Breastfeeding & formula help

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Hey ❤️ posting for traffic

I have a 4.5 month old baby who is EBF.

she seems to have gone on a boob strike but will take a bottle if I express(these have always been given infrequently) and i can’t seem to pump enough to fulfil her feeds. We gave her a top up of formula twice in the past two days until I can pump enough that we are a little ahead but each time she had the formula she vomited a large amount. Is this normal as she’s never had it or is it the brand that isn’t agreeing with her?

im hoping we won’t need to give it for more then a few days while I get a stash in the freezer but just don’t really know what I’m doing.

my Elvie pump is hit an miss so sometimes I express just enough but mostly it’s 2 ounces short per feed.

when I try to breastfeed her she keeps pulling away.

whats the best thing to do and is the formula ok or not as it’s making her sick?

we have to travel away this evening for a funeral so I have a lot going on and just want to be prepared

thanks ❤️

Also if anyone has any suggestions for a good breast pump that isn’t Elvie (electric one).

Mine would go on a boob strike when teething.

If I had to top up with formid use aptamil.

But if you want to keep bf try and limit the no of bottles as baby will get lazy and start to prefer the bottles.

Do you want to keep breastfeeding? If so id just keep offering the boob and not bother with the bottle and especially the formula as you will affect your supply. A pump is much less efficient than the baby (I've EBF but never been able to pump much milk at all).

A nursing strike at this age for whatever reasons is quite common - teething, too many distractions etc. id just keep offering every couple of hours and she'll be fine.

I'm not an expert just from personal experience, I'm sure someone will be along soon with more expert advice!

I think they do this because they tend to have a lot more in one go with formula and the bottle is quicker than the boob.

If its bubbling/leaking out fairly soon after (within 45 mins) and isn't digested at all....its literally still just milk I would say its just this reflux/full tummy and nothing to worry about at all.
Quite common in bottle fed babies.

Might be worth giving the National Breastfeeding Helpline a call. I’ve always found them to be very kind and helpful.

Regarding the pump, I hired the hospital grade Medela Symphony. It was about £50 a month, but was definitely worth it as I used it regularly early on.

It's worth renting a decent pump. I could never pump with my first when I had a basic shop bought pump. Was determined to make it work with the second so rented a really good pump and it was amazing. Of course little miss then wouldn't take a bottle anyway, but I can't fault the pump.

Thank you both. Yes I would like to keep breastfeeding. Will she be likely to refuse feeds even if really hungry? I will keep trying
im wondering if she could be teething so might try some teething powder before a feed too!

I do have formula in the cupboard as a last resort so at least she will be fed in one way or anothet

thank you both ❤️

Thank you! 🙏

I didn’t know there was a help line for this! Thanks will give that a go! ❤️

Thank you will look to rent a pump! Aww typical! Hahaha ❤️

If you want to keep breastfeeding I'd keep offering the boob. Maybe try a different position, or get into skin to skin with her or in the bath or something. Trying when she isn't really hungry might actually be better.

If you need to bottle feed I would make sure you're paced feeding and using the slowest flow teat as otherwise she might prefer the faster flow and not want to go back to the breast. Keep pumping to maintain your supply too. I found medela pumps good but baby will always be more efficient than a pump.

Seek some trained advice (probably not from a health visitor) otherwise it might end your feeding journey earlier than you intended. La Leche League has some useful info on nursing strikes on their website. They also have group leaders you can call for advice.

I would just keep persisting with breastfeeding her. This is normal. It happens. Unless she is truly unwell, I wouldn't panic and try to feed her in other ways - that may just add to all the stress. Mine was once on strike for nearly 24 hours - he bit me when he first got his top teeth, and I shouted and jumped, not intending to shout at him, just it hurt and surprised me, so I made a loud noise and fast movement. It scared him and he cried. And then refused to latch. We were on holiday in quite a remote area, so no chance of formula or bottles anyway, I just kept offering and he eventually went back to normal like nothing ever happened. I agree that a bf group or peer supporter might be able to offer some extra suggestions to try if you can find one close to you.