Increasing supply

[KeepSmiling83]

My DD is 3 weeks old and BF. When she was about 1 week we started giving her 1 bottle of formula a day at about 6/7pm. About a week ago I started feeling really guilty about the amount of time BF took (I have an older DD) and started giving more bottles (about 3 a day - 2 in the am and the one at 6pm with me BFing the rest of the time including through the night) with the aim of weaning her on to formula.

However she started being sick with the formula after 2/3 days and I felt so bad that I've gone back to exclusive BF apart from the 1 bottle at 6/7pm.

So since yesterday I have been feeding her whenever she wants to increase my supply again. But how do I know when things are back to normal? Sometimes she seems frustrated at the breast and I don't know if it's because my milk has dried up? I have always fed through the night as I thought that was when you produced milk. Have I ruined things? How long will it take to get back to normal?

Sorry you have had such a worrying start, Keepsmiling.

You will not have dried up.

Your supply may have dropped temporarily but you are doing the right things to address this ( though dropping the remaining bottle would be a good idea. You can reinstate later if you decide to).

If she seems frustrated at the breast, swap sides ( she prob needs at least both sides anyway - she can have three or four if she wants). Or cuddle and soothe and then try again.

Bf takes more time in the beginning but later generally takes less time than ff.

Tiktok is the expert here but just to add that, for me, drinking loads of water, eating oats (mainly as porridge & flapjack) and drinking fennel tea noticeably increased my supply.

I'm trying my best to eat and drink lots especially when feeding.

She seems to get most frustrated of an afternoon and when feeding will come on and off the breast and bang on my chest. Is this because she's frustrated there's no milk there? I am having to keep swapping sides but not sure she's getting anything? She is having wet nappies and her tongue has white milk on it. But she used to go long stretches in the afternoon but the last few days she has fed all day long. Could it be a growth spurt or is it likely to be because she's hungry as she's not getting enough?

We had the two week growth spurt a bit late - more like three weeks. Could be that?