Is it worth expressing 6oz per day for 2 week old baby?

[Jane101]

Having been guilt stricken for 18 months after failing to breastfeed ds1, I decided to try again with ds2, but not get too upset if it didn't work. Yet again, I've given up when it got tough, but I don't feel so bad about it this time.

Through a combination of breastfeeding and expressing, I gave him mostly breastmilk for his 1st week, and about half breastmilk and half formula for the 2nd week.

Inevitably, my supply is drying up, but I can still manage to express about 6oz a day. He is drinking a total of about 30oz in 24 hours, so that is around 20% breastmilk.

The thing is, should I call it a day now, or is there any benefit in continuing with this small amount of breastmilk daily for now? Any views?

Do you want to go back to bf?

I would say that any breastmilk is better than no breastmilk at all.

If you would really like to continue to breastfeed, then it's not too late to start again- have you talked to a breastfeeding counsellor?

No - if you'd asked me when ds1 was small, I'd have said that yes, I really wanted to breastfeed because I know it's the best thing to do. But this time, although I know I ought to breastfeed, I really don't want to.

I know it would have been better if I'd persevered with it, and although I had problems, I probably could have done it if I'd been committed enough. And I agree, it still ought to be possible to change my mind. But I've made the decision, I'm not thinking of giving it another go.

I would say then as Tissy siad any is better than none.

any breastmilk better than no breastmilk, imo. if you change your mind and do want support re: reinstating more feeding, i got terrific help with both my girls from la leche league

Although if it were me i'd probably not express if I didnt want to feed.

If you feel good about expressing, then go ahead and continue for as long as you wish. If not, then stop. You've given your ds a good start. Any amount of breastmilk is good, but ultimately it boils down to how you feel, because a happy and contented mummy is equally important.

I know breastmilk is better but I'd be tempted to knock it on the head in your shoes. I don't mind feeding but I find expressing a real PITA.
I 100% bottle fed my dd after about a week as couldn't breast feed successfully and she's 4 and perfectly healthy so it's not the end of the world.
I am mostly breastfeeding ds but gave up expressing after about 2 weeks as it took so long on top of all the feeding and I got really fed up with it.
If however you find the expressing quite easy and don't mind doing it then persevere for as long as you feel that way, but I'd be inclined to stop if you start resenting it.

Expressing is a right pain - you have my sympathies I had to do it for DD when she had jaundice for 2 weeks. I did manage to get her back to BF after that, 3 weeks in it was really painful but I got advice from a BF councillor and we managed it in the end. She's 9 weeks now and it is so easy. Don't feel guilty if you go over to bottlefeeding though, if it's right for the both of you.

At the times you normally express have you considered just breastfeeding? That would remove some of the hassle factor, baby would probably get more than 6oz. IMO breastfeeding is easier than expressing. You could decide when you were going to breastfeed eg morning and night and formula feed inbetween.
However, if you don't want to do that I would also say some breastmilk is better than none.

Thanks for all your advice. It's good to know that other people agree that a little bit of breastmilk isn't a waste of time. I think I will try to continue giving him what I can for at least a few more days.

Continue for as long as you want to. I had horrendous problems breastfeeding (mastitis, thrush, infected nipple - you name it) so couldn't breastfeed. I expressed until she was sixteen weeks old. At the end I was only getting 1oz a day but it made me feel better. People urged me to give up,saying it took too long to express but I wanted to continue. She is 100% bottlefed now. The important thing is do what YOU want to do.