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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Am I losing breast feeding?

17 replies

AlishasMum · 16/11/2003 19:40

Hi Im new

I have a 9 week old little girl who I have been breastfeeding. I have pretty much exclusively breastfed apart from odd bottle of breast milk when I have had to leave her. The last few weeks things have gone wrong a bit. I had to go away for the weekend without her and I left her with as much breast milk as I had and she also had some formula - the week after I had to leave her again overnight as my mother was ill and I had to be with her. When I left her both times I didnt get chance to express much - I only did it when I got very painfully full. Anyway since then I feel my supply has been very low to the point that I have been adding in more and more bottles - I thought I was ok with this as I wanted the flexibility of mixed feeding - now though Im feeling sad that breastfeeding may be going altogether.
When I latch her on she isnt settled at all and seems to of gone off the breast but when she gets given a bottle she takes it very well - does she prefer her bottle to me??
I have been trying to feed her by the breast as much as I can to boost supply back up but with two other kids and a hectic life at the moment Im struggling and end up resorting to the bottle

Sorry for the waffle
My questions are
How do I boost supply again
Can I mix feed

Thanks

OP posts:
Eeek · 16/11/2003 19:43

there are far better people to answer you than me (mine's the other post!) but in case they're busy for a while - yes you can mix feed (I did for ages) and Mears recommends something for boosting supply - but I can't remember it's name. No doubt someone will come on with it and lots of other helpful advice. Hope that helps.

pupuce · 16/11/2003 19:48

Welcome to Mumsnet
Yes you can mix feed - some do it more successfully than others but from what I read if you want to continue BF you will need to give less bottles. From what I see as a BF counsellor, mix feeders who are successful tend to only do 1 bottle a day MAX.
She seems to prefer the speed of the bottle.... this is entirely your decision as to what you really want to do. You seem to have been able to help those close around you, mum and other kids... what about her ? I am NOT being critical, just reflecting back on what you wrote.
If you can/want to.... why don't you BF her and if she really looks hungry top up with a little bit - don't bottle feed first - stimulate your breasts as often as possible and don't leave long agp between BREASTfeeds! Do you still feed in the night ? If so make sure that's breast. If not, what about making an extra effort of getting up for 3 or 4 nights and either breastfeed or express (you will have more milk at night and you lactate more at night too).

pupuce · 16/11/2003 19:49

Mears recommends Domperidone BUT I am not sure it is ideal in this scenario.... Mears?

Original poster
AlishasMum · 16/11/2003 19:53

I was wondering if I shoudl try something to boost supply.

Yes I feed her at night - she always always has middle of the night and morning feeds off me, if she has bottle feeds its an afternoon or evening feed.

I never ever used to give her a bottle IF I was there to feed her but these last few days Ive been breastfeeding her both boobs then still seeming hungry and getting more irritated with the boob I give a bottle.

I think Im in a vicious cycle - Ive read some of the posts on this topic before will the advice of skin to skin and taking to my bed with her for the day/few hours help me? I suppose even if it helped supply it doesnt persuade her to feed the way she used to

SIGH - i feel crap!

OP posts:
pupuce · 16/11/2003 19:56

yes skin to skin is great - spending half a day in bed.... what about temporarily feeding her more often.... you "make" milk every 10 mins or so.... feed her and feed her again 30 mins later.... BF is very simple.... the more you offer, the more you make ! or the more she demands, the more you make... it takes a little while.
Don't despair

Original poster
AlishasMum · 16/11/2003 20:31

Its a two part problem

  1. I got lax with offering feeds because of being away from her or not dedicated enough

  2. Her seemingly lack of interest with the boob

  3. can be solved fairly easily by the things you say and I will give those a go but what about the other bit - her dislike of feeding at the boob which she used to LOVE

OP posts:
bobthebaby · 16/11/2003 21:10

She doesn't dislike breastfeeding, she just needs a while to warm to it again. A bottle is really easy for her to do, and bf takes a bit more effort from her. If it's any consolation my friend struck this apparent "lack of interest" with hers and she had not been away.

