@tabbycat11 First kid, tried breastfeeding and it was a horrible experience. Second kid, formula from day 1. I don’t regret it, in fact, I wish I would’ve educated myself more the first time around and true formula from the get go.
Can anyone share a happy story of formula feeding from Day 1?
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katrina2017
New member
@tabbycat11 My son was a 37 weeker at 5lbs 15oz. I didn't want to bf at all. Didn't try, didn't care too. I was on formula from day 1. He's 8 months now, thriving.. hitting all milestones and gaining weight like crazy!
I did go through a little but of guilt too. Even tried pumping bc I felt I "should" have. Hated it. Absolutely HATED it. I did that for maybe a day and my guilt went away.
Aside from that, my heart wasn't in it. It was so helpful to have my husband be able to feed him without needing me. I could sleep and rest and heal. Just enjoy my son and snuggle. He had pretty bad jaundice too and with formula I was able to really monitor how much he was eating.
I did go through a little but of guilt too. Even tried pumping bc I felt I "should" have. Hated it. Absolutely HATED it. I did that for maybe a day and my guilt went away.
Aside from that, my heart wasn't in it. It was so helpful to have my husband be able to feed him without needing me. I could sleep and rest and heal. Just enjoy my son and snuggle. He had pretty bad jaundice too and with formula I was able to really monitor how much he was eating.
@tabbycat11 I'll skip the whole story why I didn't BF but formula feeding was wonderful for me. I was so ready to have my body back, neither of my kids took to BF easily/or at all really. Not only did I get to just enjoy feeding my baby with out any stress, but my husband could help with it too. You may have some guilt, I think the PP emotions get the best of anyone, but it never lasted long for me. No regrets.
angel898000
New member
@tabbycat11 I’m only two weeks in but aside from skin to skin right away I had zero luck getting baby to latch while we were in the hospital. Baby was extremely jaundice and needed to eat in order to flush it out, so we started on formula while in the hospital. My original plan was to pump and bottle feed anyway, but the hospital pump was miserable and I went in for an unexpected induction so I hadn’t brought mine. By the time we got home my milk had started coming in so I pumped a few times but never got much more than an ounce at a time, and less as the day went on. I couldn’t get into a routine with pumping with as exhausted as I was and baby’s done great on formula. I started to beat myself up about failing at pumping but had to realize, I can’t do everything. I need to be functional post partum, if not thriving as well. My health and mental health are just as important as my baby’s because if I’m not good, I can’t take the best care of her.
My baby was also born at 37 weeks, less than 6 pounds, and at her two week checkup today has gained 9 ounces over her birth weight. If I had forced the breastfeeding/pumping I doubt she would be doing so well.
My baby was also born at 37 weeks, less than 6 pounds, and at her two week checkup today has gained 9 ounces over her birth weight. If I had forced the breastfeeding/pumping I doubt she would be doing so well.
justanothersinner
New member
@tabbycat11 I tried to breastfeed and pump with my first for a month. It destroyed my mental health, and I still have guilt from how little I bonded with my daughter - she’s 3.5, still tremendously prefers dad, and it still shames me and I feel such guilt and cry about it.
With my second, I formula fed from the start. I never once got bothered at the hospital as my doctor wrote in my file I was formula feeding. She’s 8.5 months old and my postpartum experience as night and day from the first. I held her and snuggled her and fed her from the start. My husband let me sleep 12 hours a night for the first two weeks until I was ready to start splitting nights with him with the newborn, and that went a long way, too - when I was pumping with my first, I still had to get up even if he fed her a bottle. The only times I cried this time were when I was overcome with emotions in a happy way. I feel like I got my redo and I’m so grateful for it.
