benefits of breastmilk after 6 months

[mustardtomango]

Lo is 3 months now and I'm having limited success expressing to freeze for his extra feeds at 5 months + (on Hv advice, he's growing very well)

If I top up with formula, rather than breast milk, what exactly does this mean for his health? Know recommended is min 6 months and can't get a clear idea of the impact after that.

Thanks in advance x

Are you going back to work at 5 months? I don't know why else you would need to express. I tried expressing but never had any success. Bf my two till 7 months and 18 months.

Why does he need extra feeds at 5 months?

The health visitor reckons his supply will out strip my demand, the doc said the same. Is that not right? Expressing isn't coming easy, tried a manual and motorised one, and Tbh in feels a bit like being unfaithful to ds (emotional response I know...)

Breastmilk is always going to healthier than formula (or cow's milk) but also after 6 months you can just consider formula another food as part of a mixed diet - it won't do him any harm and if he is still having breastmilk then he'll still be benefitting from that.

The health visitor reckons his demand will out strip my supply, the doc said the same. Is that not right? Expressing isn't coming easy, tried a manual and motorised one, and Tbh in feels a bit like being unfaithful to ds (emotional response I know...)

Are you exclusively expressing for him at the moment?

Usually their intake stays quite stable between 1 and 6 months, and then once you add food their milk intake will drop a little towards 12 months.

(sorry for duplicate, silly phone. Demand /supply right was round in the second )

Thanks lily, hadn't thought of it like that

That is the maddest thing I think I have ever read that a HV (and a GP) have said!! His demand will outstrip your supply?! This does not happen (unless you have some really unusual medical issues that you haven't mentioned?).

Just out of interest, did the HV/GP give any reasons for saying that? I'd love to know what their explanation is?

Rubbish. If he wants more milk he will demand to feed more often, which in turn will stimulate you to produce more milk. Just feed more often instead of expressing. Unless there is a weight gain issue which is why the GP is involved? Ditch the HV

I'm not exclusively expressing, quite the opposite - only started trying since advised, only done a handful of times (1/2 times a day) so far. Found bf simple and had no issues

Your body will make plenty of milk for him unless you are really ill or something like that. You could alway start solids a little early if you thing he is really hungry but neither of mine had anything other than breast milk for 6 months and they were fine. I would contact your local Breastfeeding coordinator or la leche league. They will be able to advise you better than I.

What a load of crap. Your supply will adjust.

We were at the docs for a reflux issue (all fine now), but it came within a few days of the Hv visit (just went to get him weighed). She didn't really give a reason, confirmed he'd had a growth spurt but nothing else... He'd been feeding 2 hourly for a few days and on her measuring had gone from 70th to 75th centile on weight and up to 91st on length (can't remember what it was before)

Strange thing for the HV and doc to say - why would you not be able to meet his needs?

If his needs happen to increase (why would they? babies' intake either remains stable or decreases slightly when solids are introduced) then your body would respond to the increased need by making more milk. That's how it works.

Surely the hv and doc don't think mothers routinely have to express and freeze in advance in this way? From three months? For the baby to have at 5 mths?

Honestly, I've been round the block a few times, and I have never heard of anyone being advised to do this (apart from crazy baby manuals that have you expressing 2 x day from the start), and I cannot see why on earth it would help anyone.

Express if you like, for convenience sake, in case you want to leave your baby with someone else round about a time when he would normally feed, but not for the barking reason they have given you :)

Bizarre advice from HV and GP about expressing then! You have a big, healthy baby who is doing well breastfeeding, your supply is obviously meeting his demand absolutely perfectly - no need to either express or give formula

And there's no medical issue that's been brought up. Thanks for the replies, beginning to think I wasted £60 on the pump and bags now

Glad I didn't wait longer to ask here

Just seen your last post.

Still think your HV is being unhelpful.....still don't understand why she thinks she is being helpful!

errr - what? Your supply will grow to meet his demand (although from what I remember reading his demand won't significantly increase from where you're at now - their growth rate tails off, and by a year they'll be eating predominantly solids and only having a few feeds a day anyhow !

Why on earth would you need to express if you don't want to for work? That's very, very odd advice from HV and Doc!

I have a friend nearby who's diligently doing the same, albeit with more success than me. Guessing they say it to everyone... It's a relief to take that pressure off, I was starting to feel it interfered with just being with my son and feeding times.

That's so bizarre - how do they think women without breast pumps (or freezers!) manage to feed their babies?