My ds probably did the same, but I can't remember. As there was no question of bottles being introduced for me (which is purely my choice and not one I wish to force onto others) I probably put the fussiness down to an increased interest in the outside world and didn't get into the whole "have I got enough milk?" crisis.

Others may disagree but I think it would be good to limit bottle feeding to the one bottle pupuce recommends and resist "topping up" with formula. As long as she does the requisite wees and poos you will know she is getting enough. There was a great link somewhere else on Mumsnet about why babies appear to "gulp" formula or EBM from a bottle with apparent enjoyment, but I can't find it. Anyway the bottom line was that they do this because they can, not because they need it. If someone else knows where this link is, please post it again here, because I have so many friends who this would help and they just won't believe me, they want an expert. Which is fair enough.

pupuce · 16/11/2003 21:13

Bob you're right (that's twice in an evening that we are on same wave length!)

Babies will easily suck on a bottle - not from hunger! So if a baby takes 2 oz of a bottle after a BF does NOT mean he/she was hungry....

bobthebaby · 16/11/2003 21:27

pupuce, I like a lot of your posts. Sometimes I don't post a message because you have already said it, and probably much better.

pupuce · 16/11/2003 21:30

Bob.... I am blushing now

Original poster
AlishasMum · 16/11/2003 22:11

Thanks for the great advice...

Plan of action then NO BOTTLES and LOTS OF FEEDS

What do you suggest when I put her on and she sucks a bit on one side then stops, I put her on the other side and she does the same but then either doesnt seem settled or doesnt settle well. This is the point I give a bottle - do I put her back on the first boob and start again?
How long will it take to improve supply?

Should I try fenugreek or try the feeding route first?

OP posts:
pupuce · 16/11/2003 22:15

You can do fenugreek too.
I can't tell you how long it will take but it will happen.... A baby who cries is NOT necessarily hungry. I see that so often and mums have this habit of shoving a dummy or a boob when they cry (hey i did the same!) but often babies are just finding one way of expressing themselves.... be patient and loving. Offer what ever you can. Don't think that because you feel empty or can't squeeze anything that it is totally empty ! Tests have proven that breasts are never empty!
Keep us posted ! Come you sound like a great mum

mears · 16/11/2003 22:19

Sorry not to have made an input onto this thread - we havew been away for the weekend to Oasis (had a great time).

Domperidone (Motilium)tablets (10mg) can be taken 3 times a day for 10 days to increase milk production. However it is not the first thing to do. It can be used when frequent feeds do not work and my experience of it's use has been in the first few weeks of feeding.

Alishasmum - I think you have just lost confidence in yourself. If you are able to, offer feeds frequently. Have a feeding fest by taking baby to bed for the day. Your milk supply will boost in about 36 hours. Try not to give any bottles at all if you can. Once she has been breastfed exclusively again she will feed the way she used to.

Original poster
AlishasMum · 16/11/2003 22:22

Thanks, Ill order some fenugreek and let you know how it goes.

Ive just been thinking and picked up an emotion I feel while this is happening.

When Im trying to breastfeed her and she is acting like this I feel selfish for trying to get her to breast feed and withold the botle, its almost as if its ME who wants to breast feed but she just wants the bottle

I know, I know irrational because she isnt capable of such complex thought or feeling but I guess I feel a bit rejected by her and want the breastfeeding to continue for my reasons, I must concentrate on how good it is for her too

Hope I dont sound mad

OP posts:
bobthebaby · 16/11/2003 22:38

As she grows you are going to make her do plenty of things that she won't look as if she likes, and do you know what, she will enjoy doing most of them and the others will be very good for her.

anais · 16/11/2003 23:17

Just wanted to add my support. I know what you're going through - I've been there (although without the bottles). When I started losing my milk I was getting up several times a night to express until my suppy increased - but it was slightly different as I was expressing full time (ds couldn't bf). But it will get better, best wishes.

Original poster
AlishasMum · 17/11/2003 18:18

Hi

Just to update - I have been feeding her two hourly all day but gave in just before, I gave her both boobs and she was still starving hungry and took 5 oz out of a bottle - she really seems to prefer bottle, she squirms and whinges for most of breast feed at the moment

OP posts:
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