Supplementing with Formula

Dear Friends and Family,

I was reading an article online last night and a line struck a chord with me...

Should I supplement breast milk with formula?

...Supplementing with formula is often the beginning of the end of breastfeeding. Very soon, one bottle leads to more bottles and eventually to a dwindling milk supply...

It reminded me of Pioneer's second week. The doctor had "ordered" us to begin supplementing because Pioneer was losing too much of her initial body weight. And, so we began the supplementation route. And, frankly, I hated it.

Here was the routine:

• take Pioneer's temperature
• weigh Pioneer
• feed Pioneer
• re-weigh Pioneer
• prepare formula
• supplement, as needed
• put Pioneer down
• get pumping equipment
• pump, as needed
• record all of the data
• repeat

Since we were on a 2 hour cycle, it felt like as soon as we finished one cycle, we were beginning the next.

I laid out the pros and cons of supplementing per the doctor's orders and just continuing with breastfeeding. The BIG ones were:

• don't want to starve our child

vs.

• formula is fake food

And the little ones were:

• get more sleep at night

vs.

• "melamine" factor
• bottle makes Pioneer "lazy"
• supplementing ultimately reduces milk supply

I felt like we were on a slippery slope and that it would almost have been easier if the doctor ordered a complete switch. One is an abrupt transition where you can focus on the baby's health. The other feels like you're fighting a war you know you're ultimately going to lose, but still fighting it one battle at a time. The emotional toll is unbelievable.

Ultimately, Pioneer and I did win the war. We supplemented, but with logic vs. with abandon. And, we fought each feeding cycle hard, not giving in to the temptation to give up. There was one time when I almost broke down in tears in frustration. I was ready to throw in the towel when Pioneer turned a corner and had a good feed. Ultimately, with the doctor's blessing, one week later, we got off the supplementation route and formula is now just an emergency/convenience option.

What'd we win? Ultimately, we won the right to choose our feeding option. There's no right answer, but there is satisfaction in being able to pick what we prefer.


Cheers!
mouse