cut costs also. One tube of nipple cream should last you the whole time you breastfeed and I used bottles instead of bags and then just swapped them out for empties. So its all doable, just depends on your dedication to it. If you have any difficulty breastfeeding in the beginning contact la leche league and they will be able to help you with positioning the baby and making sure he is latched on (sucking) properly. Usually momma error - after 4 babies I still needed help with my 5th because he was not sucking the right way and they were able to give me tips (new position to try) and get us going the right way. So dont be afraid to ask!

Best of luck to you! May you and your baby have a wonderful safe birthing experience!

A.

I haven't read through all these answers, so I apologize if I am repeating something someone has said. Firstly, as part of the Pres Obama's health care reform, employers with over 50 employees MUST provide a place for mothers to express breastmilk for the first year after the baby is born, and it CANNOT be a bathroom. It's a federal law. I'm not sure how many employees are at your place of work, but it's something that you could look into if you wanted to consider pumping. I am working mom that was due Tuesday, and I plan to pump at work, and my employer is providing a place. I don't qualify for WIC, so for me, it's more of a hassle, but cheaper and better for the baby. It's totally your decision. I say breastfeed as long as you can. Some breastmilk is better than nothing.

If you do both WIC will give you both formula and food, just not as much as you would if you were exclusivly doing one or the other. In MI WIC will also provide you with a pump, I dont know how good it is but its worth a shot! When I had my middle daughter I pumped in the bathroom on my lunch breaks, I had a 15 and a 30 min. My manager was nice enough to allow me to take 2 30 min breaks cause he knew what I was doing. But I pumped sitting on a toilet seat and ate my lunch like that! After a while he gave me extra time and an office to do it in. It was difficult but so worth it! If you absolutly cant pump at while you work then make sure you pump right before you leave and if you have a long drive pump again before you leave work(I have also pumped in my car when I had to!) If you keep your supply up and pump alot when you are home then there is no reason you will have to use formula at all. Try pumping one side while nursing on the other, it takes a little bit of practice but my boppy works great for it! Doing this will stimulate both sides more and you will produce more.

Also Dana is right, most states have laws protecting breastfeeding women and their rights. WIC should be able to help you find that info out, plus if you just ask and explain things your manager might be willing to help, especially if you are a good employee! I dont know how long your shifts are but if you can try to pump every 4 hrs you should be fine! Good luck and let us know how it works out!

I breastfed as much as possible, which turned out to be just while I was in the hospital. My daughter is perfect at 3, having been formula fed. I also went back to work and would have had nowhere/no time to pump, although legally you are allowed the breaks to pump.

I personally would try to breast feed, but would switch to formula. Whichever way you go, as long as you're baby is fed, he will be fine.

Go ahead and breastfeed first. If you have to change it is ALOT easier to go from breat to bottle than the other way around. Anytime on the breast is better than none. Having said that, all my kids were bottle fed (insuffient milk, work schedule, etc.) and they are healthy, intelligent, and well adjuusted kids.

Any breast milk is better than none!! If you are worried about him not taking a bottle, start pumping when you milk comes in and either you or your mom can feed him breast milk from a bottle. While formula fed babies do turn out fine, breast milk has so many added benefits to both your child for you. Besides all benefits for the baby that most people already know (less ear infections, reduces risk of obesity, easily digested so no stinky poop, possible increased intelligence, etc), it also reduces your chance of breast cancer AND what new mother doesn't want to burn an extra 800 calories a day by doing nothing (aka what your body burns just making milk)!!

Even if you can't pump at work, you could pump or nurse in the morning before work once or twice and two or three times when you are home and during night feedings. Your son could drink formula during the day when you aren't home. Your body will adjust to not needing to make as much milk during the day. You will probably be engorged while this process takes place, but after a couple days it will be better. Any breast milk is good, so even if he only gets it a few times a day, it's better than nothing! Plus, another good side for you is while you are making milk, your breasts will stay perky. Even when my daughter only nursed twice a day, they still stayed pretty firm.

Good luck with your decision and delivery and congrats!

Your situation is tough... my son was born prematurely and was aspirating(milk was going into his lungs), so I had to add thickener to whatever he drank. For me, I pumped because of the nutritional value of the breast milk. My son doesn't get respiratory infections or ear infections. Rarely sick... he is 4 years old. I think it is from having the breast milk. I think if you can breast feed even abit, it is worth it. The first bit is the most important they say. I was only able to pump for 7 months which was not enjoyable to pump and then feed him. Lots of work, but glad I did it for his health. I hope this helps.
Good luck!
R.

