So confused about breastfeeding

[darlingsweetpea]

I am currently breastfeeding my 3 month old and he has 2x 3oz bottles of formula at different times of day. I only have one working breast.

I don't really see it as a problem having the bottle at different times as there is always milk available, however, I'm totally confused as to why I read about the need to boost my supply. Every time DS feeds, there seems to be plenty but am I doing something wrong?

I don't understand why people pump after feeds and in between feeds. What happens if you don't?

I have hand expressed a few times. Some bits squirt out quite quickly and far, where other bits drip. What is this?

Thanks for reading this far and any help would be appreciated.

Have you spoken to a lactation consultant? I breastfed 3 but didn't have the issue you are dealing with. The body can adapt beautifully to the needs of your baby and maybe you are producing enough milk without needing to supplement? I would get some advice from a health professional with a lot of experience with breastfeeding mothers.

Your not doing anything wrong but some people might not want to give bottle and boost supply to facilitate this. I exclusively breastfed my dd for a year from 1 breast and was fine.

It just depends on if you want to keep using formula to supplement. Breastmilk is supply and demand. Many women use formula as a short-term solution, with the goal of getting baby back to all breastmilk. If that is the goal, then you need to pump because your body won’t make more milk without the demand. Some women also pump after feedings because they need to do that to have enough milk to leave for bottles when they are at work or otherwise unavailable. This can be especially true for women who don’t respond well to the pump and need more sessions to get as much milk as the baby can get directly.

You don't need to pump but others may choose to as PPs have explained. I combi fed and was happy with DD having a bottle of formula a day - I found expressing hard work so didn't bother. I fed on demand so my supply increased (and later decreased as she weaned) naturally, no need for pumping.

At 3 months your supply is established. If you're happy, baby is happy, baby is gaining weight at the normal rate (approx 61

Sorry knocked post!

If baby is gaining around 6-8oz a week then all is good and you don't need to pump at all!

I think some people pump so that they can have a bottle for the baby when they aren't able to breastfeed/ someone else can do the feed.

There is no need to supplement with formula, but you will have to decrease that slowly to allow your body to adapt to making more milk.

The reason sometimes the milk squirts out and sometimes it just drips is because at times it's more full than others, or just at different stages through the day. Completely normal.

(I breastfed from 1 breast successfully)

Hi, I also breastfeed my LO from 1 breast. He did have the odd bottle of formula up until about 12 weeks when he started to refuse bottles. As long as baby is happy, alert when awake and gaining weight, it sounds like everything is absolutely fine. It's completely upto you whether you choose to express or not, it's definitely not a must

I just breast fed and gave a bottle at night, had no problems with supply.

I don't understand the point of exclusively breastfeeding beyond the point of weaning. Surely once you are feeding your child yoghurt and infant cereals and proteins and vege then it's no longer exclusively breast milk? Unless of course you mean you didn't wean until 12 months.

Thank you for your advice, it's really helpful. I guess I was concerned my milk would dry up as I gave two bottles and didn't pump. This doesn't seem to be the case though and I can carry on as I am.

Well done to those who did a whole year with one breast. For me it's not an option as I have to give formula for the time being as slow weight gain has been flagged.