Silly question but can i breast feed once a day?

[Suzie1601]

I have to start introducing formula feeds to my 17 week old as very poor weight gain due to various problems feeding, i dont want to finish breastfeeding altogether though, would supply last though if i just fed her myself once a day?

I thought once supply was established you could cut it down to what you wanted, hence thats how people go back to work but bf in the morning and evening?

I'm sure someone with a definate answer will be along soon.

Thanks for your response, im not sure if they would be expressing during the day to keep things going?

My ds1 dropped various feeds and ended up at 9 months having a feed before breakfast and one before bed, no pumping in between and nonproblems with supply for those two feeds or engorgement between so it possible.

No - and I am pretty certain about that. Not at 17 weeks.

People do go back to work, as Helen says, and bf morning and evening only, but this is almost always when the baby is considerably older - and even then they may express, and feed at weekends and in the night.

Suzie, if you want to keep bf going, you will absolutely need to do many more than one a day. My guess is you would quickly dwindle to very little and this would frustrate and vex your baby and he would refuse. This would be even more certain because of what you indicate has been a supply problem anyway :(

Sorry, this is prob not what you want to hear.

But why only once a day? Are you happy to introduce formula, is it you that's worried or hv?

I'm not trained either, but I fed DS twice a day for a long time. He was a much older baby though.

Hopefully someone will be along soon with some expertise

Sorry, cross-posted there. For some reason my computer only displayed half of the messages

Could you not use a supplementer to give the formula instead of a bottle?

(Hang on a minute while I find a link)

like this
That way you continue to stimulate your own milk supply and thus won't land up with a situation where your supply has dwindled.

Thanks for all the help...im worried and hv is too, poor weight gain since september, baby was in pavlik harness as she has dislocated hips, it didnt work so she is now a spica cast...feeding has just been so difficult

Suzie, I was worried about DD's weight for a bit and fed her every 2 hours in the day for a bit. Have you tried doing that?

Might be very hard work, but depending on how "successful" an expresser you are could you express and then bottle feed? I could never express, but my friend had issues with feeding however her baby only had breastmilk for the first 5-6mths because she expressed every feed. I was in absolute awe of her, but for her that was the easier option.

I have been BFing DD once a day for around a month/6 weeks now. She is 8 1/2 months, so was obviously a bit older than your DD when I went down to one feed, but so far it is working.

It may be worth persisting a bit longer with a couple of feeds just to keep your supply up.

Sorry feeding been so difficult.

Ive been feeding her 9 times a day and she still isnt putting on weight, or if she does its such a small amount...

Bless you Suzy, you've done well to feed her so long in difficult circumstances. Is it positioning that's difficult for you?

As far as your body is concerned you could do 1 or 2 feeds a day, in the same way as I have done with my older babies. However, I think that the issue may be that your DD would not be interested in the breast when she has had the bottle in between, which would be so much easier for her.

If you really want to continue feeding I wondre whether a couple of weeks of almost constant feeding and doing little else, at home in relative comfort would boost your supply.

Whereabouts are you? My local NCT and La Leche League will have a breastfeeding counsellor visit you at home to help with positioning or supply problems. Hope this helps, but if you do decide to swap to the bottle then please try not to feel bad, you have done very well in very trying circumstances .

I EBF for 5.5 months, and am mixed feeding with 3 feeds a day at 7am, 6pm and 10.30pm - he is now 7 months.

Its hard to maintain supply even with the 24 weeks of EBF and since then 3 feeds a day. The issue is that DS2 now prefers the bottle as its easier for him, even with newborn teats, and so he isn't prepared to fed for more than 5 mins on each side because it gets too slow.

The only way I can maintain supply is on the 4 days I don't work get him to feed during the day as well - I fed before the bottle and after around 5 mins he screams for his bottle and refuses to latch on. But at least this extra stimulation in the day does help with supply.

So Suzie - I would think that with one feed a day within a few weeks the milk will dry up.

i sometimes only feed once a day and am still going 2y5m phew and got peeved and only do one side when the other one got too sore.

sorry didn't read 17 wks but i seem to remember getting v sore and not feeding very much then building up the supply again, quite a bit earlier than 17 weeks but not right down to once a day tho.

I went back to work at 17weeks but expressed and she fed a lot from me in the night (every 2 hours).

We were also a bit worried about weight and so she fed every 2 hours in the day (led by her) as well before I went back and had 12oz EBM while I was at work.

It must be so hard with her in the harness/cast and remind yourself you have been outstanding to get this far.

You could always just express once /twice a day and give her BM this way.

Thank you for all helpful suggestions and support. I will keep on for a while yet, cast being changed in a week and as she goes to sleep for the procedure i cant bf her after 915am, if she was ff it would be nothing after 645am and the guilt would be too much to as she wont be taken in until about 1pm! I'll maybe go on an expressing mission and freeze some so i have milk for the days she is in hospital...