With my second, I formula fed from the start. I never once got bothered at the hospital as my doctor wrote in my file I was formula feeding. She’s 8.5 months old and my postpartum experience as night and day from the first. I held her and snuggled her and fed her from the start. My husband let me sleep 12 hours a night for the first two weeks until I was ready to start splitting nights with him with the newborn, and that went a long way, too - when I was pumping with my first, I still had to get up even if he fed her a bottle. The only times I cried this time were when I was overcome with emotions in a happy way. I feel like I got my redo and I’m so grateful for it.
faithtransparent
New member
@tabbycat11 I am a Mom
of two kids and with both we used formula. It meant I could sleep and. it have to pump and could eat anything and take medicine as needed and not alter my diet. Also it meant my husband could mix a bottle easily. only downside is expense but if you buy from sam’s or in bulk it is not bad. Just have to wash bottles daily which isn’t too hard at all. Just have to work it into the routine. Formula usually makes kids sleep longer
of two kids and with both we used formula. It meant I could sleep and. it have to pump and could eat anything and take medicine as needed and not alter my diet. Also it meant my husband could mix a bottle easily. only downside is expense but if you buy from sam’s or in bulk it is not bad. Just have to wash bottles daily which isn’t too hard at all. Just have to work it into the routine. Formula usually makes kids sleep longer
@tabbycat11 I formula fed all three of my kids. My oldest is 5, but the height of an average 8 year old. She’s super excited because it means she’s tall enough to go on all the roller coasters at Disneyland this fall.
@tabbycat11 I know it’s easier said than done but please don’t feel guilty! My supply never came in despite me trying to breastfeed and pump so I had to start with formula right away and then never stopped. The guilt ate me alive the first few days of postpartum and honestly it’s all I remember from then. I regret putting myself through that in such a fragile time. After we figured out the right formula my baby has been thriving! She’s gaining weight like crazy. I’m incredibly bonded with her and she loves snuggling with me all the time, so don’t let anyone make you feel like you can’t bond by bottle feeding.
Another great thing about formula feeding is that my husband is taking the first night shift and letting me sleep for four or five hours at a time. I have really come to appreciate the freedom and flexibility that formula allows us. It’s nice to not have to put my own body on a schedule, especially since I had a c section and a rough recovery. I know other peoples voices and opinions can be very loud and hard to ignore but I promise the guilt is not worth it! You know what is best for you and your baby
Another great thing about formula feeding is that my husband is taking the first night shift and letting me sleep for four or five hours at a time. I have really come to appreciate the freedom and flexibility that formula allows us. It’s nice to not have to put my own body on a schedule, especially since I had a c section and a rough recovery. I know other peoples voices and opinions can be very loud and hard to ignore but I promise the guilt is not worth it! You know what is best for you and your baby
@tabbycat11 I fought with my first to BF her because I had massive guilt about it. I tried BF my second in the hospital but I was having the same latching issues. She had lost some weight but it was just under the max threshold so they couldn’t outright tell me to give her formula but I got the hint and said “…so I should probably feed her formula then, right?” and they told me yes, I should probably do that. Ever since then she has pretty much been 100% formula fed. No issues at all! We started with Nursette bottles in the first few days when her appetite was so little, then went to liquid for the first 2 months, then powder.
silkandhoney
New member
@tabbycat11 I’ve formula-fed from day 1 and am SO happy I did. It was the right thing for my mental health. I’ve gotten 6-8 hours of sleep every night since she was born because my husband woke up with her overnight to feed her and then my “shift” started at 3am while she was a newborn. She turned 1 on Saturday so we are on our last container of formula, I’ve never got a second regretted our decision.
@tabbycat11 Never tried to breastfeed and VERY happy I did so. Letting my milk supply die was pretty uneventful and never painful. Baby gained weight perfectly by the book, is incredibly healthy, and sleeps through the night about half of all nights at 3 months. We likely would have had so many latch issues because of her tongue and lip tie, but because we were bottle feeding, we just moved up a nipple and problem solved. I ended up having PPD so I was able to take medication without worry. My husband took up all the night shifts so I was able to get full nights of sleep while healing from a C-section. Sleeping was tough enough without having to worry about feeding a baby.
Look. You'll feel guilty if you don't breastfeed and guilty if you do. I don't regret taking the path I did, even if it's not how I saw motherhood happening for me. But I'm really glad I made that choice before she came, it's made all the difference.
Look. You'll feel guilty if you don't breastfeed and guilty if you do. I don't regret taking the path I did, even if it's not how I saw motherhood happening for me. But I'm really glad I made that choice before she came, it's made all the difference.
@tabbycat11 I would cry every time I tried to pump and baby was too aggressive to BF. Didn’t want to body share anymore. He’s a happy and well developed 15mo old now!
