Breastfeeding is important for your baby’s health but it’s also very hard for you. Mothers can get discouraged, leading them to stop breastfeeding long before the recommended 12 six months minimum. A new study from the University of California, San Francisco found that mothers who give babies small amount formula may actually breastfeed longer.
Mothers don’t immediately produce sufficient breastmilk after birth. Instead, the breasts create colostrum, a liquid with a high concentration of nutrients and antibodies for the baby. While this is good for little ones, during this period it’s possible for infants to lose weight. An insufficient milk supply is the reason most women stop breastfeeding within three months; they, understandably, worry baby’s not getting enough food.
Babies who are experiencing “significant weight loss” shortly after birth will likely benefit from getting some formula. According to Dr. Valerie Flaherman, “Formula use has the potential to be a slippery slope to breastfeeding discontinuation, but [early limited formula] is a different way to envision using it. Rather than giving full bottles of formula that make it hard for the baby to return to the breast, ELF is a small amount of supplementation with a clear end point that alleviates some of the stress new mothers feel about producing enough milk.” Baby will become less fussy with a fuller belly and moms will be encouraged to continue nursing.
