Can I drop 'top ups' when DD starts solids?

[mummymog]

DD is now almost 13 weeks old. We've had weight gain problems from the start- first there was a missed posterior tongue tie which meant my milk never came in properly, then she had a virus and lost her appetite and then a UTI. We have to give her topups (been told by medical proffesionals to, she just won't take enough at the breast to grow- who knows why), normally of EBM if i've managed to pump enough and I've resigned myself to the fact now that I am just not going to get to exlusivly breastfeed.

I'm not looking for advice about dropping the top ups now or getting her to take enough from the breast. I think we have pretty much tried everything :( I'm just wondering when I'll be able to stop expressing (I do so hate expressing)

When she starts on solid food- do you think that'll be enough for her to drop the extra top ups? She gets 80ml, what do you think the equivalent in food is- how many spoons of avacado is 80ml?

Does anyone have any experience of topping up until solid food? Or failing that- when did you baby start to drop feeds or take less milk?

Following with interest - sorry I can't be of more help myself.

One thing I can tell you is that 80ml of bm is approx 58 calories (though that's really a broad average as it varies by time of day, whether pumped at start or end of feed, etc.). A medium sized avocado is about 240 calories. So a quarter of an avocado would contain the same cals a 80ml bm. Not sure what that is in teaspoons though.

That's amazing maths :) thanks! Dd is so going to be given a quarter of an avacado after every feed in a few months time- is it too weird to do so after night feeds?

Our 6.5 month DTs have been mix fed since 8 weeks and have halved the formula they've been taking (about 250ml in total) since starting solids a few weeks ago but I'd just given them two bottles each, one around 11am, one around 5pm so they worked well to cut back on as they were naturally before meals.

So I would suggest you could start by dropping any top ups before mealtimes just make sure you have milky meals like yoghurt, porridge etc if weight is still a worry.

Op my 2nd doc had similar issues in early weeks including the uti & weight gain issues. Bloody awful time. Paed said put her on mashed avocado mixed with rice and milk 3 times a day, small spoonfuls. I didn't do top ups also, just weaned her onto the regular quota of ff for her age as by that time I was so exhausted with trying to maintain my supply whilst so stressed out and anxious about her having been ill in the first place.

So no top ups once I introduced solids at 12 weeks here. She's now a thriving 5yr old foodie who eats everything & loves life. Phew!

2nd dd, not doc

You had her on avacado and rice at 12 weeks amazingness?

Yes, we were overseas & after her illness the doctor said give her small teaspoons of mashed avo & baby rice ( the type mixed with formula) started small once a day for the first month then more regular. It really built her up again

We were in a very similar boat, except I was using formula instead of expressing. I couldn't find much info out there, but actually had a good chat with my HV about it.

She said that at 6 months and (by then) gaining weight well, DD wasn't going to let herself go hungry. She suggested that, when DD started eating (we did BLW) that I could start gradually reducing the amount of formula, while continuing to BF on demand. If the demanding got too much, I could up the formula a bit again. And that's what we did.

I can understand why you would want to EBF as much as poss before 6 months, but have you thought about using formula instead of food to replace the pumping once you've started complementary feeding?

Am BFing a chubby 17 month old at this precise moment!

DD2 fell off the graph totally by 18 weeks, wouldn't take a Bootle of anyone ever. Staggered along end until about 25 weeks when she started on solids which she loved.

So with the consultants blessing we thew away the rule book and she used yoghurt and fromage frais instead of formula.

By a year old she was on.the 50% line, 12 years later she still is.

I should add she was continued BF way past school age and has never ever drunk formula or cows milk, except as milkshake or hot chocolate as a 9-10 year old