@tabbycat11 Lo loves formula and has been fed it since one day old 
@tabbycat11 I was formula fed from birth, as was my husband. Our daughter has also been formula fed from birth. Formula has absolutely been the best decision for our family and I don’t feel even an ounce of guilt for it. My husband can help with feeds. I can take my anxiety meds without worrying about potential long term impact. Our daughter is happy and healthy and meeting her milestones.
tinamarie27
New member
@tabbycat11 No need to feel guilty! I tried exactly one nursing session at the hospital, decided that it wasn't going to work for ME, and immediately switched to formula.
My daughter is now 17 months old. She was a ridiculously healthy baby, and now she's continuing to thrive. She's happy, healthy, and pretty dang smart. We had no trouble bonding, and she's 100% a Mama's girl still. And me? I was able to be the BEST mom to my baby because I wasn't stressing about feeding. There are SO MANY new things to absorb as a FTM, and I have no regrets about EFF my daughter. There's a fantastic chapter in Emily Oster's "Cribsheets" which made me confident in my decision early on.
Do what's best for you!
My daughter is now 17 months old. She was a ridiculously healthy baby, and now she's continuing to thrive. She's happy, healthy, and pretty dang smart. We had no trouble bonding, and she's 100% a Mama's girl still. And me? I was able to be the BEST mom to my baby because I wasn't stressing about feeding. There are SO MANY new things to absorb as a FTM, and I have no regrets about EFF my daughter. There's a fantastic chapter in Emily Oster's "Cribsheets" which made me confident in my decision early on.
Do what's best for you!
jourhoisphat
New member
@tabbycat11 Backstory: I intented to breastfeed up until 6 months. I went into labor 2 days before my due date. Over 30 hours of labor & 4 hours of pushing.. I went preclamptic and my daughter stuck sunny side up. I had to have a couple bags of mag to prevent seizures and with exhaustion.. I can’t remember seeing my baby for the first time, couldn’t hold her for days because I was so weak go the mag.
Thank God my hospital had formula on hand. They feed her on demand and she never came out with an allergies or problems. She took Enfamil Gentlease just fine! No colic, no spit up, nothing! I’m so happy she took it fine and I hope your LO takes it fine too.
Many hospitals already have formula on hand especially ready to feed!
Thank God my hospital had formula on hand. They feed her on demand and she never came out with an allergies or problems. She took Enfamil Gentlease just fine! No colic, no spit up, nothing! I’m so happy she took it fine and I hope your LO takes it fine too.
Many hospitals already have formula on hand especially ready to feed!findingtheway
New member
@tabbycat11 I have ocd and depression. I was so depressed and anxious during my first pregnancy. I contemplated for months what I was going to do about feeding and then at some point I decided to save my mental health I would formula feed. It was the Best decision I made. Switching off feedings with my husband was a life saver. My oldest is almost 6. He’s so smart, healthy and happy. I don’t even think about how he was fed anymore haha. My youngest is 2 and same for him, happy, healthy and smart. If I look at my sons kindergarten class I could not tell you who had formula and who had breast. I wish I could go back in time and tell myself that’s it’s going to be ok and to drop the guilt!
@tabbycat11 As many others have said.. I knew breastfeeding wasn’t for me and I never even tried it. My daughter was formula fed from day one. We went through the formula shortage and was constantly changing her formula and she handled it very well. Her first time getting sick was Covid and she handled it like a champ! She is just as healthy as other breastfed kids her age and I am so glad that we formula fed. This allowed us to bond and create a routine early on.
williamsmith123
New member
@tabbycat11 I didn't get my milk in until like a week after my son's birth. So in the meantime, he was drinking colostrum, like 10-15ml at a time. It sucked because it hurt a shit ton, my nipples were cracked/sore, and baby boy was starving plus he hadn't peed and he lost 10% of his birth weight which was concerning. They suggested formula and I agreed since my plan was to BF & FF, and seeing how much better my baby was with formula made me feel soooo much better. Like he literally was a pro at the bottle and he loved it more than breastfeeding. Here we are at 4months and baby is only formula fed. He's grown into a big happy baby boy so I'm all for formula feeding. I actually liked not having my titties leak milk anymore LOL.
@tabbycat11 I didn't even try; I knew from the beginning I didn't want to. It was great! Super smooth, and I loved having my body back right away. Days 5-7 when my milk came in and I had to dry it up weren't exactly fun, but that can't be helped. I've never wished I did anything differently.