Hi J.! Congrats on your baby, I am sure you are eager to meet him. You have already gotten so much good information. I agree that you should definitely give him the colostrum. I love nursing, but I have no judgements against folks who use formula. I just wanted to say that returning to work is sooo HARD. I just did this week and I was really dreading the whole pumping situation. All the parts to clean everyday and especially working it out with my boss. Well this week has been great and I am so relieved to have nursing. Since my last baby was born I am somehow more efficient and even with a seven week old and a two year old cleaning the parts has not been a burden. And it went OK at work (so far...still a little worried about next week) and finally the biggee: nursing my baby when I get home keeps me sane. The ripping sadness at leaving my two beautiful children is soothed by feeling her little body all snuggled to me. No caregiver can give her this, and selfishly I love that. So it helps me cope. My son has taken to spooning the baby while she nurses so it is very healing for all three of us. Good luck with whatever you choose to do. It is hard enough to be a mother. Make your choice, know you made it after careful consideration, and then don't let anyone make you feel badly. Your baby, your choice. Good luck and congrats!

J.,

You already have 41 answers so my may not need my in put.

You can rent pump from the hospital. Large deposit, but you get that back when you return it.. Any breastmilk, the baby gets helps with immunity, & general health. I was only able to breast feed for 8 weeks. I just didn't produce enough milk.

So far, no allergies with my daughter (my husband has some severe allergies.)

Could you pump during your lunch break?

You need to check into your rights as a MOM. I think it may be required by law for your employer to give you a place to pump.

Always nurse whenever you have the option to. Even if it's only the first 6 weeks. Those are the most important 6 weeks of your baby's life when speaking in terms of nutrition. The benefits to his development and immune system are HUGE. There is no downside to nursing for the first 6 weeks. He will be fine on a bottle after that. He may even be able to do bottles with grandma and still nurse at night with you. If you can't pump during the day; no sweat. It happens. Formula is not evil and will not hurt your baby. However, it will never be a better choice over breastmilk. Yes, most of us today were formula fed and we turned out fine (at least we think we did). But I read something disturbing recently when I was "wimping out" on nursing my 3rd baby. There is more regulation on the manufacture of dog food than infant formula. How scary is that? As far as your milk "drying up" in time to go back to work. That is hogwash. Some women's body's continue to produce milk for years after they stop nursing. Some dry up instantly. Me, I usually dry up in a week or less (I've nurse 3 babies). To avoid engorgement and discomfort, start weaning baby off the breast and onto formula slowly over your last week home with him if you want to. Otherwise, let the milk keep coming in. You can nurse at night and on the weekends still.

Try Breastfeeding!
Your employer HAS to have a place and let you pump...it's the law.

I returned to work (full-time) after 6 weeks and I pumped 3-4 times a day for 10-15 minutes each time. I used everything from restrooms, co-worker's private offices, to my cubical blocked off w/ a drape/sheet. People get used to the noise and some people told me they would even start to tap their feet along w/ the consistent beat. :) I did this until my son turned 10.5 months when I dried up after a trip across the country. Before that happened, though, I'd nurse him in the morning before daycare, and again 2-3 times before he went to bed for the night. He strictly had breastmilk in the bottle at daycare, but towards the end when my supply was running low, we started to introduce formula about 1 time a day when he was at daycare.
The best advice I can give is try not to stress too much or your supply will suffer. Find something you can do to relax while you pump, whether it be looking at your baby's picture(s), reading a book, or playing on your cell phone. I also figured out how to eat lunch while I pumped. :) If your supply does suffer at some point, add an extra pumping session while you're at work, even if it's just 5-10 minutes.
Good luck!!

breast is best for as long as you can (especially first few weeks SO IMPORTANT)....but you can do both. You can breast feed and bottle feed. With my first I would breast feed at night and in the morning and pump in my car at lunch under a hooter hider/bebe au lait or you can do it in the bathroom or a closet. Your boss has a legal obligation to let you do this and should find a place for you do this. At first it is hard as your body gets used to not feeding baby during the day and you will get a little engorged but then your body really adapts and you can breastfeed nights and mornings and then all day on the weekends and your body gets the hang of it. Some breast milk is better than none. Do what you can and your baby will do great (p.s. cost of pump nothing compared to cost of formula which gets to be ridiculously expensive and it is messy and inconvenient)

oh didn't see that you got the formula for free...but it is still so worth it to do both especially since you are a single mom it is sooooo much more convenient to breastfeed baby when it wakes in middle of the night than to make formula with baby screaming and screaming the whole time you are doing it.

just read on the WIC website that they may provide you with a breastpump, plus since you are low income you will get WIC longer if you are breastfeeding.

