Got myself into a right old pickle

[EmmaBemma]

Hello!

I'm really sorry for the following ramble. Firstly - a bit of context/history -

previous breast reduction (2004), breastfeeding for the first time, my second daughter, nearly 5 weeks old. She is quite a small baby, much smaller than first daughter at birth. Everyone says how tiny she is and I've been fretting that I'm stunting her growth with my surgically mangled bosoms. Which is stupid because our health visitor has no concerns at all, and until last week she'd been putting on weight at a reasonable, if not spectacular rate (7oz per week ish) Last week's weigh-in was a bit disappointing though, she dropped a centile, and even though the health visitor said she still wasn't worried, I began to fret a bit more.

Over the last few days my daughter has been struggling and fussing more and more at the breast - feeding constantly but never seeming satisfied, and I convinced myself my supply was on the wane and that I should start giving bottles, so did that today. Turns out that my baby really doesn't like bottles and has only taken 1-2 oz at each feed. From her nappies, I can tell this is much less than she's been getting from me.

During the day, obviously I started to get painfully engorged so this evening I decided to try expressing a little to relieve some of the pain. I'd previously tried expressing with little success, so wasn't expecting much to come out, but 15 mins later on my dual pump I had managed to express 7 oz from one breast and 3 from the other! So surely there can't actually have been much wrong with my supply?

I've now decided to ditch the bottles completely, but do you think this one day of formula feeding (last breastfeed was at about 8 this morning, then expressed at 7pm, then fed at breast just now) will have done much damage to my supply? If so, how can I remedy? Just feed feed feed?

I'm sorry, I'm aware I must sound like a complete idiot. I'm shaking my head at myself just reading all this through - my head's in such a muddle. Any advice/beratings appreciated.

I am no expert but I dont think you would have done any damage. I would just carry on breastfeeding as normal and not worry about it.

It won't have done any damage at all so don't worry, your breast milk supply will respond to demand so the more often you feed the more milk will be produced. In fact this is exactly why your DD had been feeding constantly (before you gave her the formula), she is probably going through a growth spurt and is feeding more often to up your supply. If it helps at 12 months dropped breast feeding in the day in exchange for cows milk, but since then DD (14 months) has first had a vomiting bug (kept down no food) and has been teething with molars so feeding more often and my supply returned no problem, it has been very useful for those long nights with a teething toddler. I remember my DD doing this at 5 weeks, 4 months, 8 months (starting crawling), 11 1/2 months (starting walking) and beyond.

hiya - not doling out beratings! Imagine any parent worrying about their child!!! Outrageous!

My DS had a monster growth spurt at 6 weeks - I think lots of little ones have a spurt between 4 and 6 weeks? that might be why she was fussy. I'm sure you'll be fine but a babymoon might be good just to give you some reassurance. Lots of lovely cuddly skin to skin time with DD, and to give yourself a break from worrying about what you should/shouldn't be doing. 7oz gain per week is actually slightly above normal for a BF baby and I'm sure your HV would mention it if she was concerned about a dip in the weight gain.

Kellymom is a great site that someone recommended to me early on - I still use it now and DS is a frighteningly cheeky 22mo. Good luck - though sure as Rainbow says - that it'll all be fine.

Just to add/repeat, that I found the 6 week growth spurt pretty hellish: constant crying even straight after a feed. Had to meet bf every day to remind me it's normal and will pass. All other growth spurts have been fine, just increased feeding, no crying or increased fussiness.

Don't worry about your supply, plenty of babies go off food for a day (like someone above mentioned when they get ill for e.g.), so bodies are used to dealing with these things.

Mines also a small one and was paranoid/worried about it even though HV's and GP weren't. Just comes with the mother package I'm afraid.

Kellymom is great, but difficult to navigate. I find using the search engine best way e.g. in google type kellymom + query (fussiness/growth spurt) or the one in the site itself.

Sounds you know exactly what to do. Hope it improves soon and good luck

thank you so much for your replies! They have really helped and have been very reassuring. Daughter fed on and off through the night and we're both much happier this morning. Will def check out kellymom - and love the idea of a babymoon, though that'll have to wait until husband has a day off, Maybe a couple of early nights (we co-sleep) in the meantime.

You probably know by now babies gain weight unevenly and hence should not be weighed more than monthly (once birth weight regained etc).

One day of formula feeding will not have affected supply as you pumped off more than she drank! (Thats my principle whenever I am away for the day and leave baby with EBM - I pump in the day while away and also pump off the balance before I feed when I get back - eg if he drank 7oz and I'd pumped off 5oz at lunchtime, would pump off another 2oz before feeding him.)

Babies do occasionally fuss, you will have enough milk, if she's having growth spurt the extra feeding will help to stimulate

Grufalomama is right about the weight gain being more than the 'average'. My paediatrician reckoned on an ounce a day with a day off (ie. 6 oz a week) - but of course that's the average and some babies do more than that, some less.

Glad you're feeling happier this morning EmmaBemma.