*Thank you Gerber for sponsoring this post. Regardless all thoughts and opinions are my own and I only recommend products I truly love.
If you’ve been following me for a while you know that all of my kids were primarily breastfed. It’s come easily to me, I’m home with them all day, and it’s been great for my family. But I don’t judge my many friends who haven’t breastfed their children at all or who have done something in between because I get it. As moms we are all trying to do what is best for our kids and our families; and that looks different for everyone. Even with breastfeeding coming easily, I hate pumping and refuse to do it. So, since I need some occasional (well more like regular) breaks from the kids, we do supplement with formula occasionally. And I know a lot of moms need or choose to supplement for other reasons. Whether work, for baby’s health and weight gain- there is absolutely no shame in whatever you choose to do to feed your baby to survive the infant years. After 4 babies here is how we’ve configured supplementing to work best for us.
The Formula – Moms are always looking for which formula is going to have the most benefits for their babies while being gentle of their tiny tunnies. And why not? If you’re going to be supplementing I think whatever formula you use should have as positive an impact on your baby as possible. One of the main things I looked for when picking a supplementing formula for Teddy was one that had a probiotic in it. I’ve learned from my other kids a probiotic is important so might as well get it in with the formula! But different probiotics have different benefits so it’s something I spent a lot of time researching. I ended up going with Gerber® Good Start® GentlePro formula from Walmart. It’s the first and only infant formula with 2′-FL HMO* and Probiotics that promote digestive health and support the immune system from the start. The probiotics used in this formula are similar to the ones found in breastmilk making it perfect for moms who supplement. The first six months are so important for baby’s still developing digestive and immune systems too. Teddy loves this formula and seriously reaches for it and grips his bottle so hard when we give it to him!
The Bottle – Fun fact most moms don’t know until they have a baby: different babies prefer different bottles. So every time a friend expecting their first asks me which bottle to buy I give them the same advice. Get as many different types as you can. Free sample bottles are pretty common whether at the pediatrician, or a baby expo, when you register for your shower at the store, I think one even came in the mail in a baby magazine. Collect all these free bottles from as many different brands as possible and keep them to try when you supplement with your new baby. Once you start trying them you’ll get a feel for which bottle your baby likes best and go from there!
Introducing Formula – There are many different ways to introduce supplementing with formula depending on what each mom and baby needs. A lot of moms choose to start with one 2 or 4 ounce bottle before bedtime when the baby is a newborn. Other moms are like me and start introducing the bottle before they are leaving the kids and getting out of the house. Regardless of timing, when you begin supplementing, remember it’s new to baby. Go slowly and expect them to take some time to get used to the bottle and how it works. I always start small (like I said 2 or 4 ounce bottles for newborns and go up from there as they get older) and will start trying a bottle with them a few days before I’m getting out of the house so when I leave it’s not their very first time getting a bottle.
Regardless of how you feed your baby you are doing a great job. Babies are resilient and fed is best. Make sure you check out Gerber® Good Start® GentlePro formula at Walmart whether you will be supplementing or formula feeding because it has so many benefits! Do you have any tips that helped with supplementing? Let me know below if you do!
*Human Milk Oligosaccharide. Not from Human milk.
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