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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Can someone tell me what is likely to happen with this scenario?

50 replies

PeckaRolloverAgain · 22/01/2008 14:20

Last night, my DH gave my almost 3 week old 1 bottle - it was the first one she has had.

Breast feeding has been going well and I seem to have established good milk supply - DD has been weighed once at 10 days and had put on 8oz.

I have had some really dreadful nights with her culminating in the giving of this bottle last night so that I could get a couple of hours sleep.

DH is back to work after paternity leave and I have 2 other children to care for.

Anyway, I had started expressing here and there so she had what I got out last but it wasnt quite 3 ounce so I used a little bit of formula to top it up to just over 4 oz.

Anyway, she took 3oz of this EBM/Formula mix, settled well and we both got some rest. (DH thoroughly enjoyed giving the feed too and DD took it no problem)

What I would like to know is - what is the likely effect of my supply

a) doing this regularly (ie last feed of the day and me expressing)
b) randomly just when I really feel I need it.

I would like to introduce it as and when/regularly but wont at all if it it will have a very real threat to my milk supply and long term breast feeding.

DD feeds at least 3 hourly during the day and usually quite frequently over night too.

Sorry its longwinded!

OP posts:

HighlandFling · 22/01/2008 15:08

Hi there

My ds is 19 months and way past the bottle feeding stage. However, I can remember that I gave him a bottle in about week 3 as I was advised by midwife to rest my sore, cracked boob. I have to say that I think it was a very good thing introducing a bottle at that age as it seems to create a 'blueprint' in their minds of how to feed from a bottle, which is great later on to avoid a battle getting them to take it.

I expressed regularly at the same time each day, to make sure my milk supply could accomodate producing this extra amount to store. If your husband enjoyed doing the feed and you felt good for getting a solid stretch of sleep I would say get into a routine of expressing, so you have a store in the freezer that can then be bottle fed.

However, if you only wanted to do it occasionaly I'm sure your milk supply could cope. The only down side to this is you might not be able to produce as much as you need on demand at short notice.

You say you have two others to look after. Bit puzzled that you haven't been through it with them...or maybe they are not yours and this is your first time wading through all this breastfeeding stuff. Sorry if I am being dense.

Anyway, hope that helps. If you have any other questions about it I will try and help.

Do what works! Its great that your partner is getting involved esp if it means you are going to be more rested and ready to tackle the days!!

You say you have two other children to care

HighlandFling · 22/01/2008 15:10

Oops sorry about repeating myself at the end got distracted and posted without checking it

Original poster

PeckaRolloverAgain · 22/01/2008 15:36

Highland Fling - I have two other kids that are mine but DD was fully formula fed and DS was exclusively breast fed past this stage so that supply issues werent as important.

OP posts:

doggiesayswoof · 22/01/2008 15:48

I think as long as you are still feeding regularly and expressing as well (and I'm presuming you're intending still to do the night feeds?) your supply should be fine.

However I found that the evenings were when my supply was lowest and I needed to bf in the evening to be confident that supply wasn't going to be affected. So I can understand why you are unsure.

bumping for someone more authoritative than me!!

FioFio · 22/01/2008 15:49

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rockdoctor · 22/01/2008 17:44

Feeling a lot better knowing that someone else is doing the same as us. DD is 3 weeks and at the end of week 2 I introduced a bottle for occasional night feeds - sometimes EBM, sometimes not. It is working for us right now although she is a difficult feeder at the best of times and I am trying to resist the temptation to substitute more bottles throughout the day.

I guess being a first timer, the bottle at least gives me confidence that she's getting enough, particularly at night.

MrsBadger · 22/01/2008 17:53

If dh is back at work and the bottle is ad hoc (ie not always an evening feed) then is it most likely to be you giving it?
If so my personal view is that it'd be less faff to put dd straight on the breast than fiddle with bottle etc.

However if it's an evening one that dh can do while you eat / sleep / wrangle the other two then it might have more of a point...
but if you want that bottle to be ebm would the time spent expressing outweigh the time freed up by dh doing a feed?

callmeovercautious · 22/01/2008 17:58

I expressed every few days and built up a little supply in the freezer so DP could give DD a bottle once or twice a week. DD was about the same age, younger than 6 weeks anyway. She never had a problem taking a bottle or nipple confusion (although both may be luck?).

She always fed so much at night anyway and my supply was good from day one so I was not worried about that aspect.

It will give you a rest every now and then and if you are ever ill you know lo will still get fed.

HTH

lulumama · 22/01/2008 18:03

i would ensure you do the night feeds as more prolactin at night.... one bottle will probably be ok. do you have to mix it with formula? mabye build up a store of EBM instead

have you had a look at www.kellymom.com and hunkers blog...can link to it later!

Original poster

PeckaRolloverAgain · 22/01/2008 20:06

I always do the night feeds, one of the best benefits of breast feeding. Last night it was at 10pm when Id been feeding and settling DD for hours, I was desperate for a bath and just a break for a bit.

