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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Regret introducing formula and want to get back to ebf - how?

14 replies

notsomilkymaid · 22/03/2011 20:19

DS is 7 months old. I exclusively breastfed for six months before introducing formula as was planning to wind down bf gradually. I now breastfeed 2/3 times a day - first thing, mid morning and one late in the day, normally around 5pm.

I feel as though my milk supply has dropped really quickly and I'm regretting how much formula I've introduced. I suddenly don't feel ready to stop breastfeeding and am panicking that its too late to get it back now. I'm also off on a hen weekend this weekend - really bad timing! Will it be a nail in the coffin for it all?

Is it just a case of feed more often? Will my baby have to go a bit hungry for a couple of days until my supply increases, or do I carry on giving formula? I can express, but when? Any advice to up my supply to previous levels would be much appreciated.

thanks in advance

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 22/03/2011 20:21

How much formula are you giving?

peanutdream · 22/03/2011 20:22

just feed him as and when he wants it - maybe a few night feeds too, i understand these are quite good for your supply - after six months exclusive breastfeeding i would have thought you could get it back

Original poster

notsomilkymaid · 22/03/2011 20:44

Thanks - I give 6oz at about 2pm and another 6 at bedtime (7pm). Sometimes I have to top up after the 11am feed, so I'd say between 12-15oz a day.

I should add that while I was ebf I used to wake up feeling very full, and it was as though I gradually used it up over the course of the day til there was none or very little left at bedtime. In fact I used to put DS to bed on pretty much an empty stomach, which is why I kept the dreamfeed going for so long - as I used to feel my breasts filling up again in the evening after he'd gone to bed, and it was the dreamfeed at 11pmish was what kept him going through the night.

Since I've introduced formula he has a proper feed at 7pm and I've dropped the dreamfeed. Now I don't feel my boobs filling up in the evening and the other night when I did try and give him a dreamfeed (because he hadn't eaten much that day) there wasn't much there for him so it was really hard to keep him awake enough to feed.

OP posts:

Original poster

notsomilkymaid · 22/03/2011 20:47

'was what kept him going'..... 'THAT' kept him going! Not sure what happened to my typing there!

OP posts:

peanutdream · 22/03/2011 20:48

'I should add that while I was ebf I used to wake up feeling very full, and it was as though I gradually used it up over the course of the day til there was none or very little left at bedtime.'

this is totally normal - www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html

your boobs don't fill up and there is always milk. when your boobs are 'empty' the milk is very fatty and does keep them going...

you might have to feed him in the night a bit more to boost your supply, exhausting but often the way it works

RitaMorgan · 22/03/2011 20:50

Most of the milk is made during the feed - it isn't stored up in your breasts beforehand. Breasts that don't feel full still produce milk, and it's fattier milk than from a full breast anyway - once your body/supply adjusts to demand you won't feel full.

If I were you I'd start by no longer topping up at the 11am feed - if he is still hungry then put him back on the other breast. Once that is sorted, offer a breastfeed at the 2pm feed and the bottle after - you can gradually reduce the amount of formula. Then do the same at bedtime.

RitaMorgan · 22/03/2011 20:52

If you don't want to disturb his sleep in the night, you could always pump in the night and use that milk for the top-ups instead of formula.

Original poster

notsomilkymaid · 22/03/2011 21:21

That sounds like excellent advice, thank you both very much. I'll try expressing last thing tonight and will use for the top up tomorrow.

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 22/03/2011 21:27

Just remember as well that you can switch back and forward between breasts several times - so if he isn't satisfied after the second side go back to the first. Try that before going to a top up.

Good luck :)

peanutdream · 22/03/2011 21:36

yes thats true - ds used to have three or four sides until satisfied - it didn't seem like he was getting any but he obviously was! good luck op

Original poster

notsomilkymaid · 22/03/2011 21:51

Thanks again!

OP posts:

Original poster

notsomilkymaid · 25/03/2011 09:36

Rita and Peanut, in case you happen to look at this thread again, just wanted to update. As it happened, my son came down with a fever that very night, so after I had expressed at about 11pm, as you suggested, (managed to get about 4oz) he woke up crying and I spent the rest of the night in his room with him as he was so fretful, waking every couple of hours. This might sound awful but the timing couldn't have been better as every time he woke I fed him. Then the next day he wasn't feeding properly so rather than feeding every four hours I was giving little and often. He woke in the night again on Weds night so again I was feeding him back to sleep. Yesterday I offered him a bottle of formula in the afternoon when he only took a couple of ounces - and hey presto, my boobs were hard and full this morning! We are back!

Night feeds and keep offering the boob are what did it I'm sure. Now just need to make sure I express lots on the hen weekend this weekend and don't end up back where I started. Thanks again for your help.

Oh, and DH is fine now by the way! :)

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 25/03/2011 10:34

Poor ds, but it does sound like it came at just the right time to boost your supply!

peanutdream · 26/03/2011 14:06

That is wonderful news notsomilkymaid (not that DS was ill obviously but that it came at the right time!). It is one of the most comforting things to be able to feed your baby when they are ill, I think - and they get so much from it too. Well done you .

Hope your Hen weekend went well. And you know what to do now if ever you want to boost your supply lol!

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