Breast milk nearly dried up; want to keep it going. Ok to express 1-2 times a day?

[Lucinda15]

So I have a 4 week old, and gave up breastfeeding a week ago due to major issues with thrush/mastitis/latch. I tried everything I could, had midwives/breastfeeding counsellors round almost daily, had private assessment for tongue tie, tried expressing, different positions, cranial osteopathy.... u name it I tried it. I breastfed my son for 10 months and thought I could conquer anything after a difficult start with him. But this one defeated me and I made a very difficult decision to give up and switch to formula as the impact on me and my family was too much. We were all miserable and felt i really had tried everything and it was time to take the pressure off and enjoy our baby.

However, I have been very sad about that decision. I have cried a lot and am feeling very guilty. But things are slowly settling and I'm coming to terms with it and beginning to relax.

But yesterday we saw blood in her nappies, lift pinky blood almost like the wee is pink. But her wet nappies are clear so I know it's the poo. She strains and is uncomfortable when she poos, but they are soft (not constipated) and they are eggy smelling and explosive. She poos about 3-5 times a day. On aptamil comfort as the aptamil first and hipp both made her very uncomfy and constipated.

I took her to the docs today and they said either an infection or a milk intolerance. My DS was allergic to dairy and eggs so I think this is a strong posibility. And I'm devastated that I have given up breastfeeding and put her through this. I suspected she might have allergies but was hoping she wld avoid it and I really couldn't see a way through with the breastfeeding. But now I feel terrible. I've not quite dried up and wondering if I cld express just once or twice a day and keep a little supply going for her. I don't think I could exclusively breastfeed but I would like to combine feed perhaps. I just don't want to cause problems with mastitis or something.....

Would expressing once a day be ok? Or twice perhaps? I expressed today and got 1oz out in 5 mins on each breast, and didn't want to overdo it and make them sore but was thinking I could build it up a bit more.

Has anyone done this? Any tips/advice?

[tiktok]

Aw, Lucinda....what a difficult start.

Expressing once or twice a day will probably maintain a small supply for a short time. Impossible to predict, as individual experience varies a lot. However, what is on your side is that you only stopped a week ago, and you had three weeks of a full supply until then, or shortly before.

But if you imagine feeding a baby only once or twice a day at this stage, you'd know you would find your supply dwindling eventually to virtually nothing. That's just the way it works. Mothers of much older babies can keep production going on this little amount for ages....but it doesn't happen when babies are still very young.

You would do better to try for say three times a day, and stay on each breast with the pump until the flow stops. No reason why normal pumping would make you sore. Then switch back to first breast and then second again, so each breast is stimulated twice.

This is all a bit of an art rather than a science - you'll be feeling your way based on your physical responses I think. Good luck.

[llangennith]

Surely your GP can prescribe dairy free formula? I'm all for breastfeeding but not at the expense of everything else.

[Lucinda15]

Thanks for the advice tiktok I'll see how I go.

I know there is dairy free formula but I tried this with DS when I weaned him at 10 months. It was vile, smelt like vomit and he flatly refused! I know he was a lot older and had developed strong preferences by that point and DD is still young enough not to be affected so much by that. But I still don't like the idea of it. I'd really love to breastfeed and am heartbroken it didn't work out. If she has to take the dairy free formula I'd like to try and supplement this with breast milk if I can - the dairy free stuff makes my stomach turn!