WIC mothers who breastfeed their infants are provided information and support
through counseling and breastfeeding educational materials.
• Breastfeeding mothers receive a greater quantity and variety of foods than mothers
who fully formula feed their infants, with mothers fully breastfeeding their infants
receiving the most substantial food package.
• Breastfeeding mothers are eligible to participate in WIC longer than nonbreastfeeding
mothers.
• Breastfeeding mothers may receive follow-up support through peer counselors.
• Breastfeeding mothers may receive breast pumps

wow! well I would tell wic that you are using formual so that way you are covered. if you dont use it no biggie you can get the bottles and donate them back to wic and they will give them to somone else that needs them. as they will not cover them all, you will still need to buy some. NOONE can tell you what to do, you need to go to a LLL meeting and get a feel for the ups/downs of nursing. I say it wont hurt to try it and then if you dont stick w/ it then you dont. I have been nursing for twenty months now, and i can say that it takes a lot of work so if you are not dedicated to it it might not be the best choice for you. I wont go on and on about the way I feel about either just that you should meet some local moms that nurse as they will provide you will support if you do nurse, that is important! and they will provide you with face to face answers to your questions. message me if you really want more bc I would be super happy to help: I honestly do know alot about nursing through school, former job and first hand. good luck w/ whatever you choose, love your baby as that is all that will really make them happy/healthy. xo

I nurse my DD... When I am at work I can go 4 hours between pumping... so if you have a regular workday, you could time it so you pump once during lunch and once during a break. There are laws in place to protect your job if you want to try it. :) If not, I would nurse as long as possible before switching to formula... maybe give yourself a week before going back to work to dry up a bit? Just do whatever you are comfortable with.

You have gotten some good advice and i wanted to add that if it's too hard or you are unable to pump at work you could do formula during the day and nurse when you get home, anytime you are with baby and on the weekends. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing game! Our bodies are amazing things that can adjust to the need.

The first few weeks are so, so important as far as breastmilk is concerned. Infants have no immunity really on their own and your breastmilk will give baby invaluable protection.

As far as needing your milk to dry up before you go back to work-pppffffttt! If you become uncomfortable at work (and aren't able to pump fully at work), take a bathroom break and hand express a bit into a papertowel. It will take the edge off and you can go back to work. But if you can even pump once or twice while you are at work that is what most working moms are only able to squeeze in.

I *highly* recommend using the Playtex nurser with the latex (brown) nipple. It is super soft just like the breast. Both my breastfed babies did very well with the soft nipple when they did get a bottle.

And WIC will get you a pump! You probably won't need anything special for your nipples like lotion/creams. It's best to just let them air dry after nursing. Breastmilk is the best thing you can put on them but your probably won't need to do a thing. I never did.

I live in your area so message me anytime if you have questions or just need a "you're doing great nursing mama!". I breastfed both my kids for 16 and 20 months respectively.

I understand your dilemma - I faced the same issues myself with having to return to work quickly, and not having any great options for pumping at work. Here's what I found - for the first few weeks, nursing is actually easier than bottle feeding. You have everything you need with you everywhere you go, and the milk is always just the right temperature! =) What worked really well for me was to get my baby on a feeding schedule right away (I used the BabyWise method, which is flexible but still a parent-directed schedule). This way I knew exactly when my daughter was going to be hungry, she knew when feeding time was coming, and we were both happy. ALSO when I went back to work, it was easy for my husband or our nanny to know when she'd be hungry and plan for that. Neither of my babies ever had issues with going from bottle to breast and back again. They also didn't seem picky about whether they were fed breastmilk or formula. I think scheduled feeding times helped - they were hungry when they woke up from their naptime or bedtime, and they'd eat whatever was available, whether it came from breast or bottle!

