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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

milk supply, fussing.... yes me again

25 replies

lunavix · 18/10/2006 21:59

quick recap, 8 week old dd, since 1 day old shes had a bottle at night with either ebm or formula the rest od the time entirely bf on demand.

I stopped feeding her on my rhs after 8pm, as then if I fed her on my lhs all evening/night I could express enough for her evening bottle.

Dh was giving her this bottle at 11pm, he started moving it earlier. Now at 10pm she screams for it but I don't know if its routine or hunger. Shes cluster fed all evening since day 1, and now by 9pm shes agitated, fussing, back arching, by 10pm howling for a bottle -- last night after stop start feeding all evening she took nearly 8 oz. (4 ebm, 4 formula)

Im struggling expressing again - am only getting 3 - 4 oz now in around 40min, dont get a chanceduring the day, and by 4pm shes starting to cluster feed agagin...

She never looks milky in the evenings (drunk grin, milk on chin like other feeds) but I'm worried it will affect other ones...

OP posts:
Original poster
lunavix · 19/10/2006 08:15

Just to update, I'm going to contact a bf counsellor today to see if they can help but any more advice greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 19/10/2006 08:20

Can you express on one side while she feeds on the other? I used to find that was a good way to express, particularly early in the day.

How often does she feed in the night? Does she sleep with you? Feeding at night, although knackering, is a good way to keep supply up.

How is her weight gain?

Original poster
lunavix · 19/10/2006 08:28

Because she's starving at 10pm, she guts milk down (like I said it was 7oz, last night was 5.5) then sleeps through from 11 - 7.30, I guess because she's so full. Not that I'm technically complaining, but I know that you're meant to feed in the night to keep up supply but she screams the house down until she's full at 10/11... I'm fully prepared to feed her during the night, when she was only taking 3/4oz ebm, she was waking between 2 and 5 for an extra feed, which was fine. I can't entirely cut the bottle out as dh would go bananas, and also I have some dates upcoming I'll be away from her so I need her to be happy taking a bottle.

Weight gain okay (in my eyes,not in HV) she's just under 50th centile, was 75 at birth but seems to be steady to me (HV wants me to top her up at every feed.... sigh)

OP posts:
Original poster
lunavix · 19/10/2006 09:43

Argh only managed to express 2.5oz in an hour expressing this morning.Have phoned NCT but the message says they're too busy to take the call! Hope they ring back soon.

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kamikayzed · 19/10/2006 09:57

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Original poster
lunavix · 19/10/2006 10:11

I've been thinking that, I'm just worried about all night screaming and hungry baby and also if she then rejects a bottle when I go away....

whoever said motherhood was easy!!!

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kamikayzed · 19/10/2006 10:24

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mears · 19/10/2006 10:24

Lunavix - are you expressing at the time DH gives the bottle? I remember your discussion last time about DH wanting to do feeds.

I personally do not think you should save a side for expressing only. I would feed her off both sides to maintain a good supply. Try and express a few times during the day to get yourself a stock and ahead of the game. By that I mean 2oz at a time. You should not need to express for 40 minutes at a time. Do you switch sides expressing when the milk flow slows? That can speed things up. I would make time to express for a short while.

I understand why you need to express but it is not ideal that you feel under pressure to have EBM available all the time. It would do no harm to even miss one bottle.

Original poster
lunavix · 19/10/2006 20:42

I'm not expressing then, no.

Well bf counsellor said to feed her entirely myself today, tonight and tomorrow. If I manage, supply is okay.

She said a week of feeding her with no bottles and expressing after most feeds will boost supply again. She said bottle/formula isn't the problem, just when she demands that formula/ebm which is expressed on a different day, its reducing my demand on that day. So need to improve supply to express what she wants each day.

So tonight - for the first time bar the day she was born I'm feeding her entirely from me. I actually feel sick with fear. What do I do if it gets to 10 and shes howling?

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curlew · 19/10/2006 21:42

I wish I could whisper - but {whispers}why not take her into bed with you and just feed her whenever she wants to for a while? The more you feed her the more milk you'll make and the more you'll have to express when you start expressing again. Are you working, or can you spend all day tomorrow in bed with her and a lot of good books, once again, just letting her feed? I know you've heard it all before, but breast feeding is really the most efficient supply and demand system there is!

kamikayzed · 19/10/2006 21:50

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undergroundernie · 19/10/2006 22:13

With my ds I used to express in the morning when I seemed to have loads of milk and then use it to top him up in the early evening. I expressed before feeding in the morning which was a pain as it meant I had to wake up first but he was more satisfied in the evening and he was taking a bottle. With my dd I gave up on this and just fed on demand and didn't worry about bottles which worked a lot better. I agree with those who say give up on the bottles and try to get the supply/demand thing back on track. Your milk supply will adjust but it will probably take a few days of hellish feeding. I used to dread growth spurts.

