Anyone taken a temporary break from BFing and successfully relactated after?

[Gigi10]

My DD has struggled with weight gain ever since she was born, and I have been advised to supplement with formula. She suffers from CMPA so not the most settled of babies. Everytime I have gone back to EBF, she either loses weight or gains VERY slowly. Recently BF has been a real struggle with her pulling off as she is constantly straining to poop or pass wind, and her being settled pretty much 24/7 is leaving me with no time to pump to give her top ups. Inevitably giving her formula has made my supply take a hit. I am absolutely exhausted with this constant battle for the last 4 months and am thinking of throwing in the towel for now. Maybe when she is more settled a few months down the line I could relactate and partially BF her a couple of feeds a day? Is this realistic? Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

[Hoowhoowho]

Have you considered an SNS, cuts all the hassle, they get the formula while breastfeeding so no
double feeding. I found pumping too much and just breastfed with formula in the SNS. Once she was well established on solids about eight months we were able to drop the formula and she’s still breastfeeding at two.

[Gigi10]

@Hoowhoowho wow that's really encouraging to hear. How did you drop the formula? Gradually phased it out?

Is a SNS a faff to set up with a screaming hungry baby?

[Hoowhoowho]

Yes she just took less and less and she was a massive food fan so just dropped it slowly.

It’s a total faff at first and definitely join the Facebook group, supply line breastfeeders of Australia (you don’t have to be Australian!) their files are great. It’s worth persisting though and it gets easier, I got so I could use it anywhere but was quite glad when I could dump it. I have a love hate relationship with if. We carried on breastfeeding so love it but it’s leaky, temperamental and a PITA in many ways.

[Hoowhoowho]

Sorry that’s probably not very encouraging! I think it depends how important breastfeeding is to you because it is more of a faff than bottles though less of a faff than breastfeeding and topping up.

I really wanted breastfeeding to work but I can see it would have been an equally reasonable decision to swap to bottles and direct energy elsewhere.