Missed a feed, will it effect my milk supply?

[SassyPants87]

Hi all, just as title says. I missed a breastfeed with baby (16 days old) I forgot to put on my alarm that tells me to wake her every 3 hours for a feed. She slept for 6 hours by the time I had woken up and realised! We combi feed her so gave her formula when she woke up but now I'm thinking I should have given her breast as it could potentially decrease my milk supply?

I'll give her breast at her next feed in 3 hours and I would pump now but haven't got round to getting a pump yet

Do you think my supply will be okay?

Your supply normally adjusts to what your baby is removing. I never combi fed mine but I tandem fed and donated milk so I was able to increase my supply to a massive amount just by removing more milk. So the fact that you're feeding every three hours seems very low to me, my one year old feeds that often. I thought for a newborn it was more like 10-12 times per 24 hours and according to the baby, so it could be much more. Mine used to easily manage 30 feeds or more but it's not as bad as it sounds, sometimes they only wanted a sip of milk. Every baby is different and I'm no expert though.
Kelly mom is a great resource with loads of useful information. Also if you are on Facebook follow Lucy ruddle, she gives lots of good tips and useful info.
Congratulations on your new arrival x

@Hollywhiskey thanks for the suggestion on the website and fb group I will check that out

My baby loves sleep way too much! So health advisor said feeds every 3 hours is fine, plus she's been putting on weight so far, 200g a week when the average should be 50g a week so she's definitely getting what she needs from me

I didn't combi feed so it's possibly a bit more complicated for you, but after the first week I just fed on demand. Sometimes that ment after 20 minutes and sometimes it was after 5-6 hours (rearly). Your baby will probably take more milk over the rest of the day to balance off the missed feed. I'd just give the same amount of formula you usually do, and let baby breastfeed when they seem hungry.

Feeding every three hours for a newborn is absolutely fine (as long as they're not wanting it sooner than that). Missing one feed is not going to massively affect your supply, just bf at the next one and try to bf/express on the evening and night when prolactin is higher. Congratulations on your little one

At 16 days old your milk supply is still regulating, not feeding for 6hrs isn't ideal but certainly not catastrophic by any means. As others have said, the more you feed, the more milk you will make and the less you feed the less you will make. Long term, the combination feeding may do more to decrease your milk supply than just missing one feed. Lots of skin to skin contact and putting baby to the breast as often as you can will help build up & establish your supply.
Keep going....you're doing a great job!

@choosername1234 the only reason we give her formula is because I'm vegan and we don't want her to become dairy intolerant. But I might try giving it to her as a top up to breast milk a couple of times rather than one whole feed. That way I can keep my milk supply going?

I know absolutely nothing nothing about being vegan so please do ignore me if I'm wrong here, but is it possible you're mixing up dairy (lactose) with CMPA? As a vegan you would of course not have any cows' milk protein in your breast milk but I think lactose may be present naturally as a milk sugar. As I say, I very possibly am wrong here.
Topping up might be a safer option for you if you are hoping to feed long term. Have you considered hand expressing some milk while baby has formula? I think you may be a little early for pumping but recommendations may have changed since I last breast fed 6 yrs ago (although my 2nd baby is due next week so I have to learn again too)

Hey I'm vegan you're still best to just breastfeed you won't make her dairy intolerant. If you're passionate about breastfeeding long term you're better off just breastfeeding with no formula supplementation

I missed feeds frequently when I first started bf, I had built up a little stash and regularly gave expressed milk when i was nervous about feeding out and about at first and my supply was never affected. Still feeding at 18 months. As long as you arent missing full days, not that you would comfortably be able to a 16 days anywhere I wouldnt worry. Having said that, knowing what I know now id probably try not not miss as many next time

I'm vegan and ebf mine, he's 10m now. I don't think giving formula prevents a dairy intolerance. as pp said if you want to bf in all other respects you could gradually drop the formula and increase your supply. congratulations on your baby! xx

@choosername1234

I know absolutely nothing nothing about being vegan so please do ignore me if I'm wrong here, but is it possible you're mixing up dairy (lactose) with CMPA? As a vegan you would of course not have any cows' milk protein in your breast milk but I think lactose may be present naturally as a milk sugar. As I say, I very possibly am wrong here. Topping up might be a safer option for you if you are hoping to feed long term. Have you considered hand expressing some milk while baby has formula? I think you may be a little early for pumping but recommendations may have changed since I last breast fed 6 yrs ago (although my 2nd baby is due next week so I have to learn again too)

yes you're right lactose is a milk sugar present in breastmilk.

@choosername1234

I know absolutely nothing nothing about being vegan so please do ignore me if I'm wrong here, but is it possible you're mixing up dairy (lactose) with CMPA? As a vegan you would of course not have any cows' milk protein in your breast milk but I think lactose may be present naturally as a milk sugar. As I say, I very possibly am wrong here. Topping up might be a safer option for you if you are hoping to feed long term. Have you considered hand expressing some milk while baby has formula? I think you may be a little early for pumping but recommendations may have changed since I last breast fed 6 yrs ago (although my 2nd baby is due next week so I have to learn again too)

Ahhh I actually didn't know this I thought it was the same thing!