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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Introducing a formula feed at night whilst bf rest of the time

23 replies

OompaLumpa · 01/07/2011 14:10

should i exoress whilst DH gives formula in bottle? Still not sure about introducing formula, is it a slippery slope? Have real trouble settling 16 day old DD at night and something needs to give as im becoming a bit of a mess emotionally.

Also have milk blister if anyine has any thoughts on ho to get rid, it is sore!

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 01/07/2011 14:16

personally i'd be a little bit wary of introducing supplements so early, but that said it can and does work for some people.
ideally you would need to express for the missed feed yes, otherwise your boobs will think you just don't need the milk and stop making quite so much.

if you're up for expressing you could maybe express in the morning and then use that for the bottle feed later if you don't want to use formula?

have you seen a breastfeeding counsellor at all?

OnlyWantsOne · 01/07/2011 14:18

I would try and get to see a breast feeding councillor - have you had any help with the latch?

I would too be wary of introducting any supplements. As your body is making milk for your baby on a supply & demand basis - congratulations by the way :)

OnlyWantsOne · 01/07/2011 14:19

here bfn in your area

Hopefully · 01/07/2011 14:31

Congratulations! Well done on surviving the early days without giving up.

On the whole, I think the longer you can limp through without supplementing, the more robust your supply will be, so even a few extra days may help. Of course, any supplementing does run the risk of impacting on your supply, but I think that the longer you can ebf for, the smaller that risk is.

Ideally, yes, you'd express while baby is having a bottle, but presumably this would defeat the point of your DH giving the bottle? (I assume he is doing so to give you a bit more sleep?)

Could you maybe get through another week by giving the baby to your DH as soon as you have fed, so he has the crappy settling bit? Could you sleep on the sofa/spare bed while he is settling her in your room so it doesn't disturb you? Even if he has to wake you to, e.g. give a little extra bf to re-settle her, you might feel a little bit better than being wide awake the whole time.

Hopefully · 01/07/2011 14:32

And ouch re: the milk blister! Is that latch related? Definitely agree it's worth talking things through with a bfc.

thisisyesterday · 01/07/2011 14:33

oooh i have just noticed you're in guildford. i know it's not that close but we have a great LLL group in Horsham!

actually, just had a look at the LLL site and found this

Cosmosis · 01/07/2011 16:30

When you say you are having trouble settling her, is she cluster feeding or is there another issue?

Newborns often cluster feed, and also don?t necessarily like sleeping on their own, so it could just be normal newborn behaviour.

firstforthought · 01/07/2011 18:44

you can try a wet flannel (hot but not uncomfortable)! for the milk blister before a feed, it does help sometimes. I had mine for months btw, but have read of some people getting them "popped" by the GP. (do not try at home!

Original poster

OompaLumpa · 01/07/2011 19:52

She is def cluster feeding , has been demanding deed since just past six. Us that normal? I tried to express this morning after her feed and didn't even produce 10ml. So confused re differing advice.
DH is doing what he can to help but is back T work Monday so needs to be fairly well rested for that.

OP posts:

aliceliddell · 01/07/2011 19:57

I did the formula night feed/bf day like you, it worked pretty well. Stopped bf at 6 months ish.

RitaMorgan · 01/07/2011 20:00

Cluster feeding is totally normal, most babies do it. Can you set yourself up on the sofa while your DH cooks and brings you things?

Original poster

OompaLumpa · 01/07/2011 20:28

We were trying to instigate a routine insofar as differentiating between night and day so DD has been top n tailed and I have been feeding her after that in her darkened nursery. Doing that for a few hours whilst she cluster feeds is pretty depressing but if I go in lounge and try and eat etc am I not confusing DD as to day or night or should I implement that later once she finally settles from cluster feeds? Assuming she does finally settle of course!
Don't remember any of this actually useful stuff being covered on the nct course!

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 01/07/2011 20:38

I wouldn't sit in the dark for hours - go and watch TV!

Bedtime at the moment is when your DD finishes cluster feeding and has her long sleep. I'd keep feeds from then until morning dark and quiet (don't get out of bed if possible - I used to take a laptop and headphones to bed with me and watch IPlayer during night feeds) - keep day feeds and naps in bright and noisy rooms.

DS started falling asleep for his long sleep around 9/10pm by about 6-8 weeks, and that's when I started doing bath and feeds in a dark room.

