Reduced daytime feeds - how often to express?

[peppaandgeorge]

My DD is 10 weeks old. At 6 wks old she was diagnosed with tongue tie and had it snipped. Up until then feeding was prolonged and agonising for me. DD wasn't putting on any weight and it was a real problem.

After the tongue ties snip my nipples healed and everything seemed to improve. Feeding seemed a lot better and I was confident that weight gain would improve. It didn't however . At 10 weeks old she is still only 12oz above her birth weight.

The daytime feeds are the problem. She fusses from one side to the other and never seems satisfied. I had to start topping her up at the end of the feed as she really needed to put on weight. However, 3 feeds of the day are brilliant - the bedtime feed, middle of the night feed and the first feed of the morning. I think it is because these feeds are done in a quiet, darkened room lying on the bed. She drinks loads and everything seems great.

I have now worked out that there is a problem with my let-down reflex being slow at certain times of the day. I have a 2.5 year old DS who is very loud and energetic and DD seems very distracted by him when she is feeding. She also gets distracted by too many things going on around her when we are out and about and I need to feed her. It has become an impossible situation as I really need to get her fed but it just isn't working out in the day. I can't take myself off and lie on the bed with her for every feed, especially since I have my DS to look after as well.

I have persevered for so many weeks now but I have had to make a decision to bottle-feed her for these difficult daytime feeds and then be able to enjoy the other feeds together when possible. The question is - how often/when would I need to express in order to maintain my supply? She still feeds at around 3.30am so I know that will help but I would really hate to have to give up completely just because of these 2/3 bottles she has each day. When my DS is not around and we have peace and quiet at home, I will try to feed her on the bed.

Any thoughts/experience gratefully received!!

please don't take this as definite but i am Fairly sure that you don't need to express at all to maintain your supply even if only feeding a few times a day (i presume you're giving formula for the other feeds?)
what makes your breasts re-fill is the fact that they are being emptied - so even if you only breastfed once per day you would continue to make milk. when i weaned my son i reduced gradually until only once per day.
well done for persevering and dont feel guilty at all that you do mixed breast / formula.it's still really great that you've got this far.

I'm no expert but could it be that your let down is too fast rather than too slow and that she struggling not to choke on the milk? If you are laying down it will make your let down and milk flow slower. There sounds like a correlation between your laying down feeds and success, you could lay on the carpet not necessarily go to bed or perhaps read to your ds or put something he likes on the tv so he is quiet for the feeding time? But if she is taking the bottle fine it may not be that shes being distracted. You could always express when you get a chance and give her expressed milk for those difficult feeds. Hope things improve for you.