should I top up with formula?

[ct148]

My baby is 4 days old and we've had a terrible night. She's really hungry and during the night I'm pretty sure there's been no milk in my breasts so she just hasn't been able to settle at all and is really fussy. Yesterday day time feeding was fine, boobs felt full and she was happy. But during the night she has really struggled to get anything and breasts were really soft, Don't know if its because I'm exhausted, or maybe my milk hasn't come in properly yet?
Should I try and top her up with a bit of formula because she seems so hungry and unsettled? Don't know if its relevant but she is a pretty big baby, 9lb11.5oz born. My nipples are really sore from her fussing so much.
Thanks!

Apologies, I hadn't seen that. I suppose what I meant is that I wasn't claiming it was bad for the babies health ??. I just wanted to advise OP on continuing with breast feeding.

Hover - I understand you have an issue with a particular post. It is fair enough to respond to something you have an issue with. But do you see that talking about the breastfeeding mafia in the way you did sounds like attacking all the posters before you who are just trying to help.

OP - AFAIK no dirty nappies in a baby that young is something that you should follow up on professionally. Wet is harder as they often don't 'fill' a nappy at that age. Have you tried putting a cotton pad inside to check?

Don't the the BF mafia intimidate you. - what a patronising attitude. Why is it that when people speak out in support of breastfeeding they get jumped on by defensive self righteous individuals? That's a rhetorical question. Let's not turn this thread into ANOTHER bunfight.

OP - those first few days and especially nights are so difficult - if you think formula might settle your LO then go ahead and try OR as suggested, just tough it out and allow your baby to nurse - your baby will slowly manage to space out feeds. There are plenty of posters who will support you regardless of your decision.

Congratulations on your little one

I think you need help in RL as soon as possible.

Night time feeds are crucial for establishing supply, fussing and cluster feeding are normal, and it may be that your milk has not come in yet, however the lack of wet nappies is something I would look into. See what your MW says tomorrow but you may need an experienced bf counsellor to help as well.

Thank you everyone for your advice, really do appreciate it.
When my midwife comes tomorrow I'll try and talk it through with her and see what she says. I think she may weigh her again so I suppose the weight loss may give me some indication of how she's doing. She was 9lb 11.5oz born on Tuesday morning then on Friday she had gone down to 8lb15oz and midwife said this was well within the normal range. So fingers crossed.
I do think I could do with some help re the latch though as I don't think we've quite got it right, its very painful.
Hoping we have a better night tonight. And hoping milk comes in soon so I don't feel as guilty when I have no milk for her. I am feeling a little off and a bit shivery and midwife told me a lot of people can feel like this when their milk is coming in.
Thanks again everyone. I'll try and remember to tell the midwife all of my concerns.

Ct, congratulations on your new one!
My dd was 9lb5 at birth and lost 8%. It took about six days for my milk to come in and six weeks for dd to regain her birthweight, with only a few grams going on at a time. Bf has been difficult and I have gone everywhere for support, but I would highly recommend finding a local bf cafe or drop-in in these first few days, somewhere with bf councillors who can observe a feed and give advice (I found this far more practically helpful than HV's or mw's, who, though supportive, all kept telling me it looked ok). Also google la leche league in your area, and give them a call as someone may be able to come out and sit with you.
I did give a bottle of formula at bedtime and still do, 11 weeks in. I found it a struggle initially as I felt terribly guilty and was so worried about my supply so I express at the same time as she gets her bottle. I was very emotional at the beginning and much of the pressure to 'exclusively' bf was not helping, in the end of the day no-one in real life will ask if your baby is/was 'exclusively' bf, and I find/found this term to be pretty MN-specific (ie never encounter it in RL unless the person I am speaking to is pretty militant). I can totally see why mums who do or have ebf'd are proud, but equally I know that 90% of my mummy friends do give a bottle to give their nips a break, give dad a chance to help, top up a fussy baby, help with slow weight gain etc. I don't want to add to the 'bun fight' but this has been my personal experience and I wanted to let you know that, although you might feel pressured into formula top ups, they can help you feel better if weight gain is a prob and some people continue to mix feed and find it gives them flexibility (not to mention baby getting used to taking a bottle) that ebf mums sometimes secretly would like. I do suggest RL support to help estblish bf but don't feel formula is the devil, it can and does save lives (and mum's mental health sometimes!)

Hope you get some support and advice from midwife today. Have you got a local baby cafe or breastfeeding drop in near you? Midwife should be able to tell you if you don't know.
Certainly nothing wrong with formula if you have to go down that route. DD was preemie and wouldn't be here if she hadn't had formula in the early days! However now she is EBF. Babies do cluster feed, and the prolactin levels are higher at night which is why babies feed more at night in early days.
You do need to follow up the lack of dirty nappies. And check the latch. If you do top up you may need to express also, to keep demand up. As aPP said - BF is supply and demand,

I hope you had a better night CT and that you get some helpful advice from your midwife today.

Hope that you and baby are continuing to do well, OP. If you need to chat to someone then the NCT breastfeeding line can be very helpful: 0300 330 0771, 8am-10pm.

I hope your midwife was helpful OP and I agree, RL support is fab.
The cluster feeds are tough, especially when you have another little one needing attention.
Only you know what you are comfortable with re formula, it was invented to save lives of babies who did not have access to breast milk which may be the case of posters here. However, to say there are no health risks to formula is ignorant and untrue. Science doesn't lie. It's up to you to weigh it up.
I hope your little one is doing well and you've got some support. Take care.

Hello all, I might get blasted here but....I mix feed my daughter and she is now 12 weeks old and extra gorgeous! She hits every growth target without fail and is super smiley.
My circus were an emergency c section after 3 days if labour, and milk did not come till day 7\8. Dr got dehydrated and a touch of jaundice and the registrar told me to top up with formula on day 3. We tried to persist with cup feeding, but she hated it, so on day 5 I ended up using a bottle and never looked back. Truthfully I felt horrendously guilty about it, but looking back it's been ideal. She feeds from the breast first at each day feed, and tops up with a bottle. I find she feeds fine on both, and it's a great relief to know she won't refuse a bottle, plus gives me some freedom and dad loves being involved too.
Mix feeding can be done. Best of both worlds in my opinion. I defo agree on getting some real life bf support on the latch issue, helped me loads!