So, my advice would be to play it by ear. Sure, get a can or two of formula to have around the house, but see how the breastfeeding goes. It's easier and cheaper, why not give it a try for the first few weeks and see how it goes?

Congratulations and best of luck!

I say nurse/pump as long as you can, and then if you have to switch to formula it's ok! My advice is to start pumping early on, right after each feeding. I did this with my daughter and had 100 or so containers of frozen milk by the time I went back to work (8 weeks). It also made her growth spurts a breeze because I already was producing enough milk! GOOD LUCK!

I was in a similar situation when returning to work with my first child. He'd not taken any kind of bottle before 6 weeks (I wish I'd pumped and started earlier).

Look into the laws in your state regarding pumping. I bet you'd be surprised at how much the law protects a mother in that situation.

In my case, I worked as a field representative in sales. I worked out of my car and had to pump there during the day. I never pumped more than 3 times, and depending on how much you produce, it can be a quick or lengthy process. A double pump will make it MUCH quicker.

Any time on the breast is ideal. I had to stop nursing my second child at 11 weeks so I could start chemo for a cancer diagnosis.
She did fine on formula, too, and has never been below the 90th percentile on weight/height.

Your mom is incorrect about the baby taking the bottle. He'll do fine. Babies run on instincts and won't go hungry. Practice with bottles before you return to work, and you'll be amazed at how well he does (you may just need to try different brands/nipples).

Good luck!

Hi J.. I'm a single full-time working mom. I exclusively breastfed for the first twelve weeks and then exclusively breastfed/pumped up until about a month ago. My little sproutlet is fifteen months old and I still breastfeed at morning and at night. It has not been an easy road, but it's the decision that I made for a number of reasons. There has been lots of good advice, but I just want to make sure you do not feel bad if you decide not to breastfeed. It's true that a happy mommy equals a happy baby; you have to do what is reasonable for your situation. I do think that it's easier to breastfeed the first few weeks, but I have nothing to compare it to as this is my first child. If you need any support from someone who has been through it, please feel free to message me. Best wishes! Congratulations---you're about to experience joy you never imagined!

I am a full time worker and I breasfeed and pump at work. My husband is a stay at home dad. If you want to breastfeed it should be able to work for you. We got an evenflo pump and it wasn't that expensive around 45.00. at babies r us. Depending on your baby he should do fine. I did not introduce the bottle till about a week before I went back to work and he took to it fine. He goes back and forth nipple to bottle with no complaints. I have breastfeed all three of my children and worked at the same time. It can be done and you can do it if you want to. I only pump twice while I am away and it takes about 20 mins each time. Start pumping and storing your milk so you have a least a weeks supply. Go on the CDC website and they have your storing recomendations. Don't let this time pass you up for your and your little one to bond. It will feel like second nature once you start. Mine is exclusively breastfeed and is 4 months now. I know you have to do what is good for you I hope it works out. just so you have the low down on prices.
you can get laniosh milk bags 50 for 9.99 at walmart
avent breast pads are great you can get 100 at walmart for 9.99 as well. You shouldn't need nipple butter I would wait on that. Good luck

I was always told even a little breast milk at first is better then nothing at all. And the first few days you will have colostrum which is the best thing hands down that you can give your baby. So even if you only do it for a week or two you are giving your baby a great jump start to a healthy immune sysytem, growth and development. And really one box of nursing pads and one small bottle of nipple cream really won't cost you much money at all. So If i were you I would at least give it a try.

You got some great advice J.. Good for you wanting to bf! I am a HUGE bf advocate and thrilled that you want to go for it and received so much support here too. It's great that your mom will help you out but it's sad that she seems to lean toward formula. Formula is NOT breast milk and no matter what a lab cannot duplicate nature so closer is still not equal to. There are some VERY VERY rare cases when women can't nurse (very ill, burnt nipples, stuff like that) but sadly because the formula industries have strong marketing departments women become easily swayed toward excusing the swap. You sound like a smart woman who wants the best for her child, be strong and go for nursing. It's a wonderful experience! I nursed my daughter exclusively for 12 months then she nursed till she was 4. I wish I let her nurse longer, the World Health Organization recommends till ages 4,5 or 6.

