Struggling with combination feeding

[firsttimejoj]

Hi there,

I'm in hospital at mo about to have an op tomorrow with a 2 week recovery.

Prior to my one week stay in hospital, I was exclusively BF my thriving 5wk dd. Since being in hospital I've BF her in the day and at night she goes home with her dad and is given either EBM or formula.
My problem is that I'm struggling with BF since the bottle has been introduced.

During the afternoon and 7pm BF she gets extremely fussy and upset. When I hand express I see that I have small amounts of milk which she quickly takes. There's then nothing left and she goes berserk. The only thing to do has been to take her away and distract her with the pacifier which I've read can exacerbate the problem.

Can anyone advice me what to do? Is there anything we can do?

I'm afraid that my milk supply has been affected and when I'm in recovery post op I won't have the energy to persevere with BF and will revert to formula.

Here's some extra info that might help:

1. During the night I express as much milk as is there in a 30 min expressing period: approx 60ml at 10.30pm, 100ml at 2.30am, 100ml at 6.30am, 50ml at 8am.
   
   
2. She's given the following by bottle by her dad at night: 120-150ml BM at around 9-10pm, 120ml BM when she wakes between 4-6am and around 20-80ml formula at 8am (which tides her over till she gets to me in the hospital).
   
   

1. I'm keen to revert back to exclusively BF because on consultants orders I've been advised to BF for 6-12 months to help with another pre-existing condition.
   

1. Prior to my hospital stay I had no problem with BF supply and demand.
   

Thanks a lot,

Jo

[firsttimejoj]

Oh I should add that I'll be recovering back at home.

[tiktok]

You're doing everything right :) you are expressing through the night and your dd is continuing to feed direct in the day.

This must be so difficult and stressful for you, but I don't see anything in your post that indicates you won't be able to continue bf.

The fussiness and refusal you are seeing at 7 pm could be the 'normal' evening fussiness lots of babies have when they are still small. I think too it might help to think about the way your little dd is feeling, not that she can think it out but she will be feeling your absence at night and on a very basic, deep level she feels things are different and you are not around.

Honestly, your supply will be fine. Even if you feel it is reduced a bit now (prob not, but it's possible), it will return when you get back to normal.

Hope your op goes well.

[firsttimejoj]

Thanks a lot tiktok, that's all really good advice.

I read somewhere that it can be effective to just camp out in bed for 24 hours, letting her feed as and when she wants. Cuddles with dd and being lazy in bed is right up my street, so I'll give that a go too.

Op went well thanks.