Hi
I have been EBF my baby, and I want to continue BF as much as I can for as long as possible. However, I am going back to work soon, and so I am currently trying to introduce my 4 month old son to a bottle. Initially, I tried expressing, although this is not going to be a long term solution for me as I will not be able to express at work. Anyway, I spent a couple of hours hand expressing 1 or 2 oz at a time, bought a breast pump and got even less out, and found that my baby rejected the bottles anyway, so I ended up discarding the precious milk in the end.
I decided that I would rather throw away formula, iykwim, so I tried him on some ready mixed, just 2 or 3 oz at a time. He has started to take that now so I have bought a tin of powder and we are making up bottles of that. Yesterday he took about 4oz from my husband, so I think we are making progress.
This is a relief, as I want him to be able to feed when I am at work, not refuse a bottle all day long. HVs have been a bit concerned over his weight gain, so I really don't want him to lose any weight.
As I want to continue BF, my concern is what time of day is best to give him the bottle so I compromise my supply as little as possible. I have heard that the hormones that promote supply are governed more by evening and night feeds. Is this correct? I have done a bit of googling, but can't seem to find the answers anywhere.
I will be out of the house 730 - 5 when I return to work, so I will still be BF him when I am at home.
Please help me, oh wise ones.