I was sad to read that one woman was concerned about her 'boob' being exposed in public. Breasts are NOT sexual objects, they are body parts meant to secrete fluid to nourish our offspring. Just like a cow makes milk for THEIR baby (even though humans steal it) it's meant for calves and calves only, we don't have 4 chambers in our stomach, we don't ruminate, etc. America is one of the only countries that isn't as supportive over breast feeding. America is more focused on placing women as sexual objects, sadly.

I also agree with Amy suggesting cloth diapers. You will save a fortune!!!! I spent about $150-200 on many wonderful cloth diapers and some hemp liners, I soaked them in a bucket and did laundry daily. You can dry them in the sun to sterilize them if you want too. Disposable diapers are expensive, bad for the environment and bad for your baby. I've read several studies that showed the gel and stuff that makes the baby stay dry longer leads to testicular cancer. Think about it, all that stuff rests right up against the baby and his testicles! Scary. Diapers don't disintegrate so they just pile up in landfills. One person's diapers piled on top of each other reach the moon!

Don't even get me started on circumcision or should I say mutilation. Oh, vaccines!!!! sigh....
read some links:
www.nocirc.org
www.thinktwice.com
www.909shot.com

Good luck and have a safe, healthy delivery!!!

I'm guessing that if you are receiving Maternity Leave, your employer employs enough people for you to require them to provide you with a private place to pump at work that is NOT a bathroom. And they have to, it's the law now. Companies with fewerr than 50 employees have to prove it causes an "undue burden" on them to provide such a place, so you may be covered either way. Here's a link about it:
http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs73.htm

Or, you can breastfeed at home and formula feed while at work. You need to talk to a lactation consultant about how to do that.

I breastfed my son for a year. I work full time and pumped twice a day during work- lunch and my plan time- I was teaching middle school at the time (every great once in a while I only got it in once because of a weird schedule). I just made sure I fed him right before I left in the morning (7:30), pumped twice at work, then fed him as soon as I got home (about 4:15). My son never had any problem going back and forth between breast and bottle. We started him on the bottle at about 3- 4 weeks old because my husband wanted to start feeding him. I was able to pump enough to keep him fed during the day. He did have formula occasionally, but didn't like it much. I think we only bought 2 cans for the entire first year. If my husband used formula, he mixed it half and half with breast milk, otherwise my son wouldn't drink it. I also pumped one more time at night when I put him to bed. I started doing this when he was first born so my milk supply was pretty high. At the beginning I did this the first morning feeding too, but had too much milk then. Get a decent pump and learn how to freeze your milk (they sell bags for this) so any extra you can keep instead of (gulp) pour down the drain!
Be strong willed with your boss about breast feeding. You have every right to breastfeed and take the time to pump at work- it might mean giving up your break time and lunch to do it, but it really is better for your little one.

There is a great answer to your question and you can have the best of both worlds...start off breast feeding and after the first 2-3 wks then he will get the immune benefits of the breast milk and will be ready for your Mom to bottle feed him when you go back to work. If you start weening him on to the bottle and decrease the amount of breast milk you feed him daily until you are comfortable and get your body on a schedule that will work well for you for work your body will adjust.
With my oldest who is now 17yrs I breast fed her for the first 9mos and used that same process as she was being watched by my Mother while I we worked. I also did this with our youngest however I only breastfed her for the first 3 mos of her life. At any rate you will find what works best for you and your family, but that is what worked best for me at the time.
Now we own our own business and I work from home to increase our income and eventually not have to have the financial burden and thank God that it would be different if we were to have another baby now.
Hope I helped and congradulations on your new joy!

If you really want to breastfeed, there's no reason you can't do both. Breastfeeding is on a demand-creates-supply basis. So if you only nursed your son at night, or first thing in the morning, at dinnertime, and at night, etc., then that is when you would have milk. You won't have to worry about it when you are at work. It will take a little while for your body to adjust but if you set up this routine while you are home and give formula for all of the other feedings, you should be on track when you return to work. I went back to work when my daughter was 8 weeks old and she was exclusively breastfed. I pumped at lunch (and I was a high school teacher so lunch was only 25 minutes long). I'd nurse her in the morning before I dropped her off at daycare and then nurse on demand in the afternoon/evening. It worked for us. We were apart for about 8 1/2 hours each day. I did not need to supplement with formula, either. I don't know what your work schedule is like but I bet you can find a routine that works for you and your baby and allows him to get the benefits of breastmilk without causing you undue stress. And if you decide to 100% formula feed, that is okay too! Don't let anyone bully you into doing something you don't want to do. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Understand your situation. The answer is, breastfeed as long as possible. Every sip makes a healthy difference. Do your best and don't stress!... for the health of your family, E. (family food mom)

