Hey pretty Mama, today let's chat about breastfeeding vs formula and which may be right for you.
Breastfeeding vs formula, it is a pretty big decision, and if you are anything like me you are doing all the research you can before you make your final decision.
As a mom of 4 kids who has done both, I am going to give you some helpful insight into breastfeeding vs formula to make your decision of which one is right for you easier.
You are going to learn about what it is like to do both breastfeeding and formula, the real deal, and the products you need for both!
After learning about breastfeeding vs formula, you will be able to make the most informed choice about which is right for you and your baby.
Let's jump into everything about breastfeeding vs formula.
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Breastfeeding vs Formula
Full disclosure, I am not a doctor.
I am a mom with both breastfeeding and formula feeding experience. These are my own opinions.
If you need medical advice please reach out to your doctor or another medical professional.
Hello there, mama to be! What an exciting time in your life! Growing and soon enough bringing your precious newborn into the world.
I am so proud of you!
Whichever way you choose, breastfeeding vs formula, the choice has to be right for you!
Please DO NOT feel pressured into going one way or the other. Let your inner mama bear start off strong and stand your ground against those who try to sway your decision.
What another mom will tell you is the best, was the best for her, and may not be for you. That is OK!!! We all have different situations.
Surround yourself with supportive people.
If you need some support, leave me a message in the comments below. I am here for you. You aren’t in this by yourself!
And one other thing, if you decide to breastfeed be ok with the fact that you may need to switch.
What you are hoping to do best for your baby and what may be best for your baby sometimes do NOT match!
A Little Bit About My Experience
I started off breastfeeding all 4 of my children, 3 of which made it a full year. That was my goal!
That 4th little nugget (which was baby number 2), we had some struggles.
He was trying to eat so much so fast that he would spit up a good portion of it.
There was also the fact that he was hungry all of the time and ate every 2 hours around the clock.
I was exhausted and frustrated and he wasn’t growing/gaining weight.
When we went in for his 4-month appointment, his doctor said breast milk wasn't doing it for him anymore and he had to switch to formula.
I was disappointed but I knew that he needed it!
We stopped in the store right after the clinic and picked up this formula.
Get this, he gained 6 pounds in 6 weeks! That is a huge weight gain for a baby. And then kept on gaining.
I was thrilled that there was another option for him. Now he is 11 and as healthy as can be.
What Breastfeeding Is Like
Before I had my first baby, I knew I wanted to nurse her. I thought it was going to be all rainbows and butterflies – easy. Turns out, no one told me what it was actually going to be like.
It is HARD WORK!!!! And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Your body is producing food for another human. It is working like crazy and it will make you tired!
It is also AMAZING!!! You are the food source for your baby.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed breastfeeding and I am so very glad that I did it.
It was FREE food for my baby, the milk was always at the right temperature, and it was ready and with us where ever we went.
There were a few things that came up that I wasn’t expecting.
Like what it is like when your milk comes in and this happens whether you breastfeed or not – your boobs can be so swollen and hard as a rock that your newborn can’t latch, ouch. That one hurt pretty bad.
Or, what do you mean I will have cracked nipples? Yes, that is a thing. Thankfully there is a cream for that. You can find a link down below.
I was lucky enough to not get mastitis, but some of my friends had it and it didn’t sound like fun!
Overall, it was a great way to bond with each of my kids and I cried every time I stopped doing it.
What Using Formula Is Like
You are thinking about using formula, that is great mama!
There are a few things that you should expect.
Your milk will still come in a few days after your baby is born. And your chest is probably going to hurt for a week or 2 while your milk dries up.
Talk with your doctor or a lactation consultant to see how to best approach this. They are a great resource and will know how to help you!
There are so many great options for formula, and they have come a long way for being a great source of food for your baby!
An awesome benefit is that you aren’t the only person that has to do all of the feedings.
This was so huge for me when I started baby 2 on formula. I could finally get some sleep by trading some nights with my husband.
