Stopping formula top ups

[bonjouramie]

Hi,

I’m new here and would really love some advice.

I stopped breastfeeding for 7 days when my little boy was 3 weeks old but regretted it so for the last 3-4 weeks have been trying to get my supply back up to make up for that week as my supply basically dropped to nothing.

I would breastfeed, top him up with formula then express but for the past week or so he’s only napping for an hour or so and by the time I’ve done the above he’s waking up wanting fed and I’ve literally just emptied the boobs so have nothing for him and he’s having to have basically a full meal from the bottle.

Last night I decided to try stopping pumping and he’s had 4 feeds since just from the boob and has seemed satisfied so I haven’t offered any formula top up but I’m worried this isn’t the right thing to do?

Does anyone have any experience or advice with this type of thing? I’d really appreciate it!

I’m worried he’s going to be starving :/.

Thanks in advance!
Amie

[bonjouramie]

Well I thought we were doing well but clearly not he’s cluster fed all day and I’m now clearly empty I just had to go make him a bottle and he drank all 4oz in 5 mins flat.

[soundsystem]

No, cluster feeding is a good sign! It's his way of getting gout supply back up to where it needs to be.

How are you doing now?

[bonjouramie]

Aw thanks for replying :)

we are still going with it. Really not sure if I’m doing the right thing or not but we’re just spending as much time in bed feeding as we can and I’m only topping up when he gets really fussy which was only at bed time yesterday, so defo improving as it was every feed before.

I’m still so worried I’m starving him but surely he would let me know if he was hungry?

He doesn’t get weighed again till Monday and it’s dragging in.

[bonjouramie]

I really don’t know if this is going to work.

The day starts well, he’ll sleep 00.00-6ish have both boobs and go back down till 8ish then have both boobs again and nap for an hour but from about 9 onwards he will be attached to the boob cluster feeding and come lunch time he’s getting super frustrated on the boob and crying so I’m giving him a bottle and he’s taking about 4oz.

Then he’ll settle for 2 hrs and the whole thing will start again till he gets another bottle at bed time then settles at 00.00...

Is there something else or something more I should be doing? I feel so guilty that he’s hungry

[bonjouramie]

And when I say frustrated it gets to the point that he is red in the face refusing to latch and crying real tears. It’s horrible.