Help Needed Re Breast Feeding / Bottles

[Boop]

Hello All,
Wondered if you can help, I have a 9 week old DD, my first, and really need a bit of support, as am feeling all over the place!!
My DD seems to only want to be BF,which is fine, and I do love doing it, but I have been through a really rough time, although want the best for her am starting to feel it all catching up with me.
DD has moments of wanting to feed each hour, this i put down to a growth spurt. She was only feeding for 5 mins at a time, but I have got her going longer now, (15-20 sometime 30 mins!) as she would wake each hour. She sometimes sleeps for two now. She was always hungrey in the eve so after a lot of thought started to give her a bottle of formula, but she only take 3 oz tops if were lucky. She now is going through the stage of not likeing the bottle at all, with breast milk or formula in it, and I dont know what to do, as I will need to be away from her at times when its feeding time, also there is no routine, I have had one day of feeding every 3 hours, then it changes. Please help ! I dont know what I am doing wrong, or what to do that will be right for her x Many thanks, sorry to go on x

Honestly frezic evening feeds are normal, and many Baby's that cluster feed are jsut getting ready to sleep for longer between feeds in the night!
Just go with the flow and feed and try to relax and things will pan out again!
Formula is not the answer most of the time...as it can be giving supply problems...as it is very important for the supply that the demand is followed!Formula can make your lil ones feed less, and no, not because it's of better quality, but because it;s harder to digest then breastmilk...so, your lil one may not demand as much and therefore won't activate the supply!
Just rememerb that this is such a short time in yours and your lil ones life...they grow up so fast!

Hey boop.
I'm no expert, but just wanted to say ...
first off, well done for keeping up b/f in what sounds like an exhausting situation - give yourself a pat on the back!

Is your dd tending to go st to sleep after her feeds? My understanding is that feeding every 2/3 hours is pretty much standard at her age, so I suspect the hourly feeds are probably partly about her helping herself back to sleep - from her point of view, what nicer way to sleep that cuddled up with her l,ovely mummy and a tummy full of lovely milkies?! My ds tried the same trick & got away with it, but with dd (my second) I'd gently rewake her and encourage her to have a bigger feed before letting her settle down for her snooze - really helped me keep my sanity in those mad early days.

I'm afraid I think regular evening feeds is pretty normal in b/f babies - essentially stocking up for the night ahead - and from memory, the stage you're at was the worst for both of minefrom that point of view.

Oh, and don't worry too much about routines, if you can help it - it'll come! You'll have years of routine - try and relax into a few weeks of cuddly chaos!!

Dear Boop, my little DD is now 6+ months but I remember this stage well. She would feed on demand and sometimes it would take her nearly 1/2 hour to feed as she would fall asleep and have to be woken up. Then she's want a feed again in an hour! I remember being VERY exhausted. As for a routine - don't bother yet. Enjoy being with her. My DD used to get the most euphoric look on her face with a totally ecstatic smile after she's filled her little tummy - it's a look she's never repeated on the bottle - ever. So enjoy this time with your DD - it's precous. And yes, she will sleep through the night. Mine started sleeping through the night once she reached 3 1/2 months.

Hi again, just wanted to say thanks for your kind words. Last night she slept a little better funny enough, and I didnt give her a bottle I fed her, so who knows. One thing is for sure my boobs are fuller than they have been from day one!
I know this time is short, and I do love feeding my DD, but am worried that if I am not here and she needs a feed she wont take it from a bottle, be it breast milk. Not sure how we get her to take it from the bottle.......... any ideas ?
Thanks again for your time x Boopx

I felt like this when my dd was first born and was anxious about not having a routine, waking too often, not taking a bottle etc...I toyed with the idea of formula in a bottle and introducing a dream feed, but after listening to mother in law (ex breast feeding counseller) I just let dd do her own thing. She is now 10 weeks old and has established her own routine and times between feeds have lengthened. She still cluster feeds in the eve but this is now enabling her to sleep from 8-7 with a short feed at 4am. Dont panic, your little one will find their own routine and then things will get easier.

Boop, don't panic about having to leave her for a few hours as you will find that firstly she will go without boob when you are not there and secondly if she wants milk she will have EBM from a spoon/cup/bottle or whatever!!
Unless you have to return to work very soon then just chill out and go for a massage or something, leave a bit of EBM and try not to worry for a couple of hours.
First time I left DD1 with my MIL she gave her boiled water from a tiny spoon which horrified me at the time but in hindsight kept them both busy and quiet!

boop, you have done most of the hardest bit already. honest. who knows, a week, two weeks and it will all be different and you'll have different things to stress on about. its what being a mum is about.

i don't know how you feel about co-sleeping. i started thinking i could/would never do it for lots of reasons but did it for brief naps together when i was so tired and then for longer naps and then as time went on, realised that bf and co-sleeping work hand in hand. it would have been a lifesaver in early days like you are having right now.

it sounds like your baby had an extended growth spurt. it will settle soon. my dd did the same. my dd also stopped taking a bottle at 10 weeks and didn't take another one until i had to go back to work.