Why I formula-fed my third baby from the start

This post is sponsored by Enfamil Enspire

On January 9, 2019, I went into the hospital to be induced with my son. Every nurse who walked in asked me if I was going to breastfeed or formula-feed. I gave them each the same answer, and all but one of them were totally okay with my decision: My plan was to feed my baby formula.

One nurse, however, told me that I really needed to breastfeed and not introduce formula until he was older. Having already had two children with not-so-positive “mama feeding,” experiences, I didn’t want the stress that could come with exclusively breastfeeding.

I breastfed Lil C, my first, when he was born; it was recommended by all the nurses. But I had a full-time and a part-time job then, so after my maternity leave was over, I had to go back to work and pump.

He was a hungry little boy. I was not able to pump enough milk to keep him fed during the day, so he quickly got introduced to formula. Thankfully he didn’t care what he ate as long as something was filling his belly.

Then Peanut, my second, came along.

Once again, I was told by all the nurses that I should breastfeed. Initially I did, but her doctor recommended adding some formula to her diet while she was in the hospital. They told me that even though “breast milk is best,” formula was best for Peanut because it helped rid her system of excess bilirubin. After 24 hours of formula she was peeing like a champ, her bilirubin levels were normalized, and she was able to come home.

We continued to mama-feed Peanut along with giving her formula, because the “breast is best” motto stuck with me, and she quickly made it known that she ONLY wanted mama-feeding, and would refuse to take a bottle. For a whole year, she ate every hour or two through the day and night, and I worried she was never really getting enough. After that experience, I told myself that if we ever had any other babies, I was going to go straight to formula.

Then along came Junior. With Peanut, we couldn’t leave her with anyone because she would starve herself and be miserable, but our plan after Junior was that I was going to look for a job towards the end of that summer. I knew he would need to take a bottle, and that I wouldn’t be able to produce enough milk to keep him happy and full even if I pumped as much as possible. I asked right in the hospital for formula.

Junior is now 4 months old, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Not only am I not stressing out about him getting enough food, I don’t have to stress about being the only one who feeds him.

Peanut loves being a big sister, and she tries to be a little mama. She is always willing to help change diapers and feed Junior. When she does, she gets to bond with her baby brother, and it also strengthens the bond between us. She helps me add the water to the bottle, being very careful to fill it up just to the 4 fl oz mark, and then we count the scoops of formula that we have to add.

If you do decide that you want to formula feed, I suggest you look at Enfamil® Enspire™.  Enfamil® Enspire™ has lactoferrin, an important protein also found in breast milk and colostrum. It also has MFGM and DHA, a fat-protein blend that was previously only found in breast milk.

Prebiotics are another important component in Enspire. I know many of us have heard of taking probiotics but may not be as familiar with prebiotics. Prebiotics are designed to support immune health by promoting the growth of good gut bacteria. There are two prebiotics in Enfamil® Enspire™, galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and polydextrose (PDX).

I am so thankful that Enfamil has produced their closest formula to breast milk! No longer will I stress that my children aren’t mama-fed. All that matters is that they are fed. Fed is best!

This post is sponsored by Enfamil in partnership with BabyCenter. All opinions are truthful and my own.