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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Down about formula top ups. Is there a way back to fill bf?

110 replies

Jellybabie3 · 15/10/2017 00:08

So my DS is 7 days old. He lost 13% body weight after birth which was thought to be a result of a stressful birth (ended in c section) and me losing alot of blood so having low milk. He remained in hospital where we were forced to implement a feeding plan which involved bf, 45 min express and formula top up every 3 hours. Ds quickly put on weight and was discharged. He is now 8% underweight. Now we are home we really want to focus on bf. We are gutted we had to add formula. But my DS is such a hungry baby and i am feeding him all day and he is still hungry and agitated. I feel like a dairy cow, not a mum and he is still not full. We give him approx 70ml top up of formula before bed. Is there a way out of this? I am worried he will lose more weight and at the same time so so sad that i cant provide fully for him. I am also expressing a couple of times a day but this is usually only about 40ml.

Any help/advice? I really dont want DS to go off bf

OP posts:
Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 18/10/2017 13:01

Just seen mw. DS is now only 3.7% underweight so has put on around 5% since last thurs so he has now been discharged Smile mw has advised to stop recording feeds, carry on with formula but to try and switch to ebm when new pump arrives tomorow (im leaking like a gooden). Thanks all i really appreciate your help -you've all kept me sane Flowers. Will keep trying to find ways to get him down at night as best we can Smile

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pemberleypearl · 18/10/2017 13:05

Hi OP hope you get lots of support from midwives and hv. Insist on it. Just wanted to drop a note quickly to say don't get worked up about the hospital insisting on a plan and "force feeding" him. Your baby lost a lot of weight. This isn't your fault - he just lost the weight. He needs feeding and if for a while he needs formula as well then he needs formula. Better your baby be fed than starving.

BertrandRussell · 18/10/2017 13:19

That's fantastic news!

Just one thing- I found bf really easy, loads of milk etc etc etc, but I just could not express to save my life. So don't get discouraged if you find it hard. Just put him to the breast loads and loads. And co sleep. Who said that?.....?

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 18/10/2017 13:23

Thanks although way to wimpy to co-sleep!!

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RatRolyPoly · 18/10/2017 13:25

Just read your whole thread Jelly and wanted to offer my congrats and encouragement! You've done brilliantly, sounds like you've really turned a corner.

Just to forewarn you, there will be days on the future where your ds goes back feeding constantly and you'll probably start thinking, "oh no, my supply's dried up! My boobs feel empty, my baby's ALWAYS hungry, help!". Then on day 2 you'll be going out of your mind and reaching for the formula... But don't panic! During a growth spurt your baby will suddenly be wanting more milk and it takes around 48 hours for your supply adjust to the new demand. Totally normal and it all goes back to normal after a couple days; just warning you to save you climbing the walls like I was :)

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 18/10/2017 14:16

Ok thanks. Atleast i am warned!!

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Foggymist · 19/10/2017 00:18

How do you mean youre too wimpy to cosleep? It's perfectly natural, do you ever see tiny kittens kicked out into a separate box? No, mammals curl up together for security and warmth. Google safe cosleeping guidelines, a breastfed mother's body knows where her baby is even when asleep. And also please Google the fourth trimester. Your 9-10 day old baby wanting to sleep on you/not sleep in cot/having day and night mixed up is not an issue, it's completely normal. You are all he knows, your warmth, smell, voice and heartbeat are his safe place in a new scary world.

LapinR0se · 19/10/2017 07:50

Goofy the safest place for a baby to sleep is flat on his back on a firm mattress. So it's perfectly understandable to be nervous about co sleeping

LapinR0se · 19/10/2017 07:50

Goofy = Foggy!! Sorry Blush

NameChange30 · 19/10/2017 07:54

Well technically a baby could still be flat on its back on a firm mattress in its parents' bed. But I believe the Lullaby Trust recommend a separate sleep surface, in the same room as the parents up to a minimum of 6 months of age.

