UK--> US Formula??

I have been EBF my little man since birth.  We're going to the US for Xmas/New Years, and we will be apart for 3 days. 

I won't be able to provide enough BM for him for three days (~75oz...) (only have ~45oz in my freezer at the moment).  So... will have to give him a few bottles of formula.  I know formula isn't the devil, but I am feeling very guilty and emotional about this.

Back to the question... I'd like to try him on a few bottles of formula before we go away.  I can't seem to find any formula that's available in the UK & and US.  Are there any kinds? Should I just buy some here in the UK, and take it with me to the US.

I bf and supplemented my first, I used SMA gold in the uk and similac with iron in the us, he never noticed any difference. I was the lady with an electric breast pump in the airplane toilet with a six month old baby propped on my knee. I had a cooler bag full of frozen breast milk in the overhead too, but it was too cold! I was much happier when my second was a boob monster and not tongue tied like my first.  Good luck.

Eta...dont feel guilty, there is nothing wrong with giving a baby formula. Millions of healthy people started their lives with formula,

I couldn't BF so my son was a formula baby. Back in 2006/7 I was told by SMA people (there was a phone number on the tin) that Walmart's own brand formula was the closest version to SMA. My son wasn't fussy at all and took to it fine. Bonus, it was cheaper.

My second was somewhat pickier and SMA, in 2008, no longer recommended any US formula as 'closest' but he was still fine. He tried several versions and did fine with all of them.

All that said, I have heard some babies don't transition well. So whoever has your son needs to be prepared. Don't expect the worst, just try to plan for it!

Good luck!

All that said, I have heard some babies don't transition well. So whoever has your son needs to be prepared. Don't expect the worst, just try to plan for it!

Good luck!

That's what I was going to say.  With DD2 I never did get her to take formula.  Part of that was that we had struggled with very bad reflux with her for ages, and it was a struggle just to get that sorted, so we hadn't adapted her to a bottle until later (when she decided she hated it) as it was one more thing to worry about, and that was just too much.

Once we finally got the right medical care and the reflux was better, we tried to move over, and found it difficult, so if you have to do it, you might want to do some trial runs for a bit before when you aren't in a place where you have no choice.  Then they can get used to it a bit and may take to it better.

It sounds like you are already expressing, and I imagine using a bottle for it.  So that should help a big chunk with that adjustment.  Good luck!

Since you have some breast milk , can you plan on doing half and half bottles to ease the transition?  Just a thought.

If you're only going to need it for 3 days, I'd find one in the UK that he likes and bring over a tin of the powder. That way you'll know he actually likes it and that's one less thing to worry about. I've heard of babies being sensitive to the taste of the water used to mix up the formula, but I'd say that's rare. Mixing it with the breast milk to help with the transition is a good idea. For those three days, if you have enough breast milk (and if he has already proven he likes it), you could ask that they mix it with the formula (3 oz BM, 2 oz formula per bottle for example). I express milk for my son, but occasionally I've had to top up a bottle with some formula.

I was also going to suggest just packing some from here since you don't need much.  If you are worried about the water you can get those small cartons of premixed stuff.  With DD I packed some in the suitcase (in zip locks just incase).

Also incase you wanted it on board with you there's usually a Boots past security so you can buy it after security and not have to worry about opening it.

If its just for a short time I would take some from here that you know he's ok with.

Thanks ladies!  I really like the idea of mixing 1/2 BM with 1/2 Formula.  My best mother friend here used SMA, so I may pinch two bottles worth from her to see if Little Man will take it before buying a whole tub. 

I am usually a pretty laid back mother (or at least I think so), but I'm feeling quite emotional about this...

Thanks ladies!  I really like the idea of mixing 1/2 BM with 1/2 Formula.  My best mother friend here used SMA, so I may pinch two bottles worth from her to see if Little Man will take it before buying a whole tub. 

I am usually a pretty laid back mother (or at least I think so), but I'm feeling quite emotional about this...

I was honestly the same as you with my first, he wouldn't bf so I pumped for 8 months, worst time of my life. I felt like giving him formula was a big failure so I persisted with the pumping for all that time, looking back on it, I wish I had been smarter and stopped pumping much much sooner and switched to formula. There is nothing wrong with giving a baby formula, do not feel bad.  I bf my second until she was two and I loved every minute of it, but had sh ingot been a le to bf, I would have just formula fed her. Don't beat yourself up or make yourself crazy.

My son is 3 months and I've been pumping for 2 of those (bad latch). I try to be cool about transitioning to formula, but inside I'm feeling the guilt. Mainly because formula just smells so bad and it grosses me out (of course he doesn't seem to mind when he has had formula). And not to mention that breast milk is free! My plan is that as my supply dwindles I'll just top up bottles with formula until he's on formula exclusively. My mom and sister were only able to nurse until 3 months, so that was my goal. He's just turned 3 months and there's no end in sight for my supply. It's not great (I can't bank any in the freezer), but it keeps him fed (30oz per day).

Racheeee, I can't imagine pumping for 8 months. Pumping 6 times a day (at least) is truly the pits.

There's a lot of guilt that comes with being a mom!

Huge admiration for those of you exclusively pumping!  I had a tough start to BF, I used to call my little man, my little vampire, but eventually we got there.  I get into/out of the habit of pumping.... when my freezer stash gets below 3 bottles worth I get really nervous.  Crazy.

Hope the trip went okay and baby did well with the different milk!

Charmcity have you thought of using a breastmilk bank?  I wasn't able to bf at all bc my lo had a cleft palate and I pumped for nearly 4 months but it was very tough going and she had to have formula as well.  It never occurred to me at the time but a lot of my friends have donated to breastmilk banks (they have to be fully vetted, tested, etc) but I wish I'd tried it at the time.  Although my dd has been ff for many months I'm not a fan of the stuff either!  It sounds like you're doing a great job though - lucky little man : )

Thanks, Tally. I have a friend who donates to a bank, but I don't really need to use one. I think about all those people who aren't able to produce milk for whatever reason and truly need to use a breastmilk bank. He gets at least 30 oz from me a day. Just in the past week we've started giving him one bottle of formula a day as he's interested in a bit more food and my body is transitioning to keep up. I'm okay with this and he'll be starting on solids soon anyway, so that's a whole different thing to stress out about!