Updated

Understand your situation. The answer is, breastfeed as long as possible. Every sip makes a healthy difference. Do your best and don't stress!... for the health of your family, E. (family food mom)

These are not decisions you should make until after your baby is born and then see what happens naturally. It is best if when the baby is born to let him/her crawl up your belly to the breast all by himself. Look on youtube under breast crawl. This starts all the primitive reflexes in the central nervous system to be swithced on. The baby is best breastfed as long as you can do it because the nipple goes way back into the throat region and does not put the baby in panic mode of having to double and triple suck from an artificial nipple. They cannot suck, swallow, breathe properly and they are at risk for self regulation problems. Sucking is the most important thing at that time to help the baby get organized. You can still breastfeed after going to work. If the demand decreases, then so will your supply. That way it is still available on weekends and at night. He/she can take a few bottles during the day but still continue to build the immune system, binocular vision, speech patterns and bonding with you. The benefits of nursing for the mother are amazing as well. Everything from mental health to reduction in breast and ovarian cancers. Think twice before trying to map out what has not happened yet. You can always use WIC later on if you choose at any time. I know lots who have done that. They should be encouraging your decision not discouraging you by saying hurry up and make up your mind....how silly. Also important is to get your baby on belly right away to start building a core and not get a flat head that leads to other situations. Tummy time 4 times a day for 30 mintues each time. Good luck and a happy, safe delivery with NO HEP B!

Braxton Hicks often means you are lacking calcuim and magnesium , if you take these then make sure you have essential fatty acids, as you can take calcuim and have it stay in the blood stream and not get into the tissue if you don't have enough EFAs.
Always breast feed as long as possible. It makes a huge difference- huge- and for years to come it makes a difference- no formula is any where close- none. See you HR and see if there isn't a way to pump- this will make a difference for your child. A mom thing.
Best, k

Hi there!
Just want you to know I've been there! I was a single parent also. I did both actually. I breastfed him when i could then he had formula when I couln't. I tried pumping it did not work for me at all. My milk eventually dried-it wasn't as uncomfortable this last time as it was with my other 2 children before. You can breast feed him at night and in the morning and have mom give him a bottle during the day.. That way he's getting what he needs from you (antibodies). It will be alright, don't stress (I did WIC too). God bless you,
A. J. Exner

Like the saying goes, "Breast is best." Before you return to work, have the Obama Healthcare section on breastfeeding moms printed up and ready to show that you are allowed under federal law to go pump. And stand your ground, I always tend to cower to authority. But if it does become easier for you to nurse when home and have your Mom formula feed, then do it. But I suggest to try to bf as along as possible.

I have documented some medical info in my files that formula fed babies have high levels of E coli in thier guts, which in turn can mean more dybiosis, more infections, more likey to have feeding issues (GERD, throwing up, etc) more likeliness of disease later on.

Breastfeed as long as you can. 2 weeks is better than nothing. Just get that healthy flora into his gut.

Just thought I would let you know that when I was on WIC with my first child and they paid for a breast pump and later when I supplemented with formula it wasn't a problem getting formula--so you might at least check that. Personally, I found breastfeeding extremely demanding, but I'm glad I did it (I think :). I think 6 weeks is enough time to get a good system established (certainly not ideal, but doable). We introduced the bottle at 2 weeks and made sure that he would take both and for us that part wasn't really a problem. But, with that said my partner could bring my son to me at work and I could nurse him there (in a semi-private office)--and I wasn't working full-time. I would imagine you have a right to a private space to pump (there are different state laws, just ask your WIC office...if you can ever get them to answer the phone :). But, again, it is really hard to ask a boss for this kind of "permission" since it isn't institutionalized in our country. A few weeks is definitely better than nothing and if you wanted to give it a try and see how it goes you certainly aren't committed to doing it forever...I really wouldn't worry about getting the baby to take a bottle if you introduce in week 3 or 4 you'll be fine--so perhaps give yourself a few weeks with the baby to decide (you don't need a pump to do that). And you could even breastfeed when your home and your mom could formula feed--just get into the routine before you go back to work. Also, I got a lot of the breastfeeding supplies for free at the hospital (the butter stuff and some pads), WIC provided the pump, all I bought were 6 cotton breast pads. Again, getting the pump didn't keep me from having access to the formula, but you could double check how it works in Florida. Good luck with whatever you decide--you are right that a happy mama=a happy baby...so do what seems right for you.

