Expressing/mix feeding/milk supply

[Madratlady]

I haven't been able to bf 8wo ds so I've been expressing as much as possible and also giving formula as I can't express enough to keep up with how often he feeds, although my supply is good and I get about 5oz in total each time I express.

Would I be able to just express a few times a day (and feed more formula) or would I stop producing enough milk? Is it still beneficial for ds to have breast milk if it's only 2 or 3 feeds a day? I hate sitting attached to the breast pump and if ds is being fussy then I struggle to find the time to express as often as I should but I don't want to stop giving him breast milk if it will benefit him to have it.

If you want to express long term, you need to pump, pump, pump! I've just finished pumping (exclusive expressing for 9 months, mixed feeding for 3) and as soon as I started to cut out pumps, I really noticed a drop. I would suggest keeping up night pumping and morning pumping as for many, these seem to be the times you will make the most milk. (As well as other times).

I think most people would agree that any breast milk in beneficial :) Well done for expressing!

I don't think I can keep up the 3-4 hourly pumping I've been doing so far, and I've found myself worrying about when I next need to pump and what tp do if ds won't settle for long enough for me to pump instead of enjoying spending time with my baby. It also makes it very difficult to go out anywhere with ds I've found. Ds is a bad sleeper so I dropped the middle of the night pumping session this week to try and at least get a little sleep.

I was wondering whether pumping when I get up, in the middle of the day and in the evening would be enough for o couple of feeds a day but if cutting the amount I pump will reduce my supply then I am tempted to just switch to ff although the thought of not giving him breast milk does make me sad. Dh thinks it would be easier to switch to formula only.

How did you manage to express exclusively for 9 months crazy ?

painty ds has never bf, he had a tongue tie which was only noticed at 5wks, I was expressing and giving bottles until then because he wouldn't or couldn't latch on. Now he can latch on but won't actually feed because he gets frustrated at the milk not coming fast enough and just ends up screaming and won't latch back on. I have a lovely bf peer supporter nearby and have tried a supplemental nursing system but ds wouldn't latch on at all with that. I would love to be able to bf but so far he won't.

I think I will continue to express as much as possible for a bit longer.

It would be amazing to be able to bf. We haven't even tried for the past week though. And we had to get faster flow teats for the bottles so I would guess he will just get more frustrated by the speed at which he can get breast milk. Still, I will keep offering the breast. I don't know if it's worth trying again with the supplemental nursing syw or not.

You're amazing for expressing that much! DD is 8 weeks too and I express about a bottle a day for DH to use while I sleep in, and even that much is difficult to fit in around everything else (and it's not like I do much, new babies are just time consuming!).

I just came on to add that DD is currently going through the 7-9 week development leap so she's much more fussy on the breast if there are distractions and also she's feeding for comfort a lot. Something perhaps to bear in mind if you try to re-establish bf and also with your current feeding routine - don't assume that fussing while feeding is necessarily hunger related unless your DS isn't gaining weight well.

And we also found she was fussing in the same way with the bottle, but we switched type rather than go to a fast flow teat (Avent to mam) and she's now much happier.

It may be a bit controversial to say but don't feel bad about going to formula. I ff 2dcs and they were great sleepers, contented and healthy. I can undersdand that you're feeling trapped at home always pumping- you need to enjoy your baby too. If relactation doesn't work then dropping a few pumping sessions and doing more formula may be a better compromise? I'm bf my dc3 and find it hard to fit in one pumping session for the late feed so sometimes use formula instead. You need to decide what works for you and don't feel pressure to keep pumping if it is making you unhappy. Yes breast milk is best but you've already done so well giving baby lots so far. I take my hat off to anyone who can pump for so long- I did it for 5 days whilst dc3 was in hospital and it was tough! Good luck

Madratlady In the early days, ds sleeping meant it was time to pump. Whenever anyone came over I would take the opportunity to go and pump, or DP would keep him entertained. I kept up the night pumps until he was 7 months but that wasn't so bad because once he woke up, I'd get him back to sleep then pump. He's not ever been the best sleeper.

When DP worked and it was just me and ds, if he started getting fidgety while I was pumping, I would put some new sounds on (news channels, music channels), use my feet to pick up different objects to entertain him, get clever with balancing the pump and playing peekaboo, as he got a bit older he would play for about 10 mins quite happily before I would need to entertain him again.............but it's not been easy. I've pumped in the car in a park, in a car park, at a wedding, at work, and getting everything ready to go anywhere is a real pain. I didn't go out much in the early days tbh.

...........This is what happens when you're told you won't be able to bf

I wish you all the best, whatever you choose. If you need to know more, there is a whole community of EEers or mixed feeders on facebook.

I will carry on expressing as much as possible, I just can't produce enough milk or pump enough for exclusively expressing, ds is a very hungry baby!

I have found today that he will be happy enough in his bouncy chair for long enough for me to pump. I have a hospital grade double pump on loan and a medela swing single pump which is more portable. I wish now I had a smaller double pump.

It's just the night pumping that is going to be hard to continue, ds isn't a good sleeper so far so pumping uses precious sleep time!