Mixed feeding due to midwife/hv advice and want to go to all bf

[RBH]

Hi I already have a thread on here about what to do with a blocked nosed baby who struggles to breast feed but need more advice! I have had mixed feelings about the bottles from the start but felt that I had to go with them as dd2 obviously was struggling as at 2 weeks she started to lose weight. Midwife said it was my milk supply but spoke to nct bf counsellor who reckoned it was because she is an ineffective sucker due to her cold, which I go along with. However by this point she was already having formula after every feed. I really want to try to go to all bf at some point and want to know the best way of doing it. I have been offering 6oz bottles after each feed and as she has got older (now 7.5 weeks and 10lb 9oz as of a week ago Tuesday) she has been leaving more. Today she has left 3 oz at two feeds and between 1.5 and 2 oz at the other feeds. If she doesn't cry for a bottle after a breastfeed can I just not offer one or should I keep offering anyway? At the feeds where she left 3oz each time she hadn't demanded a bottle but still drank 3 oz each time and didn't puke (which she does when too full) so does that mean she needs that extra top up? I have a 20 month daughter or I would just start to cut out bottles and resign myself to the possibility of feeding near constantly for a while. However I have to balance the needs of both kids. Wish I had looked at Mumsnet right at the beginning to be honest but hey ho! Any advice folks?

You need a nasal aspirator (aka snot sucker) and saline drops theyn work a treat on de snotting a baby, they hate it but it does work. HTH

hi rbh, it sounds really good that your dd2 has been taking less and less formula after each feed, so you appear to be doing well already.

There's someone on mumsnet who has been gradually reintroducing the breast, and following the advice of tiktok who is our resident expert. The thread is /link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1364&threadid=242535&stamp=061213172908/here} if you haven't read it already.

But I don't think JK has any other children, so it's perhaps easier for her to spend all that time with her dd. Do you have any neighbours or relatives who would be prepared to spend lots of time with your dd1 for the next few weeks, to give you more time to focus on dd2?

I'm sure any of the breastfeeding helplines would be keen to help you through this:
La Leche League (my personal favourite) 0845 120 2918. They also have an online help form
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) 0870 401 7711 from 9.30 am to 10.30 pm every day
NCT 0870 444 8708 8am to 10pm every day
Breastfeeding Network (BfN) 0870 900 8787 9.30 am to 9.30 pm every day

and there's quite a bit of info on kellymom about relactation although you may be aware of lots of this already

oops should have previewed before posting. Here's the link to the other mn thread

Hi mummypig, thank you for your help and the link. My mum is really good at spending time with dd1 but I am loathe to ship her off too much as she already gets a bit stroppy when dd2 is breastfeeding although she is fine the rest of the time. From glancing at the thread you sent the link to it sounds like i am lucky in that dd2 really wants to bf. Must go to bed though as they are both asleep so will read it through properly tomorrow when I get a chance. Think I will have to give myself a good talking to and start expressing whenever i get the chance- hated doing it with dd1 and never got that much but think it became a vicious circle. One friend said a glass of wine helped her with expressing and I guess if it takes a couple i can always chuck the milk if i think it is too alcoholic!

RBH,it's quite late so not many about but just wanted to add my voice of support.
That other thread is full of useful advice.
It sounds like you are pretty much there anyway.

I wouldn't worry too much about the expressing.
Maybe easier just to offer the baby the breast more often?
Why make life more complicated?
As you b/feed you can always read a story or watch tv with your other child.

Don't worry about the booze either.A few glasses of wine are a breastfeeding essential in my book and the aMOUNT of alcohol in the milk will be minimal.

Hi RBH. I'm mixed feeding too, but my baby's a lot older than yours (19.5 weeks).

I think a lot depends on how flexible you are. Mine usually does want a formula top up but if he doesn't cry for one I sometimes leave him without. He may go for three hours before he wants another feed, or he may want a feed after 1.5 hours - if you're not too bothered about a feeding routine at this stage you could just go with the flow. You'll probably have to give formula after the next bf but that's one more bf to stimulate your supply. Whether I do or don't offer a top-up (when he doesn't cry) usually depends on how sore my boobs are that day, i.e. whether I can face another breastfeed so soon. In your case I suppose it would depend on how much time you have.

I hope this rambling post makes some sense. It definitely sounds like things are going in the right direction for you. BTW I would tend to believe the NCT counsellor - my DS had loads of mucus for a few days after he was born and it completely messed up the bf.

Oh, and I gave up on expressing ages ago. I got fed up of spending so much time expressing instead of playing with DS (oh, and doing the housework of course ).

Hi RBH

What worked for us (21 months between dd1 and dd2) was a baby doll and a "special pillow". In the endlessly feeding early days dd1 and I would sit on the sofa with our babies and our pillows and chat or read books or watch movies.

DH and I praised dd1 to the skies for looking after her baby so well, so she was very keen to give her baby milk, and it certainly bought me a lot of bf time.

Good luck

RBH, you are doing great to have kept up the bf under such pressure - 6 ounce bottles after every feed are a massive assault on breastfeeding and it's great you are managing to reduce those. Whoever advised you to give 6 oz top ups knows zip about supporting breastfeeding....

If the weight is fine, then just put your baby to the breast again if she seems to want more. If you can find time to express, then that's fine, and means you have something as a top up if you feel you need it, but my guess is that a period of intensive bf will get you back to full bf. I don't think there will be much to choose between the work needed to do this and the work needed to faff on with bottles of formula....

Good luck

Thank you all for your support! After 7 feeds in a row where she hasn't taken more than 4 oz formula I have decided to only offer 4oz and if she is still hungry just give a top-up top-up of more breast milk! And she slept just as well as when she gets more formula so I reckon she must be getting enough food. She is also latching on much better than she was so upping the amount of bfs won't be bad for me. HV coming to weigh her tomorrow but have decided probably not to talk to her but to go with my instincts. And thank god for cbeebies and Where the Wild Things Are!