re: Introducing whole milk..

<blockquote><b>Quoting A is Me:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting *Duhhh-nita*:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting A is Me:</b>" ... [snip!] ... have to cut some things from your budget to buy formula. Or keep breast feeding. You've already made it halfway to a year!"</blockquote>




I want to keep BFing, but like I stated in the OP I may have to stop due to health issues.

There's not much we can cut. We could cut our phones but then I'd be stranded out in the middle of nowhere with no way to communicate if I needed something or something were to happen. Honestly, after our major bills we have about 60 bucks to buy diapers, wipes, and food for us for a week, and by food I mean a few frozen dinners, cereal, ramen, and stuff for sandwiches. DH has a good job, our bills (rent, truck payment, insurance) is where most of his check goes.

Quoting *Duhhh-nita*:" <blockquote><b>Quoting A is Me:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting *Duhhh-nita*:</b>" ... [snip!] ... ramen, and stuff for sandwiches. DH has a good job, our bills (rent, truck payment, insurance) is where most of his check goes."

I'm confused then... how do you not qualify for Wic? And if you don;t qualify for wic, and your hubby has a good job, then why can't you afford formula?

I'm not sure how much formula is there. But it cost me 33.00 every 2 weeks for my dd's formula. A case of nestle goodstart the liquid just add water and she drank 50oz a day. 5 10 oz bottles.

It was super cheap. Walmarts parents choice is even cheaper.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Fo Shizzle My Nizzle:</b>" I'm confused then... how do you not qualify for Wic? And if you don;t qualify for wic, and your hubby has a good job, then why can't you afford formula?"</blockquote>




When we checked into it when DS was under a month old they told us they go by your annual income and we were just over the cut off and they denied us. I just explained that we literally have 60 a week to buy diapers, wipes, and just barely enough food for DH and me to make it through the week. Everyone is making it seem so easy to get assistance or make budget cuts when we can't. I mean I guess we can cut down on the little bit of food we buy a week. And I haven't been able to find cheap formula, but then again I don't look because I BF. I'm just confused, scared, and trying to plan things out for if and when I get the news that I have stop BFing.  

I'll be discussing options with DS's pedi, my dr, and DH.

Quoting *Duhhh-nita*:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Fo Shizzle My Nizzle:</b>" I'm confused then... how do you not ... [snip!] ... things out for if and when I get the news that I have stop BFing.   I'll be discussing options with DS's pedi, my dr, and DH."

Honestly there really isnt anything yall can talk about. Its just 2 choices either you keep BF or you find a way to get formula.

You can make raw goats milk formula but it has to be raw and you have to make it correctly. You do NOT absolutely do NOT have to use that chemical commercial formula.

Here is a video on how to make home-made formula but I recommend RAW a ton over pasteurized because it has the awesome digestive enzymes and immune system boosters in it:

Oh mama! Get donor milk! Its free and you can meet donors that will become life long friends and supply you with free breast milk until your baby doesn't need it anymore! I have about 5 friends that get donor milk and my son had had some to!
Its awesome!  

http://www.facebook.com/hm4hb?fref=ts
^Just make sure to search for your area as well on the FB search bar.

and another resource:
http://www.facebook.com/EatsOnFeetsHome?fref=ts

I would also pump and stock up as much as you can now to prepare for when you have to stop to save on money. Def get that donor milk though! You can also agree to screen the mamas if you feel unsure. Nobody I know has ever had any issues and the woman are typically incredibly sweet!

<blockquote><b>Quoting *Duhhh-nita*:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Fo Shizzle My Nizzle:</b>" I'm confused then... how do you not ... [snip!] ... things out for if and when I get the news that I have stop BFing.   I'll be discussing options with DS's pedi, my dr, and DH."</blockquote>




Hopefully your pedi can give you some options on ways to get formula because that's your ONLY other option besides breast feeding.

Anything else ( just whole milk) will nutritionally deprive your child.

I like a previous posters idea about donor milk!!!!

And I think trying to find RAW goats milk and those supplements you add to it would be MORE expensive than formula. If not, it's still more than OP can afford right now.

Do you have cable? Cut that out. Talk to DH about carpooling to cut down on gas. Do you have internet? Cut that out as well. If you have two cars, sell one.

When does your DH work? If he works during the day, you should get a job at night, or vice versa. That way you wouldn't have to pay for daycare.

