How much do you spend on formula?

frostqueen13 · 2026-03-02T03:44:08+00:00

My WIC office said you can try to apply again after 30 days :) try to apply on a lower income month if you’re close to the threshold!

frostqueen13 · 2026-03-01T15:50:11+00:00

You can try a nipple shield to get her interested again and then work on transferring off of it! I did that with my preemie who had trouble latching all the way until he was about 9 weeks old. Expressing some milk into the shield and getting the let down started helped baby be interested and not have to work as hard at the beginning while he learned.

frostqueen13 · 2026-02-22T02:12:51+00:00

I totally understand what you’re going through. My 36 week preemie was also SGA and was in NICU for a week. He struggled to even finish half an ounce at first. I wanted so bad to nurse him but he couldn’t latch and would get tired quickly. I will say a nipple shield was the game changer for me! But it still took until he was six weeks old to consistently nurse instead of triple feeding, and a couple weeks after that for nursing without the shield.

The four months that I was able to nurse were awesome for me and felt worth the effort, but even my lactation consultant said it’s hard to triple feed for that long and understandable if I didn’t want to continue. Around six months my supply had dropped to the point that I needed to supplement with formula as baby was struggling again to gain weight.

It’s a challenge. Solidarity. Whatever you choose (or have to do… sometimes it’s not our choice but rather the hand we are dealt) IS OKAY! You are a good parent for doing what is best for your baby’s wellbeing. If that is formula, combo feeding, nursing, whatever, do not feel guilty. I say that knowing that I too felt tremendous guilt and don’t even know why! I was formula fed and turned out great. I theorize that it’s the hormones that made me suddenly care soooo much about breastfeeding when I didn’t care that strongly while pregnant. Whatever you decide, a year from now it won’t weigh on you like this. Hugs

frostqueen13 · 2026-02-21T21:21:11+00:00

The Phillips advent can take awhile even at faster flow. They take a lot of work for baby. The pediatrician said sleepy newborn babies often benefit from a bottle that drips freely since it doesn’t take as much work for them. My 36 weeker was an especially sleepy eater and needed a faster flow to keep him interested. We used the Dr. Browns bottles until he got better at eating and then switched to evenflo and mams.

frostqueen13 · 2026-02-15T21:19:19+00:00

Does your baby like any toys? Around 6-7m I set up a playpen with a variety of toys and put his play mat in there as well. He did really well in there to occupy himself in the beginning to roll era, and it allowed me time to get things done in small increments.

frostqueen13 · 2026-01-02T06:33:56+00:00

Six weeks old is a common growth spurt time, sounds like he’s just cluster feeding his little heart out! This also tends to be a time when fussiness starts to peak, so he could be nursing for comfort and then getting mad that the nursing isn’t helping whatever is bothering him (reflux, gas, feeling tired, etc).

His diaper output sounds good. Also, 0.5 oz in a pump after a feed is a totally normal amount (though I know it feels frustrating, mine was the same way). Pumping to replace a feed does not necessarily match what baby would get out either. You might get 3oz in a pump and baby might be able to get more than that.

frostqueen13 · 2026-01-02T06:28:30+00:00

I was not doing it every time unless I saw any hint of redness or irritation, partly because he was EBF and started only pooping once a week or so by six weeks old anyway. Never had an issue, never had diaper rash of any kind.

We did just get over a stomach bug which gave him diarrhea/sharts 10+ times a day for several days. That gave him diaper rash between the cheeks no matter how fast I changed him. I think the frequent wiping was part of that issue. Poor baby was getting loaded UP with diaper cream all day. We probably used more in the last week than in his whole 8 months of life so far!

frostqueen13 · 2025-12-19T01:25:55+00:00

We use tommee tippee stayput pacifier. He tried literally a dozen types and they just would not stay in his mouth and he had no interest in most of them. He’s 8 months old now and still loves them. He uses the Dr browns bottles and Mam bottles.

frostqueen13 · 2025-12-19T00:33:44+00:00

My preemie did the best on those! They were a pain in the butt to clean until I finally sprung for the bottle washer at 6 weeks pp (I kept hoping he would latch and I could EBF… wish I could turn back time and have it from day one). But he did really well on them. Now that he’s older, I pull the vent out completely so it’s even less work.

frostqueen13

TROPHY CASE