Milk transfer.

[Icanonlytry]

I am still mix feeding ds (5months) after a rough start, bad advice etc.
I have noticed that for the last few days he only seems to be gulping for a few minutes (I can feel the let down), then although I can still feel him sucking and hear him swallowing he seems to have slowed down a lot. He Hasn't increased his top ups and I am still leaking quite a lot so know the milk is still there. Could this be a problem with the milk transfer or am I just being paranoid? Was supposed to go to a breastfeeding support group on Friday but Ds was not too well so couldn't go.

Need a bit more info....how much formula does your baby have, when does he have it, and when did you start supplementing?

Hi. He has anything between 0 & 5oz after his feeds depending on how well the breastfeed goes. He has had this since day 16 when we were sent to hospital because ds was loosing weight. Looking back ds was jaundice at first so was very sleepy, when I mentioned this to the midwife I was told to be glad he was a good sleeper. Now i know that this should have been the time he was feeding lots and building my supply. I have finally came to terms with mixed feeding with ebm where possible but mainly formula because i can only express tiny amounts. No one ever tells you how hard bfing is..

:( ican.

Breastfeeding does not need to be as hard - poor info and support contribute to so many problems and you are a case in point.

It's hard to say what's happening - can you give me a better idea of how much formula he is having, over the course of a day?

Ok, yesterday he had 3oz at 6am, 2oz (ebm)at 10am, 5oz at 2pm, 1oz (ebm)at 6pm, 5oz at 9pm. this is aswell as 2hourly breast feeds throughout the day. Have tried and tried to cut out the formula altogether but it just makes us both stressed and unhappy and Ds refuses to feed at all. The top ups aren't really the problem, it is more that he doesn't seem to be doing the quick gulping and long sucking action (iykwim) for as long as he used to.

Ta. That makes a total of 13 oz formula and 3 oz ebm on that particular day.

The risk with this sort of amount of supplementing (which is a lot) over this amount of time - since he was 16 days old - is that breastfeeding never gets to the point where it is truly 'established', and that in time, supply starts to dwindle....despite the frequent breastfeeds.

But your baby has not increased his top ups - good. That would indicate that the breastmilk you are producing has been consistent and you are keeping it together, without the (more typical) eventuality of mixed feeding leading to full formula feeding.

Your concern is that he is feeding for less time on the breast...but the good news is that shorter feeds are normal for a breastfed baby of this age :) What he's doing may be just fine.

One option at the moment would be to continue doing what you are doing - bf frequently and topping up only as he appears to need it. Instead of the 5 oz top ups, you could put him back to the breast again after (say) 2 oz....that would protect your milk supply.

Dropping all the formula top ups not a good idea - you would find it hard to suddenly produce a 13 oz quantity at the drop of a hat.

What do you think?

That sounds like a great idea, thanks, always give Ds each side atleast once at each feed until he has obviously had enough (gets restless and will not latch on anymore) or falls asleep but never thought about offering the bottle for a short time then trying the breast again, will give that a go.
I was determined not to go from offering small top ups to fully ffing because that what happened with DD, I started giving her a bedtime bottle then one in the morning and it just went downhill from there until I gave up feeding at about 4 months.
Reassuring that shorter feeds are normal, I was worried that it was the beginning of the end and I really want to keep going even if I am mixed feeding.

Thanks again