There are almost always ways to make money.

Quoting MommyToWesley:" Do you have cable? Cut that out. Talk to DH about carpooling to cut down on gas. Do you have internet? ... [snip!] ... get a job at night, or vice versa. That way you wouldn't have to pay for daycare. There are almost always ways to make money."

I agree. Why have kids if you cant afford to feed them what they need for everyday life, for the first 9 months of age. I say 9 cause here in Canada whole milk is introduced at 9 months not 12.

At that age whole milk should not replace formula or bm at all. Most pedi wont allow the switch that young unless there is a reason for it.

My friends sister had to but her 6 week old baby on whole milk, cause of his tummy issues, he did fine on it actually, it was a trial basis since even the formulas for babies with reflux and GERDS and this other stuff they had to order that was 100 a case he couldnt keep it down, but the whole milk he could so under dr orders that what he had, she couldnt breast feed to to a doudle mastecomy (sp
?)
But no Dr in there right mind would allow just whole milk at that age for no reasons and not because you cant afford it.

<blockquote><b>Quoting crazy coupon lady:</b>" I agree. Why have kids if you cant afford to feed them what they need for everyday life, for the ... [snip!] ... ?) But no Dr in there right mind would allow just whole milk at that age for no reasons and not because you cant afford it."</blockquote>




I'm sure they had to add supplements to the whole milk, right??!! What's good for a calf is no where near good enough for a human baby.

Quoting A is Me:" <blockquote><b>Quoting crazy coupon lady:</b>" I agree. Why have kids if you cant ... [snip!] ... they had to add supplements to the whole milk, right??!! What's good for a calf is no where near good enough for a human baby."

Oh yes they did, he had to go to the hospital constantly to get evaluated too, like every week. It was sad, he couldnt keep no kind of formula down, not gentle stuff etc....it was horrible, and they asked the doc about whole milk (at sick kids) and they said to give it a try, it was the first time he never spit up since birth so they went with it.

But at the age of this lo its not recommended at all, just over finaces, something needs to be cut of of their bills to afford proper feedings.

Quoting crazy coupon lady:" I agree. Why have kids if you cant afford to feed them what they need for everyday life, for the ... [snip!] ... ?) But no Dr in there right mind would allow just whole milk at that age for no reasons and not because you cant afford it."

Agree with everything except the first sentence. OP's baby could not have been planned and she said her choice to stop BFing suddenly wasn't planned. There is a HUGE difference in price [in the US anyway] with a FF baby vs. BF baby. Like, $120 a month vs. free.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Supafly★:</b>" Agree with everything except the first sentence. OP's baby could not have been planned and she said ... [snip!] ... planned. There is a HUGE difference in price [in the US anyway] with a FF baby vs. BF baby. Like, $120 a month vs. free. "</blockquote>



Exactly. DS wasn't planned and at the time we were doing alright so it wasn't a big worry whether we could provide or not. And I never thought I'd have to stop BFing suddenly. I already feel like smurf about it, and then everyone's all like "you can afford formula you can't be that broke" or "don't quit BFing then." It's not that easy. We have one vehicle. We live 15 mins from the closest town. DH works an hour away from home and the closest person for him to carpool with lives 15 mins away from work. I've tried talking about getting a night job but DH works from 8am-1030pm and I'd be up with DS from 7:30a-9p so I'd barely get any sleep. I had a good job lined up where I'd be working days and making way more than DH, but it went nowhere. We have no utilities to pay for, no cable to pay for, we have phones but it'd cost us more to shut them off and I'd be stranded at home with no way to communicate. The only way to make budget cuts would be to cut down on our food and only buy $30 worth instead of 40. Or I may talk to my Dr about different options for me and just put my treatment on hold for another 6 months.

Quoting *Duhhh-nita*:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Supafly★:</b>" Agree with everything except the first ... [snip!] ... instead of 40. Or I may talk to my Dr about different options for me and just put my treatment on hold for another 6 months."

If this is possible and won't harm you, this would be the best option for you. And I totally understand. If I had to quit BFing I guess I would just tell WIC since I'm on it already, but at 8 months they only give like 4 cans of formula. Right now he's EBF and won't eat jar food so if I had to stop I would have to buy a LOT of extra formula. We're doing okay but formula is very expensive and DS eats a lot.