Breastfeeding, expressing and topping up

[Samp79]

Hi, my LG is 4 weeks initially just bf but lost too much Weight so we added ebm or af top ups. Weight went up so told to stop af. The weight dropped again so we went back on it. My concern is the time it's taking in a day.
My LG generally wakes 3hrs after bed, feeds about hr bf, top up and express so nearly 2 hours, struggles to go back down but may sleep up to 3 hours then again. In day she tends to leave an 1hr gap from finishing last feed. Come 4pm ish it's pretty much on a loop with 10 to 30 min gap. Now everyone says she'll get better, more effective and less time. This has gone on 3 weeks now and wondered if end in site? Or do I accept maybe need to give more af? The top ups are 0ml to 120ml mix if ebm and af. My poor husband gets no quality time together and boobs feel constantly like they're working. Tia

Personally, unless you respond really well to the pump, I'd give up pumping and top up with formula.

She may get more efficient, but some babies have lazy latches and don't get more efficient. Itll take 6-8 weeks until you'll know.

I successfully (as in it physically worked) breastfed for 2 years but I regret it. I hated it, resented DS for the time it took. It was constant and relentless and I feel we'd (as a whole family) have been better if I'd put less pressure on myself to breastfeed. But only you can answer if that's the case for you.

Ime babies do suddenly get more efficient/go longer without feeds, the first few weeks are brutal so as PP have said if you want you could stop pumping for now and FF top up so you're not so knackered. By 2 months DC slept more but it's so tiring those first few weeks.

Could you do a whole feed at night FF? then DH could do it and give you a break?

Mine got more efficient at around 12 weeks if that helps? Until then it was very slow and I got through many many films and television episodes.

Dc2 is 6 months and feeds for around 10 minutes every 3 or so hours.

I had to top up both babies. I wasn't getting anything from a pump and gave formula top ups instead. This didn't stop me breastfeeding and I fed ds1 until he was 16 months and ds2 until he was 11 months. Formula will mean you get more sleep.

Mine also didn't go long between feeds, until about 12 weeks there was an hour between the end of one feed and the start of another.

Tongue tie. Get baby assessed by someone properly trained to do so. Not a HV or midwife. Go to a breastfeeding drop-in or find a lactation consultant.

More info here: www.tongue-tie.org.uk/Mobile/m-tongue-tie-information.html

Constant feeding helps stimulate production so if you want to keep bf it's really important to keep feeding on demand.

If you want to mix feed, I agree stop expressing as it's a lot to manage. Start every feed as bf and then offer formula at the end.

Agree also to find a local lactation consultant for extra support.