Original poster
lunavix · 20/10/2006 08:40

I fed her all evening last night. and dreaded the evening thinking that since I've never fed her between 10 and 2ish there was going to be some screaming as my milk wouldn't be producing tons then

Fed her up until 10.30, where she fell asleep, put her into bed... and she slept until 7.00am again

So in this bid to keep my supply going, I'm feeding her all this week just myself no bottles, and I'll set the alarm to wake her twice during the night/dreamfeed. But I can't believe she still slept through. And didn't want the bottle she's had since one day old.

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Original poster
lunavix · 20/10/2006 08:41

I calculated though.. she had 12 feeds yesterday in total... 7.30, 8.30, 10.30, 12.30, 2.30, 3.30, 4.30, 5.30, 7.30, 8.30, 9.30, 10.30.... (roughly obviously!)

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Original poster
lunavix · 20/10/2006 08:42

curlew - am working, have a toddler and a dh reluctant to share his bed! I wish lol a day in bed feeding sounds fab!

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Original poster
lunavix · 20/10/2006 09:02

kayzed - I will discuss with dh cutting down bottles (I have days upcoming I have to be away from her so she has to accept bottles) dh wanted her bottle fed so it's a big of a debate with us but he's being rather supportive now so we'll see

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Mojomummy · 20/10/2006 09:23

HI, my dd is just 13 weeks. I entirely bf & she, for the last 2 weeks goes from 7-7:30 to 7ish am.

She also cluster feeds from about 5pm. We both get on with it (quite difficult when trying to bath & read a story to DD1!) but I am so pleased she is going through the night I don't mind !

My point is, I would forget the bottles & just feed her, she seems to know what she wants & if she slept like that, well amazing !

ps & in a whisper...don't you find all that sterlising etc a faff ? I thought I would do it, but spend my time here instead Needless to say DD2 won't take a bottle, but I did manage to go to a nightclub on Sat pm & she was fine

Original poster
lunavix · 20/10/2006 09:39

Hi mojomummy I was wondering how you were getting on.

I suppose if she's having a good amount of milk during the day sleeping through won't be a huge issue supply wise - after all ds slept through this age, although he was ff...

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mears · 20/10/2006 10:14

lunavix - you do not need to set an alrm to waken during the night as there is nothing wrong with your supply. The problem you had IMO was the pressure set on you regarding expressing. I expressed milk for a SCBU as well as feeding and expressing for work. Please believe me that the small amounts you get when snatching expressing time throughout the day soon mounts up. If you plan to return to EBM bottles, get a stock built up now so that you express when she is having a bottle and you are ahead of the game.
I often expressed before I breastfed because I was fuller and it worked for me. I also hand expressed which was a lot faster than using a pump. Worth trying. Good luck.

Mojomummy · 20/10/2006 10:34

Hi Lunarvix, thought I recognised the name.

I live very close to looney tunes, so if you fancy coming over for coffee & breastfeeding support - come right over !

Actually Grovelands Garden Centre does a good coffee & a mean scone

Mojomummy · 20/10/2006 10:35

looney tunes could give you my details..I'm just off out you see....

kamikayzed · 20/10/2006 11:15

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Original poster
lunavix · 20/10/2006 13:25

mears - is the reason i don't need to wake her up at night because my supply is obviously okay as she fed okay last night or because she took the 10+ feeds in 24 hours?

I feel so much better today, I actually feel a bit more competent. I've freezed the milk I expressed yesterday and today (all good for Friday when I ahve to leave dd with MIL)

mojo - strictly speaking I'm not near you n looney, I'm near Newbury but I might still take you up on that coffee Will need to fit it around my houseful of mindees!

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kamikayzed · 20/10/2006 18:07

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mears · 21/10/2006 11:51

I think you don't need to wake her because she would wake if she was hungry. You are feeding her lots during theday and evening and as I have said before, there is nothing you have said here that makes me think you have a supply problem. Since she is now 8 weeks old, the mechanism for milk production is more dependant on effective milk removal and regular feeds and less on the effects of hormones at night. If she feeds well during the day, there is no need to wake her at night. HTH.

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