Breastfeeding for the as long as possible is definitely a good idea even if you don't want to do it when you go back to work. I am on WIC as well and just so you know they do not supply all of your formula for the month. I'm not sure about your county but in our county they only do 10 cans of formula a month. So in the end you will end up spending more for formula than you would for breast feeding. Yes you will have to spend for a pump and pads. But that is minimal compared to the formula especially if your baby can't handle the regular formula. My friend just had a baby that has to have soy formula because he is lactose intolerant and she doesn't get as many cans of formula from WIC because it is more expensive. My daughter has been breastfed and had an occasional formula bottle but she can't have regular formula because it upsets her tummy - she has to drink a "gentle" formula which is more expensive than the regular formula - thank goodness it's only occasionally because for the 12oz can of formula it's like $14 and from what I've heard babies go through 3 a week. But if you breastfeed and supplement with formula that would be the most effective cost wise and that way your baby could still benefit from your breastmilk. Talk to your WIC office or the lactation specialist there - they have always been very helpful. In our county if you inquire at the WIC office they are able to supply you with an electric pump - so check with your WIC office they may do the same. It's not gross either just sterilize everything before you use it. It doesn't take 30 minutes to pump once you get the hang of it too. I think the longest it's taken me to pump in the beginning was like 15 minutes. But as you said formula fed babies turn out just as well as breastfed babies so in the end the choice is yours! =)

does wic in your state provide a pump? if so then i would utilize it. legally your employer has to provide a space for you to pump as well as time. but if you don't want to fight for it then breast feeding as long as you are home is well worth it, & better than not bf any at all. but honestly, as a mom & a mom who worked (i went back to work 3 weeks after my 2nd was born) I pumped as long as i could & nursed when at home. you can pump as much as possible while at home before returning to work (i always had extra milk in the beginning anyway) you can always bf for as long as possible & then switch to formula (& yes wic has to provide a pump if you begin with bf as long as they do that in your state & also switch to formula if you have to) but i was able to successfully nurse at home & pump at work for 6-9 months & it was well worth it. you should only have to pump about every 3 hours & you should be due for a break about that time anyway. if you want to bf then you should, don't let others around you discourage you. get reusable nursing pads they are worth it! & when you are in the hospital ask for nipple cream every time the nurse comes in, you only need a little so i ask & get as much as i can & it will last you awhile. good luck!

Don't forget the costs of dr visits, and having to take a sick baby to dr. Breastfeed as long as possible, you have the right!

I am a b/f momma and personally believe that even 6 weeks of nursing is better than none. I don't understand how your boss can keep you from pumping, even if you have to go to a bathroom stall for 15 minutes every few hours to do it. It CAN be done. As for the bottle, introduce it early on. Now they say at 2 or 3 weeks. My youngest is 4 weeks old and was 4 weeks premature. I use the Tommee Tippee bottles with him because with him being a preemie, he has had trouble nursing. He goes between nursing and the bottles fine.

I would personally breast feed for at least the first two weeks to make sure your baby boy gets the colostrum. With both of my kids I couldn't produce enough breast milk so I breast fed for as long as I could (about 4 weeks) and went to formula. They had no trouble switching over to formula and have been very healthy babies, no colic or gas on the tummy. Personally I thought formula feeding was SO much easier but alot of women think breast feeding is easier too. With formula feeding you dont have to ever have your boob out in public. When my daughter was a week old she had to go in to get some normal blood work done, we were at the hospital for 3 hours waiting and they didn't have a room to go to for nursing plus I had my 20 month old son with me. I ended up having to nurse in the chapel (which didn't have a door it was just a room off of the lobby area) and try to contain and entertain my son. It was very inconvient. Plus with formula you can always have help at feeding time. I do believe that breast milk is best for babies but I think formula has come a long way. So in my opinion I would breast feed for a couple of weeks and slowly start supplementing formula in. Also if you are stressed about the situation you may not get much milk supply anyway so come to a decision that you are comfortable with.