If you Google "safe co-sleeping" or "safe bedsharing" there are guidelines to follow. I've always felt more comfortable with DS next to me in a bedside crib (with the side down). He had his own space but I could easily scoop him in and out to feed in bed. Best of both worlds IMO. But you do need to be aware of the guidelines in case of accidentally falling asleep while feeding (which I've done many times!)

Foggymist · 19/10/2017 08:03

Obviously the baby would sleep flat on his back on a firm mattress, I said follow safe cosleeping guidelines Confused A cosleeper cot or most people's mattresses are suitable unless the parents have been sleeping on a crappy old thing or memory foam one themselves.

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2017 08:05

Sorry i just mean I'm terrified of falling asleep with DS in bed. As is DH. Since the hosp we both have frequently woke with panic attacks that we have....usually while one of realises they are cradling some duvet Blush and DS is still in moses beside us....

In other news DS has just from a 5 1/2 sleep Shock he took 1.5 hours bf (sidw swapping) + 120ml formula between 10pm and 2am before going down

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Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2017 08:06

And ewan the dream sheep set to static

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BertieBotts · 19/10/2017 08:18

You need real life support with this, not just help on an Internet forum. This is really important :(

WRT co sleeping how would you feel about a sidecar cot? I found that a really helpful thing when DS was little. You can convert many cots so don't necessarily have to buy anything new.

Sounds like you are doing great. In general feed as much as you can, express if you can but don't panic if you can't. Especially feed when you feel 'empty' as this is telling your boobs to make more, breasts are never truly empty as you'll make more milk on demand.

But try and find some good quality RL support.

LapinR0se · 19/10/2017 08:21

Sounds like you had a good night Smile

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2017 08:35

Rl support for the feeding you mean? Mw was happy yesterday and hv is coming today. We have been open about the formula etc. They looked at feeding charts.

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BertrandRussell · 19/10/2017 08:50

You're doing absolutely fine, jelly! Remember- one day at a time! Smile

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2017 08:53

We were concerned why DS needed so much formula last night after such a long feed. Will discuss with hv

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BertrandRussell · 19/10/2017 08:57

Did he need the formula because he wasn't bf any more, or had you had enough?(perfectly fine for you to have had enough for a bit!).

GrockleBocs · 19/10/2017 09:11

Like Bert I was incapable of expressing but successfully bf. I did use top up at the beginning too because my milk seems to be slow to get going. I lost a lot of weight suddenly too and we realised I needed 4 proper meals a day plus snacks and lots of fluid to get things moving.
By 6 weeks I was ebf.

BertieBotts · 19/10/2017 09:32

Yes and I would recommend going further than midwife and health visitor, as they are not always trained in breastfeeding support. If they are it is often a one day course so their knowledge varies massively and is generally linked to how much of a personal interest they happen to have.

I'm not saying you have to pay for support - there are support avenues which are not chargeable. If you do have the means to look for paid support make sure you look for somebody with the qualification IBCLC. Anybody can call themselves a breastfeeding specialist but that's the official one. For free or low cost support look at the link NameChange30 posted above.

RatRolyPoly · 19/10/2017 10:21

Jelly maybe he didn't need the extra formula, and without it would have woken in 2-3 hours to feed again instead of going 5.5 hours without. That would have been completely normal, and drinking from a bottle is super easy for babies (much easier than milking a boob!), so it probably didn't take much extra effort for him to wolf the extra formula.

Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2017 10:48

He wouldnt settle. Just screamed and clicked his mouth for more food. I tried to hand express my left breast and NOTHING more would come out (this is the weaker of the two). The right i was able to get some from but i have no pump and was so so sore from his suckling for an hour. I didn't believe i could have got him to sleep for 2 hours Sad

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Original poster
Jellybabie3 · 19/10/2017 10:51

Hes had another 45min feed this morn and back to sleep. So far for 2 hours.

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BertrandRussell · 19/10/2017 10:58

" The right i was able to get some from but i have no pump and was so so sore from his suckling for an hour"
So a bit of formula was a good idea. But do put him to the breast as often as you can. And lie down and sleep-or at least rest-whenever you can. Try not to sit on pins waiting for him to wake up again-he'll shout when he wants you!