Expressed to find out yield, uh oh

[Figgyrolls]

OK, ds is 5 months and has been exclusively bf, however he is tiny still (5lbs 10 at birth now 14lbs 3oz at 23 weeks) well ok not tiny and putting on weight but still quite littley.

Anyhow, he has been feeding lots and I have been exhausted (also have dd 3) so decided to do some top ups of formula to see if I can attempt to push him through. (I know I know but am feeling v sleep deprived!!!!) So I attempted to a yield to find out how much he is getting. Now either I can't express EVER or he isn't getting that much. First yield yesterday produced 4oz from both boobs after about an hour, tonight not even 2oz for same time.

I hadn't fed for 4 hours at each yield.

I know he is more efficient than the pump but he is a very quick eater and sucks vv hard but is finished within 10 mins. Urgh, don't know what to think but am I a) producing enough (obviously enough to make him grow!) and b) how can I increase my production?

As an aside my let down is very very slow and I haven't ever "sprayed" across his face let alone the room

Having been ever so full of myself with other people I am now beginning to feel a bit like I know nothing! Any advice welcome and do you think maybe I just have double cream or am not producing much? I don't want to stop bf but don't mind adding formula where necessary.

thanks

Pumping is not a good indicator of how much milk you make. With my DD2 I could barely pump an ounce and apparently that's pretty normal.

Finishing within 10 minutes means nothing either, some babies are just good and efficient.

I think your milk is fine, your baby is putting on weight and sounds normal and you need to stop worrying. If the baby is well ignore the rest.

I did the same as well, and talked to one girl in my anti natal group who expresses everyday.

She reckoned that it was totally normal amount for this stage, when they were newborns it was the hormones making the milk now its supply and demand.

I think you just need to latch on more often. But then again you may wish to see a breastfeeding counsellor for sure.

I could barely express more than a teaspoon but my DD seemed to be doing ok (she was vast).

At 5 months you're not far off weaning (or sooner if current news is to be followed) - if he's still gaining weight and is healthy I wouldn't worry too much.

Your expressing milk may not be a good reflection of how much your baby is feeding.

Thank you SlightlyTubby - I rationally know all of this and yet had a moment of immense panic! ridiculous isn't it! Perhaps sleeping through the night is a little elusive at the moment, especially as yesterday the hv when I went to have him weighed said to me that once I started giving solids I could drop the 10pm feed and that would help him sleep right through well as he hasn't yet I don't know how he is going to if we drop that feed.

I feel a bit daft especially as already have one dd and had no problem with her and sleep and eating whatsoever (now however is a different matter but there we go!)

Believe me the skinny little bird legs he was born with are now the thunder thighs of a sumo wrestler with dimples and cellulite! He has put on nearly 10lbs in 5 months so that isn't a problem but I was just curious about the expressing etc. I feel an awful lot better now guys! (I don't know what I was thinking as I frequently see the little chap gulping away with milk spilling out of his mouth - now am just going to have to find another way of getting dh involved as was hoping more expressing would mean him feeding him at 10 so I could go to bed a bit earlier!)

It sounds very familiar

DD1 slept through so early, gained masses of weight. DD2 was somewhat more tricky! In fact, I don't think she slept more than 5 hours in one go until she started solids , but before she was 7 months she was going 7-7. So there is an end in sight!