Overall, using formula was a great option for me to use when nursing wasn’t working. My son had amazing results with it!
Breastfeeding and Formula Essentials
1. Nursing Pads
Nursing pads are essential whether you breastfeed or not.
Your milk will come in regardless!
You will leak milk, sometimes just a little and sometimes all over the place.
2. Nursing Pillow and Cover
After having a baby, your abdomen will be sore. You do not want to rest your baby against it while they are eating.
Also, as your baby grows, they will get heavy and your arms will get so tired of trying to hold them up.
Invest in a nursing pillow and a few machine washable pillow covers.
This one lasted through all 4 of my kids and still looked awesome.
You won’t be sorry!
3. Kindle
While you are feeding your baby, you will have some time on your hands, well one hand.
You will need one of them to help your baby.
Catch up on some reading with this Kindle e-reader. You can use it with one hand and anywhere, any time of the day.
This was by far the best and most used gift I have given myself, ever!!!
Breastfeeding Essentials
1. Water Bottle
Make sure to keep an eye on your water intake while you are breastfeeding otherwise you will get dehydrated!
I always get headaches when I am dehydrated and cranky. You do not need to be anything “extra” right after you have your baby.
The Hydro Flask water bottle and the Stanley Quencher are durable and there are lots of color options.
I ended up picking up 2 so I could place one where I usually nursed and the other in the kitchen.
2. Nipple Cream
When you first start your breastfeeding journey, your nipples may become cracked and chapped.
They are being sucked on - a lot, and they are not used to it.
This is the nipple cream that I used and it helped heal the cracks fast!
Pick up the 3 smaller tubes version so you can keep one in the diaper bag, breast pump bag, and one at home.
3. Nursing Bras
Using bras made for nursing make the entire experience more comfortable and you can nurse more easily. Look at getting a few for the day and for while you sleep.
These day nursing bras worked well and have nice support, found on Amazon.
Just to be clear, I am not a large-chested woman – normally a 34B when I am not nursing or pregnant.
You will enjoy the comfort and ease of these sleeping nursing bras.
How else are you going to keep your nursing pads in place?
They are so comfortable that I wore them for the first 2 weeks after delivery, all day and all night long.
4. Breast Pump
Whether you go back to work or not, if you are going to breastfeed your baby abreast pump is essential.
This breast pump is a newer version of the one I used but there are so many great options out there!
You will be able to pump if:
- your baby doesn't drink all your milk (this happened to me in the mornings after they started sleeping through the night)
- you go to work
- you want to have some free time and not be on a time crunch to get back for feeding time
Formula Essentials
1. Formula
There are so many brands and types of formula out there for you to choose from.
If you are confused, ask around – your doctor, lactation consultant, friends, and family.
You are sure to land on the kind that will be right for your baby.
Since my son had spit-up issues, I used this formula made for that issue and had great results with it.
Did I mention I am a home daycare provider also?
The families that used formula that I work with, used the same brand as I did but just had the regular kind of formula.
2. Bottles
If you want to get your head spinning, go down the bottle aisle! Options, options.
- Glass or plastic?
- Slow flow, regular flow, or fast flow nipples?
- 4oz or 8 oz?
Being a daycare provider, I have seen them all! And I have an opinion!
Pick a great plastic bottle.
One family I work with decided on glass, which was fine when their babies were little. When they could start flinging their arms and knocking the bottle out of your hands, it all went downhill. Broken bottle and glass everywhere!
These are 2 plastic bottles that I have experience with and will work great for you.
3. Bottle Brush
If you have a dishwasher to wash your bottles, great!
You should still pick up a few bottle brushes.
Sometimes you have to wash bottles and the nipples by hand.
They are cheap but do get gunky after a while. So put a few in your cart.
I hope you have an easy and safe rest of your pregnancy. And get some good sleep while you still can!
Go get ‘em, Mama!
This post was all about breastfeeding vs formula.
Leave me a comment below if you have any questions about feeding your baby or about babies in general.
I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.