I've posted on here several times about the difficulties I've had in feeding my DS. He was 11 weeks prem, and is now 13 weeks corrected (so 24 weeks). He has reflux, (is on domperidone and ranitidine, and we've been into A+E twice as a result of his feeding difficulties - once due to an apnea attack. ANd DS screams a lot. Mostly I cope ok, distract him put him in his swing/sling/go for a walk. He feeds 2 ish hours during the day, but then has two 4-5 hour gaps overnight. Last night he woke at 10.30pm for a feed (although my husband split fed him so he had some at midnight), 3.45 and 6.45 for feeds, but due to bloody thunderstorm also woke at 5 as he was distressed by the noise/lightning. I'm knackered and emotional.
Until today he has been exclusively BF, although I have used bottles of EBM with my husband giving one at night and me giving one at 7 ish in order to get some kind of evening. I've just given him a bottle which was half EBM, half nutriprem2. I gave him this 30 mins after he had had a feed from me. He drank 5- 6oz. Earlier today he had taken 4 oz of ebm in a bottle as well as had full feeds. He's now happy and calm, and I'm in floods of tears.
I am assuming he is on the equivalent of the 4 month growth spurt as I always work on the basis that he is between his actual and corrected age. But I can't seemingly produce enough milk for him at the moment I'm exhausted all the time, I feel like a human cow, as some of the time he just won't latch at all and I give up and give him EBM. Then I try to express to get the same amount back again as the amount I just fed him, which I have always been able to do just about but it takes 3-4 attempts to do so.
I don't now know what to do next. I've never really enjoyed BF. I have always found it easier to just give him a bottle even when the bottle still contains my milk. I even enjoy giving him a bottle more. I've been to bf drop ins, they said his feeding was fine although they said he had tongue tie but the hospital said that was rubbish. The hospital always said his feeding was fine. But it never felt fine IYSWIM.
I'm going to wean him in the next week or so (on the advice of the dieticians) and he's over the average weight for a prem to be weaned.
I know formula isn't poison. My DH thinks he should now have either formula or solids as none of DS DH or I are happy. But I still feel I should be able to BF and keep DS happy.
If I carry on mixed feeding will it prolong BF or will I inevitably end up FF. After this growth spurt will DS go back to his previous feeding pattern. Any ideas. I feel like I just fell at the final hurdle and I'm tired and confused about where I go next.
Please help and please be gentle I know bf is supposed to be better but I don't know if it is for us any longer.