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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Urgent, I run out of Breastmilk!

67 replies

airhostess · 26/02/2015 19:43

Hi, I'm shattered and I have zero Breastmilk left and my baby who is a very big boy is getting upset. Should I give him formula? He's 4 mths and been exclusively bf, ?

OP posts:

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violetlights · 26/02/2015 20:26

Dragons - I know some lactation consultants talk out of their arse but some don't. And I also know it's not a protected label. But In my experience and opinion supply does not immediately adapt to demand - so if the OP is shattered and stressed out with a hungry baby then she shouldn't necessarily be made to feel she can't give a bottle. She can always pump immediately after a feed if she wants. I really believe that a mother should not be made to feel she is doing something wrong by not letting her baby get frustrated / go hungry / whatever. Kudos to those who hang in there and choose not to give a bottle but so too to those who choose otherwise...

PannaDoll · 26/02/2015 20:40

Sure, but offering a bottle of formula because you are tired and need a BF break is very different from the idea of giving a bottle of formula because you believe your supply is low/you have run out of breast milk. The latter is fear mongering at worst and bad advice at best.

DragonsDoHiccup · 26/02/2015 20:46

And actually teaching how to feed lying down/in your sleep can help the shatteredness. As can parking your arse in bed or in the sofa nd grring everyone to run around for you

violetlights · 26/02/2015 20:51

PannaDoll I don't think it's bad advice it's just different. In my opinion there is such a thing as low supply which will frustrate a baby. I do have vaaaaaaast experience in this area and it's just my opinion. I appreciate other people have other opinions but that's mine based on my own experiences.

Fairylea · 26/02/2015 20:56

The advice above is all correct. However if you want to offer a bottle of formula to satisfy him there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that especially at 4 months onwards when breastfeeding is well established. Many people mix feed and supplement with formula and have no problem with supply at all. You could always give him the formula and then express / pump to increase supply at the same time without him crying with frustration.

Messygirl · 26/02/2015 21:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Butteredparsnips · 26/02/2015 22:02

If it's not daft advice to give to someone with a 4mo, try to rest when you can too evenings can be the worst time for tiredness and babies will express their opinion

Artistic · 27/02/2015 00:09

I have started a bottle of formula for my 4.5 month old who became very irritable & screams at 4 months from a calm & happy baby.
Morning bf are good as the milk is thicker & fresher & satisfies her. But evening feeds didn't satisfy her & she was mostly upset & didn't sleep as she did before.
I give her one feed of formula in 2 parts (3-4 oz at 4ish & 3-4oz at 8ish) & she's back to her cheerful self. Sleeps better too. I haven't cut down my feeds, just added these as top ups.

My supply is fine. Infant if she sleeps for long I start aching & need to feed her soon!

Go for it...it'll be fine.

I did exclusively feed my DD1 for 6 months but she was a different baby & didn't need any formula top up!

Messygirl · 27/02/2015 00:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 27/02/2015 10:01

Art I'm sorry but that is just rubbish. Breastmilk is breastmilk. 'Fresher'? How can a product which is made on demand be anything other than fresh?

By all means use formula if you want to, but don't justify it by peddling lies about breastmilk.

worldgonecrazy · 27/02/2015 10:13

I seriously doubt that if you have been feeding to this point, that you have run out of milk.

There are reasons that your milk supply may have dropped - have you taken medication for a cold, or been away from your baby for a day or two and not pumped enough?

If it helps, my supply did drop when DD was 5 months old because I had been away from her for 2 days, not pumped enough, etc. My supply re-established itself with the help of a hospital grade pump borrowed from the nearest breast feeding support group, and enough fenugreek to make me stink of curry.

You will get through this - get someone to bring you cake and expensive fruit squash, put your feet up and rest.

I've also just remembered that there was another dip in supply just before my periods restarted at 8 months - we got through that one as well, and continued to feed to 15 months.

Bluestocking · 27/02/2015 10:14

Don't be mean, Ali, Art knows her own breasts best, and if she knows they are visited in the early morning by Ernie the Fastest Breastmilk Milkman in the West, bearing a clinking milk crate of bottles of lovely fresh breastmilk, then who are we to disagree?

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 27/02/2015 10:20

Ok, Art I'm sorry, I just think that it can be hard enough for some women to have confidence in their milk when health visitors and possibly older relatives are banging on about 'ooh you don't know how much he's getting', without adding more fictitious things to worry about.

Original poster

airhostess · 27/02/2015 10:36

Thank you all for your advice. Night time is crazy with all the feeds. How long will it last? X

OP posts:

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 27/02/2015 10:37

In my experience only 48-72 hours. Will be over soon :)

WhatWouldFlopDo · 27/02/2015 10:50

I'd echo most of the above, he's putting his order in for the amount of milk that he will need. The more you let him feed the more your body will be stimulated to produce milk. It's hard, I remember it well, thinking I didn't have enough - I gave a bottle of formula in the end. If I knew then what I knew now I wouldn't have done, but I understand why you feel this way. It gets easier, I promise.

GoogleyEyes · 27/02/2015 11:00

OP The time lag between baby asking for more and a milk waterfall is anything between two and six days, based on the bf'ing mums I know. Was always three days (and long nights) for me, but it is very much a personal, hormonal thing. Hang in there - the milk will come!

PannaDoll · 27/02/2015 11:02

I know it feels like it WILL LAST FOREVER while you're in the middle of it :-) I have a distinct memory of mine jacknifing across the bed to get at me while I put my hand on her forehead for a five minute time out at this stage but in reality it is just 48 - 72 hours out of your whole life.

I honestly just wanted to throw mine a steak and tell her to have at it at around this time. You can do it mummy x

pinkribbon · 28/02/2015 18:06

As others have already said you will not run out if you're feeding direct from your boobs

Even if they don't feel heavy they won't be empty as it works on a supply and demand basis, after a certain amount of time I've found mine normally calm down and stop being like basketballs even when they're full

There's normally a growth spurt around 4 months so this could be a reason why he's feeding more. I would stick at what you're doing and just keep offering a boob when he wants it, good luck

Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 28/02/2015 18:51

Look up four month sleep regression on here. It's a huge developmental leap meaning lots of night wakings, grumpy distractible feeding and panic for mums. It's why in the past people tried solids at four months. It sounds textbook so if you want the convenience of bfing and baby is gaining well I'd not bother adding a bottle. Babies get much faster at feeding after this spurt so some fussiness can actually be because they are done and don't know what to do with themselves. You sound like you're doing really well

Original poster

airhostess · 28/02/2015 19:51

Thank you all once again. I've ended up having to co sleep to survive the last two nights. I have a 3 yr old also that needs me 7-7. Trouble is baby is now loving this and won't settle in his cot, cries after 30 mins of sleep and despite giving a dummy this isn't working. Help! His day time napping isn't great either. He's not I'll, no temp, did have injections last Monday and is 19mths old. Not had him weighed in ages but he's in 9-12 mth clothes so he's doing well. X

OP posts:

Original poster

airhostess · 28/02/2015 19:52

19 weeks old

OP posts:

paxtecum · 28/02/2015 19:57

Get some fennel tea bags - available in most supermarkets.

Leave the tea bag in the mug, or use two bags.

Drink a mug of fennel tea several times a day and you should have a very increased milk supply.

Messygirl · 28/02/2015 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DragonsDoHiccup · 28/02/2015 20:11

As well being a growth spurt, 4 months is also a sleep regression time.... Sorry

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