Midwife pressuring me to use formula

[helgaw99]

Hi everyone
Have really been struggling with BF'ing, but thought we had turned a corner. My 10 day old son has started calming down and sleeping a bit after feeds making me think he is getting some more milk.

Midwife came today and he is still losing weight. Has only lost 5% in total but this is a bit artificial since we topped him up a lot to begin with. Has lost more since we cut down on top ups. Midwife says we need to add more formula to bring his weight up. But I am reluctant, my supply has only just started to ramp up and he seems so much happier today, I don't want to undo four days of near constant feeding. Would it be irresponsible to wait until the next weigh in on Weds before we add any more formula?

Thanks
H

I would go with your gut feeling, if he seems happier, certainly give it a couple of days. I had awful trouble bfing, i found that getting a bpump and expressing helped to boost my supply. Cross with MW as she should be helping you to find ways to improve the BFing

Saying that, if you do have to top up more, its not the end - i had to do pretty much half and half.

It's funny that they're supposed to be all pro-feeding then spout this crap! At the beginning you just feed constantly! Topping up will not help your supply so keep going sit and feed and feed and feed, let everyone elso do all the jobs and bring you plenty of healthy snacks and drinks (bit jealous of that bit!) But be sure he's on right and has good attachment, tummy(his) to tummy(yours) and nose to nipple then big mouthful big gulps. Good luck and keep up the good work!

How are his nappies? Plenty of wet and dirty ones?

Thanks

Yes loads or wet and dirty nappies, so he can't be doing badly can he?

What have his weights been?

I think that I would continue what you are doing if he has only lost 5% in total. It would seem sensible to think that as you cut down on top ups lately his weight might dip before rising again as your supply increases?

I would definitely get someone else (other than your midwife who doesn't sound that supportive) to check his latch etc. Is their a peer-support group near you that you could access?

Hope it all goes well x

I personally would top up because your baby's health is much more important than anything else and then if he starts to put on weight then ditch the top ups. Im not being rude bf is important but childrens health comes 1st and sometimes babies dont get enough milk.
I think ur Midwife should be more helpful though as its confusing when one minute ir told breast is best then its not

But they do lose weight in their 1st week so it could be that

I would agree with the posts above. My ds lost more than the expected weight loss and we were threatened with readmittance to hospital. The mw gave us the weekend to try and turn it around, and we did. Like weedoll says, I just fed and fed and fed. My dp and mum bought me endless snacks and drinks, and we just kept going as long as he was awake. Found it helped to feed lying down as well. There was definitely a pain barrier to go through, but he did start gaining weight and is now on the 92nd centile!

I don't think it is unreasonable to give it a few more days, but remember to look after yourself and have plenty to eat and drink, and don't try to do anything other than feed your baby. I didn't pump at this stage (don't think my nipples could take it!) but it could help as goawaybob says. I'm gutted you're not getting the support you need. If you have a local bf group they should be able to sort you out with some support over the phone. Don't give up - it's your baby and you're trying to do the best for him.

helgaw, can you speak to this midwife or a colleague of hers this weekend?

I think it's very dodgy when someone has a newborn and where there are or have been clear concerns about feeding, and posts on mumsnet tell her to ignore what the midwife has said.

A baby of 10 days old should absolutely not be losing weight still. This is an indication the baby needs more food. This food can be more breastmilk (direct, with more, frequent, effective bf), it can also be this plus expressed breastmilk - and when this is not sufficient, then temporary supplements with formula may be needed to ensure the baby has enough energy to feed well.

There may be sound reasons why the midwife thinks formula is needed - but if she has not suggested frequent breastfeeding, if she has not observed a feed from start to finish to assess what's going on, if she has not suggested expressed breastmilk as a supplement before formula, then she needs to be asked why she has not done these things. Maybe the situation is judged urgent, however, and she thinks formula is the right advice because it will boost weight more quickly.

We don't know!

The midwife has seen your baby, though, helgaw, and has made this judgement. Don't ignore it on the sayso of an internet talk board unless you have had other, professional advice first.

And just to add - no breastfeeding helpline would ever suggest a mother of a 10 day old ignored what the midwife has said :(

Thanks everyone, well he has pretty much fed all day today and does seem much happier, very content and happily alert.

We will continue with the top up before bed until we next get weighed and I think that my increased supply and better feeding will start to make a difference to his weight.

H

Very right Tiktok- babys health is most important and the midwife is doing the right thing considering he is still losing weight

I am so sorry you feel your midwife is not being very supportive, i had the feeling mine was desperate to discharge me as did local friends who had the same mw, wonder if you live nearby?
I agree that an internet chat board shouldn't replace proper medical advice, but i do also believe you are totally within your rights to get a second opinion, when we left hospital they said we coukd call with any queries, and we did, they were brilliant, (advised lots if skin to skin to get baby feeding when he was sleepy) i also have a friend who got a lactation consultant to come to her house so she could see a full feed, she apparently helped a lot with latch.
When my ds was small, i was advised by lovely hv to have duvet days, and my lovely mum would make me tea, bring me toast and cake, and my ds soon was piling on the weight, and similar to above, he is now on 91st centile! Oh and he loves toast.
Hope it all goes well.

If your baby needs topping up, can you use expressed milk? This has the added bonus of actively increasing your supply at the same time as giving your baby the same amount of calories.

Ds2 was very small at birth and it took ages to get established (a couple of months). He couldn't latch on, very sleepy and when i finally got him on he would fall asleep or drop off again. It was exhausting, he wasn't gaining and was worried, but determined to bf him, so expressed and we mix fed for a while until he was strong enough and got the hang of bfing and then gradually got rid of the bottles. It mighht take a while but if you really want to it's possible.