Breastfeeding Mess

[skippy84]

Hi I'm looking for some help as I am in a situation where I feel like I may have to give up breastfeeding altogether. My baby is 14 weeks and has been exclusively breast fed for the first two months, she then started having 1 bottle of formula/expressed milk in the evenings as she was wanting to feed constantly all evening and I was exhausted.

The past week or two she is very unsettled after each breast feed, pulling off and then looking to latch back on and both she and I were ending each bf in tears. I have introduced more formula top ups and she seems more satisfied but is now only drinking one bottle less per day than an exclusively ff baby. I'm worried I may be over feeding her but think I may have damaged my own milk supply too much to ever get back to 1 bottle a day or exclusive breast feeding.

Can anyone help, I feel like Ive made a total mess of things.

[CamperFan]

Just bumping for you, I am sure someone could advise. Has she been ill at all? Have you tried changing positions? You probably have effected your own supply, but I am sure this can be gradually remedied by cutting back on the bottles and going back to basics on the bfing. Do you have other DC? ie. can you spend the time encouraging more feeding. At 14 weeks isn't that close to the 4 month growth spurt that everyone talks about and so she could just have been extra hungry and trying to increase your supply? (I don't remember the 4 month thing with DS1 and haven't quite got to that stage with DS2 yet, he's 10 weeks!). Good luck.

[skippy84]

Thanks for your reply camperfan, I'll look into the four month sleep regression.

Just bumping this to see if anyone might have any advice on how to/if I can return to breast-feeding, am extremely upset by the prospect of having to give up so early

[Zimm]

Bumping for you - could you try gradually reducing the amount of formula at each feed - by say 1/2 oz? I hope an expert comes alomg soon. Or maybe BF before each formula feed and she'll probably reject the formula she does not need as she'll be full? This is how we pahsed out the top ups, but that was at 3 weeks..

[mooer]

If you cut out formula feeds your own milk supply WILL increase, and you'll eventually produce enough for your baby again. Women are often made to believe their own milk isnt enough, when it always is!

My advice, bring your baby into bed with you, let her feed for as many hours as she likes, and all you should focus on is relaxing and enjoying those lovely cuddles! Do you have a partner? His job can be to bring you herb teas and yummy snacks! Co-sleeping can massively reduce the stress when it comes to breastfeeding - maybe both you and your daughter will relax??