Please help - trying to establish combination feeding but DD seems in pain with formula

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

I am a second time Mum to DD2 who is 10 days old. I was determined to breastfeed this time as wasn't able to with DD1 (Or rather offered her one bottle and she then refused the boob completely).

I was planning to breast feed and then introduce a bottle later on. I broke down on the MW last week because DD is feeding more or less constantly throughout the day and I don't get a break. That day I had fed from 7am to 3pm. I have a 3 year old and I miss her - I literally have a new born attached to me 0

[QueenAravisOfArchenland]

Is she drinking all the time she's attached to you - can you hear/see swallowing? How's her weight gain been? Nappies?

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

Posted too soon. I literally have a newborn attached to me all the time. When my OH goes back to work I'm just not going to be able to feed for 4 hours in a row - I need to look after my daughter.

MW suggested introducing a bottle or two a day now to see how it goes. We tried one yesterday and one today as top-ups. DD fed OK and went back to the boob at next feeds after a bit of fussing. But she's also started crying like she's in pain after the feed for a couple of hours, being and then doing a big exploding poo. I feel so guilty.

Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do? Can formula cause this reaction after just one bottle? We've been using the ready-mixed aptamil rather than making it ourselves from powder so could that be it? I really need to get mix feeding established for my own sanity and for my family to start functioning again but I don't want my newborn to be in pain. Am getting really anxious about the whole thing.

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

Yes, drinking when attached (though with pauses) I can hear swallowing and MW has checked the latch. Weight gain good (back to birth weight) and plenty of wet nappies.

[Onceuponatimethen]

I’m really sorry to hear it’s been hard Sounds like you did brilliantly getting the bf established.

I went through something a bit like this too but had a very reassuring mw who said it was just normal cluster feeding and would very soon pass. If you ride it out for a week and stick to just bf to see how you go you might find it easier than combi feeding in the long run - no sterilising and no feeds to make up, totally portable.

[QueenAravisOfArchenland]

Tbh if she's properly clustering all that time it's unlikely to stay that way and she may well feed less shortly.

Re the apparent pain from formula - wind? Does she bring wind up easily? Cows milk intolerance?

[QueenAravisOfArchenland]

Also, try feeding in a sling - I use a Close Caboo. With a little practice you can feed using one hand to support and walk around quite easily - I sort my 3yo out that way. Lots of YouTube vids to demonstrate.

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

How long does cluster feeding take to pass though? I've got another 10 days till I'm on my own with both of them for at least some of the week. I'd also really like the option of being able to leave the house on my own at some point and letting my OH do some of the feeds so I can spend some time with DD1. I can't explain how much I miss all the time we used to spend together. I'm crying writing this.

[StepAwayFromGoogle]

I'm assuming it's wind but I've been using infacol and burping regularly throughout the feed as well as not letting her drink too fast. She didn't bring up a lot of burps to be fair so possibly that's it. Maybe I could burp het for longer? x