Calling all breastfeeding experts. How to successfully breastfeed 3rd time lucky

[Walpa64]

I've had two disasterous attempts at breastfeeding my DC. I have low supply due to surgery and only make 300-400ml a day. DC1 never latched and I ended up miserably expressing for 6 months. DC2 latched but due to horrendous cut up nipples and lack of support, I ended up solely formula feeding from 3 weeks old. I believe I would've continued breastfeeding DC2 if I had more support. As soon as I introduced formula on day 3, baby refused breast. As I was already in agony I just went along with it and slowly feeds reduced. How can I make sure this won't happen to DC3? I know they will have to have some formula but how do I go about this? Is it better to replace a half the feeds with formula or breastfeed first at every feed then offer the bottle?

Use a supplemental feeding system

shop.medela.co.uk/products/feeding/supplemental-nursing-system/

Can you afford to have a lactation consultant come to visit you in the early days?

If you can make 3-400ml per day then baby shouldn’t need topping up for the first couple of weeks. I would try and hold off giving a bottle/formula as long as possible. You could also try mixing formula with expresses milk so that it tastes more similar and baby doesn’t develop a preference for formula?

Are you 100% sure that your supply is too low? The amount you express doesn’t indicate how much you can make.

Another thing you could do is to have specific times that you only breastfeed. For example overnight. That way even if baby gets used to bottles during the day they will get used to having overnight breastfeeds. This is what I did with DD1 and she BF until 21 months.

I'd agree with not supplementing with formula until you're actually sure there's an issue with supply.

Feed on demand and buy masses of lanisoh nipple cream! Your nipples will probably have toughened up a bit due to the unfortunate soreness with your 2nd. If you can get past the first 3/4 weeks, you’ve probably cracked it so garner all the support you can early on. Good luck with it x

Firstly I was advised (with dd2) to feed as soon after birth as possible, within 5 mins is WHO advice which my hospital followed. Also feed on demand. It was so much easier than dd1 who was born elsewhere and I was expected to shower etc before even a suggestion to feed.

But it's also ok to supplement if you need to, just always breastfeed first

Yes I could afford a lactation consultant to come visit and I really regret not doing that with DC2. I will try hold out this time and give formula as late as possible. I'm pretty certain that's all I make due to the amount of tissue removed from my breasts. I can definitely feel the difference between my breasts feeling full and empty too. I'll stock up on lanisoh, I don't think I was religious enough with it last time! @gogohm I think that's why DC1 never latched. Had an emergency section and baby was kept away from me for 45 minutes. Luckily DC2 was put on me for skin to skin straight away and fed instantly.

A specialist lactation consultant will be able to work with you to establish whether you can actually make enough without needing to top up.

Lots of people end up with a low supply due to getting themselves into a “top up trap” (Google it, it explains why so many people give up breastfeeding before they want to). So it may be that you actually can make enough yourself and that previous issues with supply have been caused by supplementing with formula (not trying to make you feel bad here, you obviously did what you felt was needed at the time, and it’s clearly possible that you may actually need to top up but its also possible that you won’t!)

Absolutely get a lactation consultant to visit; an awful lot of it is about positioning.

I was shoved backwards onto my sofa and baby arranged in a certain way across me, feet on my leg so he could push when he needed to control flow. Happy Netflixing days! (Laid back breastfeeding.) first baby had a mild tongue tie but half of it was still in positioning even after it was cut.

Congratulations!

Abd they'll be able to advise re how much to supplement.

I'd try calling the lll today too, or the bf helpline or NCT.