Formula too early?

Question

My baby is 1 week old. I've been breastfeeding all week but my nipples are very sore. I really want to breastfeed but feel like I just need to give my nipples a break. Will it be detrimental to feed him formula for just a meal occasionally when I need it for relief? Seems like my son is constantly hungry (great problem to have!) so I'm not getting much of a break.

Answer

I suggest continue with the boob and don't supplement. That young, they're always hungry because they cluster feed. It will feel like he's on the boob 24/7 but hang in there. Your nipples will get used to it. If you supplement this early, it may hurt your supply.

Answer

My little girl is 3.5 weeks old and I had the same problem. At about a week old my nipples were cracked and bleeding and the pain was so intense it caused me to me break out in a cold sweat. I know your pain. I ended up going on antibiotics to clear up any infection. During that time I pumped and gave formula. She took to the bottle no problem. We use avent. I am currently breast feeding, pumping and supplementing with formula. Honestly you will know what your baby needs, don't feel guilty giving formula, you need to feed your baby. It's not worth the pain and suffering, baby can feel the tension.

Answer

You and the baby will be fine. My son is now 1 yrs old but when he was 1 week old we started supplementing at night so i can get a break and my husband would do it. You don't have to pump as i know many may suggesr. I was able to breastfeed and supplement all the  way up until 10 months since my supply went down drastically. You should never feel pressured or guilty to do what you feel is best foe your child. My son had 0 nipple confusion and took both bottle and boob well.

Answer

My baby is three weeks old now and I started breastfeeding. I got home and had some issues with my scar and decided to pump and give her a bottle when I wasn't able to breastfeed. And she eats a lot so I gave her a supplemental formula for breast fed babies. She has no issues latching on bottles or breast. I know she prefers breast, but she's not picky, as long as she gets to eat. You should do what you feel is best for you and baby. Good luck!☺️

Answer

My daughter is 5 weeks old and my nipples were sore for the first week also but it got better and I no longer have any issues. If you're going to skip/replace a feeding with formula, you should at least pump to help keep your supply up. 
I started pumping at about 2 1/2 weeks and my daughter has been getting both the breast and bottle since then and she doesn't have any issues with nipple confusion but I hear a lot of babies do so I would be careful if you choose to still breastfeed without pumping. 
About a week ago, I had to start supplementing with formula. We chose to do so just at night in hopes that the need for supplementing would also benefit us in helping her sleep longer and indeed it did! She sleeps between 3.5-4.5 hours at a time during the night. She gets 2 formula feedings. One around 10-11 and then whenever she wakes up again. Anywhere from 1.5-4oz. 
Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

Answer

If you supplement you need to pump. Your milk is supply and demand. Supplementing can cause your supply to drop. I would say see a LC to check baby's latch. Also Lanolin after each feeding saved me. Just a little bit soothes so much.

Answer

There is this nipple cream you put on after every feeding that is safe for babies and it works so good. I forgot the name, but it's in a white tube with blue writing! It was my savor.

Answer

Have you tried nipple creams? The one I used was lanisoh (not sure that's spelt right) it acts as a barrier as well as helps heal.

My eldest made my nipples so sore they had open sores and bled- a lot- I still have noticeable scars 9 years later. The midwives gave me the cream and said to apply a little after each feed, as well as before if I was expressing. They actually encouraged me to express when he was 3 days old because he was drinking so much blood with each feed he was being violently sick. I expressed and dumped the first blood filled bit, then expressed the rest of the milk into a clean bottle and fed him from that for a couple of weeks until my nipples healed and I switched back to breastfeeding until he was 7 months old and he never had any problems switching from bottle to breast with the occasional formula feed.

So long as you continue to breastfeed the night feeds and keep your fluid intake up, giving your lo a bottle of formula here and there won't hurt.

Answer

If you're asking if it will be harmful to baby, no. My son wouldn't latch until he had a bottle at 1 week old. Thr stupid nurses had told us to fees him with a medicine dropper that was too big until then. Then I couldn't breastfeed due to issues. Just don't oversee him with formula or breast milk or whatever you choose and it'll be fine.

Answer

Usually sore nipples are a sign of a poor latch. Have you seen a lactation specialist? I don't think it would hurt him to have formula, it's just that giving them a bottle before the 4 week mark could make it harder for them to go back on the breast. I had to give up breastfeeding bc my son wouldn't latch and no one (including me) could get him to latch 😕

Formula too early?

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