I'm turning into a human bottle...

[Minispringroll]

Hi,

DS is 3 weeks old now and for the most part breastfed (he generally gets a bottle at night now, to give my nipples a rest). I do feel like I am turning into a human milk bottle, though. Today, he's been switching from breast to breast for 7 hours straight so far. I tend to let him come off one breast by himself and then offer the other one. However, today, he's come off and immediately started moaning and rooting for it again. If I offer the same breast, he attacks it like there's a milk shortage going on and I haven't fed him in weeks.
We are both being treated for thrush at the moment, so my nipples are sore anyway. I've fed through that but it's bloody painful (hence the bottle at times).
So far, he's napped for no more than about 5 minutes and doesn't seem inclined to have any nap at all today (he's been awake for most of the day a few times now...funnily enough, he falls asleep at the shopping centre and the GP).
I've just given him 4oz of formula and yet again, he's gulped it down like there's no tomorrow. He'd only just drained both my breasts and I managed to change his nappy in between these two feeds. He's currently entertaining himself by staring at the window and quite content in his bouncer,...but already making feeding cues again.
How long is this going to go on for? I know he's trying to increase my milk supply, but I've actually got quite a lot of milk, I think. He's been doing this on and off for the last three weeks and I can barely move off the sofa because I tend to be stuck with a baby attached to one boob or another for most of the day.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

It all sounds perfectly normal for a 2 week old. Have you got someone to take him out for a walk or drive for you so that you can have a rest?

[Minispringroll]

DH took him for a while yesterday, while I had a bath (last time he tried that, he brought me a screaming bundle before the bath had even filled up...)
I do think we'll move to formula, though. The thrush is still there and my boobs keep hurting. My previously less affected breast now has a blood spot on the nipple and quite honestly, I've had enough now.
Gave DS bottles in the night, bf this morning (mostly because my breasts felt like they were going to explode) and he's just had another bottle for lunch. He's calm and settled and smiley. When he doesn't smile at me, he snores happily either on me or in his sleepyhead. It could be a coincidence, but it makes me feel a lot better not constantly having a screaming little baby trying to eat my boobs. I was starting to dread every feed and every time DH brought him to me with the words "I think someone is hungry again...". Surely it's not meant to be like that.

So, any ideas as to how long it will take for my milk to dry up? Is there anything I can do to help it speed up? One of my breasts keeps leaking like mad but I'm using breast shells and it's getting caught. I've pumped a little bit on either side, but there's not much coming out (barely got an ounce).

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Not sure on how long it will take to dry up unfortunately. Hopefully someone will be along soon who know

[Coconut0il]

The constant feeding is normal. DS2 was attached to me permanently. I watched about 10 box sets before he was 3 months old. If it had been painful I don't think I would've stuck with it.
With DS1 I had to stop feeding when it became painful. I had a few days of very full, rock hard boobs. I was leaking a lot but it didn't last longer than a week. I think it's better to stop slowly but it was so painful I just had to stop. He was about 18 months though and wasn't feeding too much by then.

[riddles26]

The constant feeding is completely normal. I pretty much lived on the sofa day and night feeding for the first 5 weeks then we turned a corner and the pain went away and she started sleeping longer stretches at night.

I found breastfeeding counsellors are much more knowledgable than doctors and midwives if you want support

With breastfeeding, all the hard work is in the first few weeks then it becomes a dream but it is exhausting and painful at your stage. Especially when the baby has been eating for hours and will still gulp down a bottle. If you choose to continue, it does get better. My baby is 3 months now and it is the easiest thing in the world with most feeds being 10-15 mins long.

[lilyborderterrier]

Please explain expressing to me, when, how often etc.
I'm pregnant with my 2nd and I did breastfeed and express for the first 6 months but to be honest it was a nightmare. We struggled to bond and her to feed, I'm amazed we did for so long. So I expressed using a hand pump, I expressed loads on both sides and after she'd fed. So I felt like a milking machine. I could get loads ounces and ounces.
But it meant my supply was great so when I stopped it was agony and took 2 painful weeks to stop.

Maybe I did it right but I would like options and options please.

I'm not sure if I plan to breast feed this 2nd one for so long. Due to my daughter having serious allergies and reflux ( still having them now at nearly 4) her prescribed formula made her thrive and a happy healthy baby and I fed her it was horrible ) so although this baby might not have allergies at all I'm thinking formula feeding may be best.

Thanks

[lilyborderterrier]

Sorry I posted this on this thread by mistake

[CelticPromise]

Mini it does sound quite normal, I'm not sure if you are expressing at all at night when you aren't feeding but if not that will contribute to a lower supply which will encourage the constant feeding. Bottle feeding is a different mechanism and babies will always appear to guzzle - they don't have as much control as bf. I would second the above to get some rl support, if you want to continue of course. You have my sympathy, thrush sucks.

lily it's recommended to wait 6 weeks before starting to express if you are exclusively bf because you can encourage an oversupply. And when you stop feeding, do so gradually dropping a feed every few days and expressing for comfort only, this should reduce the pain.

[mummybee2015]

I breastfed my daughter until she was 16 months old. It is a hard and demanding job. I lost so much weight by eating lots. It has benefits for both. Actually it never dries up. I always thought I didn't have enough milk but she was happy because she never need to have a formula. I started solids after 6 months old.

[ElspethFlashman]

Yes, Sudafed dries it up.

[Phoenix15]

I found that breastfeeding got so much better between week 5 and 6. My DD fed constantly for the first 5 weeks (8 hour sessions in the evening not uncommon) and it hurt a lot, so much so I had to be careful not to tense up my hold on her and hurt her! Then all of a sudden it was easy and she only feeds 5-10 minutes at a time ever since. I think it's pretty common to get easier once your supply is established around week 6. (Would like to say I'm not an expert). So if you would like to BF for you're probably halfway there to an easier time!

[Phoenix15]

Would also add that if you want to switch to bottlefeeding, go for it and don't look back. Don't know a lot about it but a lot of people mix feed as well for the best of both worlds.