The Battle of Breast Milk vs. Formula

Since Ashley was born till now, she has been on breast milk exclusively except 1 oz of formula when we first got home from the hospital. In order to provide her with enough of breast milk, I have been pumping non-stop. I would scarify sleep and stay up past 12 mid night to pump although Ashley goes to sleep early. I continue to pump in pain with one nipple cracked and bleeding.

I used to pump 6 times a day, but started slowly to cut down after Ashley was 6 month old. I was able to get 28-29 oz of milk when 6 pumps and about 23-24 with 4 pumps. When I got sick about 2 weeks ago, my breast milk supply decreased straight down to 17-18 oz. So, I went back to pump 6 times a day while supplementing Ashley with the backup frozen milk. Although my breast milk supply goes backup to 24-25 oz, with the frozen milk gone, I know sooner or later we would have to introduce formula to Ashley.

Today is the day.

This afternoon, the nanny mixed 3 oz of breast milk with 1 oz of formula to give to Ashley. As soon as Ashley put the nipple in her month and smelt the milk, she refused to eat it even she was hungry. But as soon as the nanny gave her the breast milk, she sucked down 5 oz right away. And we ran out of breast milk at home.

When I got home this evening around 7PM, Ashley only had some sweet potato and rice cereal since 3PM. She still refused drinking the formula. So, we decided to switch to a different formula. She still refused, pushed the nipple out or turned her head away. She was hungry but still did not drink the formula, she rather starve. Half hour later, Ashley was crying and fuzzing around, she was very hungry. I decided to try the formula again, at first she refused it and pushed out the nipple, so I tried again, and she finally took 2 oz of formula with struggle. After that, she didn't want to take any more. To reward her, at the end we gave her some breast milk, and she drank it down without any problem.

Ashley, Ashley, Mommy has tried the very best feeding you for almost 8 months and it is pretty lucky that Mommy has so much milk to last this long. I am sorry that I can not give you enough and I hate to see you starve. I feel like I'm losing something by giving you formula. However, eventually you would need to get off breast milk. I know the formula does not taste as good as the breast milk, but you are doing pretty good given it's the first day we introduced the formula. Can you please please try more tomorrow?

We'll try tomorrow again.