can you increase milk supply after formula?/

[Madigan]

For various reasons have been giving my 10 week old lots of bottles of formula for the past 3-4 days and, unsurprisingly, my milk supply has dropped significantly. Is there any way I can now increase my supply back to what it was before? or will I now basically have to stop bf?
Any advice v much appreciated.

There are herbs like Frenugeek that you can take to help improve supply and I believe that there are stronger medications available from the GP.

You can get your supply back, but it is a lot of work. You need to put the baby to the breast as much as possible. If you contact one of the major breastfeeding organisations they might be able to show you how to use a supplemental nursing system to allow you to gradually reduce the amount of formula you are giving without risking the baby not getting enough milk.

If its only been 3-4 days should be easily dooable, and I am not sure if its just been 3-4 days of mixed feeding you need medication from a GP.

1. Take things easy for the next few days - don't rush around.

1. Offer your baby each breast at each feed and encourage them to feed for as long as possible.

1. Ensure that your baby doesn't go too long between feeds, eg offer them the next feed 2.5 hours to 3 hours (or less) after the start of the last one.

1. If the baby still seems hungry or unsettled after a breast feed offer a small amount of formula. Only offer more formula if the baby still seems hungry. Offering a big formula feed will mean the baby will be full for several hours and not be ready to stimulate your breasts properly at the next feed. The aim is to gradually cut down the amount of formula by lots of breast stimulation.

The aim is for the baby to demand as much as possible from you. If it was me I'd want to get into bed drink masses of liquid (and eat well) and basically encourage the baby to breastfed as much as possible. If it was me I'd be aiming roughly for each feed to last one hour, with maybe 1.5 hours to 2 hours between the end of one feed and the start of the next.

Another option is to do lots of expressing but I personally don't get one well with a pump and would much rather the baby stimulated the milk. If the baby will not suck enough maybe you might have to try that.

Let us know how you get on and what your day is like...

No need for medication, I would have thought, and absolutely no need to stop bf. Call any of the breastfeeding helplines and they will talk through the options for you. The only really effective way to increase supply in this situation is to feed and express a lot - as often as possible, in fact

Agree with tiktok. Stimulation of your breasts to produce more milk is what you need to aim for. Medication or drinking lots of fluids are not what you should be aiming for. Drink and eat to appetite/thirst, put your baby to the breast and talk to one of the helplines. Kellymom is also good if you want to read up.

Thank you so much for your advice. Expressing when I can today, but I also have a 2yo and a 1yo to look after .... I just cannot physically bf all day (which is what I would love to do).
Tomorrow I will have help, so I am praying I will not have left it too late, as can devote the day to bf .....
But this is basically my problem .... if I just had my little one, it would be sooo easy! But 2 other toddlers makes bf so hard.