Reducing formula-advice needed, thanks

[user1473697739]

Hi

I am in need of advice and hope you can help me. My daughter is 4 weeks old. She was two weeks overdue and for the first two weeks of her life she was in the special care unit for respiratory distress and required tube feeding. Breast feeding was hard for me to establish in this environment, so when able she was given formula via a bottle and my expressed milk. Now at home, following skin to skin and perseverance she is latching to the breast and sucking. The problem is my supply is not meeting her demand at present (she is a big baby) and she becomes very frustrated when she does not have enough. She is also continuing formula feeds. Whilst exclusive breastfeeding may take time to establish (if possible) I would like to increase her breast feeds and reduce the amount of formula she is taking-generally 90-120mls 4-5 times daily. Just wondering if you guys had advice on safest way to reduce formal feeding-I read that reducing this by 30mls every 3 days may be useful.

Many thanks in advance.

[FireflyGirl]

You might have better luck on the feeding board, but for now I'd say find every local resource available to you.

Breastfeeding groups, la leche league, a lactation consultant. There may also be advice on Kellymom, don't know if you've come across that site yet?

Personally, I'd just go for it and breastfeed her every time she was hungry, only topping up with formula if needed. That should help you increase your supply as well.

Good luck

[proudmummyoftwo]

The only way to increase supply is by demand. So feed her from breast. If hungry feed her again. Keep this up plus expressing after feeds to encourage supply. It will be a stressful tiring few weeks but your supply should increase and you can just feed as normal

[user1473697739]

Many thanks for the encouraging words xx

[Keptmanskeeper]

You never "run out" of breastmilk, so you can just keep feeding her every time she's hungry. Your supply will increase that way. I had the same issue when my ds1 was hospitalised and once home, I insisted on only breast (cue argument with dh, who insisted that I weigh ds everyday to make sure he was putting on weight that way). I found that fenugreek supplements for me helped to increase my production (though I did smell interesting), but do speak to a breastfeeding consultant such as at la leche league as some people react badly to fenugreek so you might want some backup on that.
Good luck! You'll do it!

[MunchyMunchkin]

Just offer breast at every little whimper. At this age babies will automatically take from a bottle even if full. It's a reflex and doesn't mean she's still hungry. The more she feeds the more you'll make. Remember boobs are a factory not a warehouse. Get to a local support group.