Original poster

OompaLumpa · 01/07/2011 21:13

Thanks for the advice all, am guessing I should not try and wake her god dream feed at 11 and should just make the most of her sleeping and get my head down? I have up until tonight been trying to get her to sleep in Moses basket after a "normal" feed without success I hasten to add, whereas tonight I have gone with it and watched corrie! X

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 01/07/2011 21:15

No, I wouldn't wake her. Just go with the cluster feeding, sleep when she does - just do whatever makes your life easiest for the first 6-8 weeks. There's a big growth spurt at 6 weeks, get through that and then see where you want to go.

DialsMavis · 01/07/2011 21:31

I have Bf'd successfully for 8 months and have given the formula at the same time throughout, but I would probably EBF if Bf was the be all and all to me IYSWIM? Deffo express when DH feeds as you are still building your supply for a while yet. We did the bedtime routine thing and with hidsight I did it from too early and spent my evenings sat in the bedroom tryimg to sneak out. I would do bath time/ massage in to PJ's etc at a set/similar time if you like but them just shut curtaind keep T.V on low but still sit and enjoy your evening as you cluster feed.

I loved DD cluster feeding as I saw it as her tanking up for the night ahead, she needed a finite number of calories in any 24 hour period so if she got more during my waking hours then all the better . Also be aware that while formula can give you a well deserved break it doesn't mean that your DD will sleep longer, my DD is 8 months and she still now sleeps for an hour longer if BF before bed rather then FF.

Good luck and congratulations- I want a newborn . I would not wake for a dream feed either, toally anecdotally but the babies I know that have been woken to feed in the early days ave taken lomger to sleep through the night.

organiccarrotcake · 01/07/2011 21:42

I wouldn't worry at this stage about the day/night thing. You CAN fight and fight against a baby who wants to be with you in the evenings, but it ends up being really exhausting. Some babies will settle easily enough with a bit of a darkened room, maybe some soft music, and a boobie, but others will just need to be close to you and that's that. It may be better all round to consider just going with the flow. For instance, you could just sit on the sofa with your OH, letting her feed as she wishes and cuddling close to you (pass to Dh if you need the loo or whatever). You may find you can get her to settle in a moses basket, or bouncy chair next to you, and just pick her up if she needs you again.

You may find that she starts to relax in the evenings over the next few weeks, and you may then start to be able to more easily transition her to where you want her to sleep. But really, different babies need different things and you can spend your life fighting it, or just relax and keep the faith that you will get your evenings back at some point - and in the meantime they're much more pleasant!

Ouch @ milk blister :( Here's some info:

www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplebleb.html

Original poster

OompaLumpa · 01/07/2011 23:01

Thanks ladies. Sounds like I need to take a chill pill. Cluster feeding has been going since 6 and she is crying for me again now. I hate to say it but I am dreading nights with her. Isn't that terrible?

OP posts:

twinklegreen · 01/07/2011 23:17

No it's not terrible, it's a natural reaction to being sleep deprived and we have all been there
You should see what I'm like when one of mine wakes me up too early, and won't go back to bed!!!

RitaMorgan · 01/07/2011 23:22

Where do you and your DD sleep at night? Does she go to bed with you? Anything you can do to minimise having to get out of bed at night will make you feel better - get someone to show you how to feed lying down too. It changed my life!

Original poster

OompaLumpa · 02/07/2011 02:14

We are sleeping in her nursery so DH can sleep ready for work. It is better for me so I don't have to worry about waking him up too but if I need him i just text and he comes down. Can't get her out of bed yet without getting out myself due to c sec and twisting. Hopefully that will change in time. Luckily we have mastered lying down feeding which I agree can be great but logistically finding it hard getting into position with wound plus she kicks me in the stomach which can be rather eye watering ! X

OP posts:

Parietal · 02/07/2011 03:51

Do you swaddle her? It helps her sleep and means you get a bit more sleep between feeds, so I strongly recommend it.

TanteRose · 02/07/2011 04:07

Re: the milk blister...

OK, this is not medical advice, but what I used to do with milk blisters, is sterilise a needle (with hot water or a flame) and use it to very gently scrape the blister off (do NOT stab at it..)

the backed-up milk would then be able to gush out....

it was the only thing that worked, but BE VERY CAREFUL!

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