Formula: Friend or Foe?

Well, it has begun.  The beginning of the end of nursing.

My supply at work was half of what it needed to be and I was stressed out so much that it actually dropped slightly lower than that.  I realized that I needed to stop stressing for it to come back up, but knowing that and doing it are two different things.  I finally broke down and bought some formula.  I almost cried on my way to the register because I was reading through the ingredients.  Could they sound more formidable?  However, I realize that LOTS of babies eat only formula and they do okay.  So, I tried to stay strong and made it out without weeping.

I didn't give it to her until days later, of course.  :)  I fought to make sure I had enough breast milk for the week and this weekend figured we'd try supplementing with formula just to see how it affected her.  Great news:  no discomfort or issues.  We only did 2 oz with two bottles on Saturday and she didn't have any problems.  We will do the same today and then we'll be okay to send it with her while I'm at work.  She'll only need it for the two bottles she takes while I'm at work.  I make plenty in the evenings and in the mornings, so she is good to keep nursing then.  Whew.

I have very mixed feelings about formula usage.

PROS:
1. Going more places without having to worry about nursing in public--I'm not comfortable with it because when I use the covers there is always a portion of my belly out from lifting my shirt or when I need to burp her mid-nurse I can't keep covered while she's flailing around.

2. Someone else can feed her!  I'm not the sole source of food!  It's a little freeing.  If I want to go out with friends Brian can totally feed her without having to worry about replacing the food source.  We have lots of milk stored up now (I went from no supply to lots extra...I even had to freeze some this morning!)

CONS:
1. It's super fake food....I wouldn't eat it!  And I'm giving it to my sweet baby whose system hasn't had anything like that in it.  (Of course, my friend reminded me that I have eaten McDonald's while nursing...poor child.  This can't be worse than that grossness....although I like to pretend that the grossness didn't go through to my milk.  Good thing for Primal.)

2. She will probably start to ween fairly soon--she's already lazy with nursing because milk doesn't come out as fast as with a bottle.  As soon as the flow slows down she backs off and gets mad.  :/  I am sad about the end of nursing--I guess it means she'll need me less in a way so that makes me sad.  Or it means she's growing up.

3.  Expensive!  I have to pay for the formula, but then we'll also need a dispenser for the formula to travel with.  I love those things, but dang--more stuff to buy!  We will probably also need to switch bottles soon--we have those drop in things (because that was the only nipple C would take), but now she needs a different nipple and I'd rather just have regular bottles, not drop ins so that we can have the water in the bottle ready to go.

On the up side to the whole food situation:  We'll get to start solids soon!  Next weekend we're going to start practicing eating food!  We are starting with green beans.   Forget rice cereal!  I'm so excited!!!  It will be fun--she's been wanting to eat some of our food, so she'll enjoy getting to taste something new.  Sure, she'll spit lots out, but it will be a great treat to try it at least!