Started to wean and BF supply has dropped dramatically

[tommeetippeeaddict]

DD is six months and up until last week was exclusively BF. In the last week I've started giving her a bottle of formula before bed and half a pouch of puree at lunch time. I feel like my supply is already dropping and I'm panicking.

I didn't realise it would make such a difference. I thought I would still be able to BF when I wanted/as needed but we've had a couple of incidents this week where she has been sucking and there's just no let down. And after 20 minutes of her screaming and crying and punching me in the chest I've had to get formula and give it to her.

I already take about 16 fenugreek a day.

Can anything be done now to keep up my BF supply even though weaning has made it drop suddenly? Is half a pouch of purée a day a reasonable amount for her to have? I'm just so confused.

I also feel really sad. I don't want to stop BF yet. I feel like it is a special connection we have and that if I stop, then I'll lose her. I know that sounds crazy but I cannt seem to shake the irrational thoughts about it

It is natural for your supply to change when you start weaning. If a child takes quite a lot of solid food or alternative milk then they won't demand as much breast milk.

Can I ask why you have introduced formula now if you are so keen to continue bf? At this early stage of weaning the formula is likely to affect your supply far more than the small amounts of solid food.

It is also natural for you to stop feeling a let down. Dd2 is 19 months and I can't remember the last time I felt a let down. Well over a year ago for sure (I quite miss the sensation!)

I introduced formula because the solid food changed my supply so much that DD went from waking up once at night to waking up four times a night. When I have her formula before bed, she went back to waking once.

I was able to feel that gushy feeling from the let down until last week

What can I do now to change things? Go back to BF- ing four times a night?

Are you breastfeeding before food, about an hour before?

Could you express each time you do a formula feed, to try and keep your supply up?

As breastfeeding works on a supply and demand principle, then the way to protect your supply is to allow your baby to demand feed. The night wakings will probably settle down soon.

Your supply will fluctuate with demand from your lo. You may find if your lo has a growth spurt next week that what you're uses to will be back in no time!

Yes agree that at this age you should continue to bf before offering solid food like the previous poster said, maybe an hour before. Milk should still be her main source of food for a while yet.

It's also not uncommon for babies to start waking again at night when they are weaning. Take it slow - she needs more milk because it has more fat in it (and lots of other things!!) so the food shouldn't be replacing milk feeds yet.

I would ditch the formula if you can. The only way really to get your supply up again is to feed more.

It's normal for more wake ups when weaning there digestive system can take a while to get used to food.

Also milk has the most calories and if they are having half a pouch of something to fill them up the may need extra milk in the night. She could also be going through a growth spurt or other developmental leap and need to milk or comfort in the night.

The more formula you give the more your supply will drop.

Not an expert but anecdotally lots of women (including me) get less and less of a let down feeling over the months but milk still comes out.