I used some formula last night as hadnt expected to need EBM as hadnt planned on using a bottle yet.

BUT because I thoroughly enjoyed the break I was wondering if I could introduce it sometimes.

Wanted to know exactly what might happen if I do this again.

OP posts:

Smamfa · 22/01/2008 20:36

I always found it easier to express in the morning, don't know why there was more then, but I was able to build up quite a big supply in the freezer. I was advised by a health visitor that providing I was still breastfeeding I could 'step it up' if I needed to (we were going on holiday and ds was too young for jabs). And lo, he picked up a nasty tummy bug and didn't want anything but breastmilk for three days. Put a bit of a downer on the hol but all was fine.

I say, a decent nights sleep has enormous health benefits for mother and child!

Smamfa · 22/01/2008 20:36

I say, a decent nights sleep has enormous health benefits for mother and child!

HighlandFling · 22/01/2008 20:44

I expressed in the morning too. Sat there with a bloody hand pump for about 20 mins! It was a real drag, but seemed to be the best time of day.

I am expecting another and am seriously considering an electric pump as I have been told they do the business (although find the thought of them a bit scary)

cadelaide · 22/01/2008 20:47

Ds1 had a bottle of formula at about 8pm every night from about 5 weeks, never more and never less as i recall.
Worked well for us.

Smamfa · 22/01/2008 20:51

Electric Pump was very good, but it is f*ing weird to sit there milking yourself! I used the plastic cushiony bit from the avent hand pump on the yellow electric one (can't remember the name).

But 30 mins in the morning on the bed with the telly on (Don't come in, I'm expressing!) Marvellous!

pooka · 22/01/2008 20:52

I used to express in the morning too. In fact, when I got proficient, would express with the pump on one side, with the handle down so constant suction, while dd fed on the other. Meant I got heaps of milk and I never got the hang of expressing and getting the fantastic let down at any other time.
With ds, well, I think I expressed maybe twice. Just couldn't be bothered and seemed easier for me to feed direct than to faff about with the pump and milk storage.

Piffy · 22/01/2008 20:59

I did exactly the same as you with DS, now nearly 2 and now had DD 8 weeks, she has had a bottle at 8-10pm ish since 3 weeks. If I have had time/energy/enough milk left during the day she has EBM, if not, or if she is particularly hungry, she has formula. I think the luxury of getting to bed even one hour early is well worth it, and have never noticed any problem with supply. The only downside I've noticed is that boobs tend to get very full overnight as I have 'missed' a feed. But I can put up with the discomfort for a few hours kip! The big benefit is that DS had no prob being weaned onto a bottle or onto formula when I went back to work, as he was alreay well used to them. Plus I found it really helped my DH bond with them both, lots of snuggles for him!

BTW would totally support electric pump, no more getting RSI from hand pump, mine is fab and much quicker. Only problem is it's a bit loud. But both seemed to get used to it (I express in the morning from one side whilst feeding from the other side). DS tried to put it on himself this morning luckily he couldn't switch on the button or he may have got a shock! LOL

Original poster

PeckaRolloverAgain · 22/01/2008 21:04

I can never manage to express in am. Its enough trying to get three kids all ready and fed and at the school for 8.30!

which elec pump would you recommend?

OP posts:

FioFio · 23/01/2008 13:05

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StarlightMcKenzie · 23/01/2008 13:15

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tiktok · 23/01/2008 13:48

Pecka, you need to know the best health outcomes are seen in babies who are excl bf for 6 mths. Giving formula does not benefit your baby in any way, and I have spoken to many mothers who started mixed feeding - yes, with just one bottle - who have gone on to find their milk supply did drop, and their confidence in bf was affected....result was a fully formula fed baby, not a mixed fed/predominantly bf one.

You cannot predict which mothers will 'get away with' a daily bottle - some do, of course.

A bottle of anything, including EBM, impacts on the supply because it lengthens the gap between feeds. In the early weeks, especially, this is not a good thing.

Giving a bottle 'randomly, just when I feel I really need it' means a lot of hassle and expressing (if you are giving ebm)....why not just bf more often, and reduce the workload of expressing and putting it in a bottle, cleaning the bottle and teat?

It is your choice how much weight to give to these downsides, of course, but your baby is only 3 weeks, and things change by themselves as time goes on

Original poster

PeckaRolloverAgain · 23/01/2008 16:53

Im sending myself round the twist!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:

tiktok · 23/01/2008 16:59

Hope I didn't help to send you round the twist, Pecka

In the end it is your choice, but you do not have to make it today!

You can make a choice at any time, bearing in mind the pros and the cons.

It's very unlikely your supply is established at just 3 weeks, so now is probably not the time to try anything new if it is important for you to continue breastfeeding as easily as poss....but only you know what is best for you.

Ledodgy · 23/01/2008 16:59

im round there with you! i feel like i'm in hell seriously..sorry no caps baby in arms.

StarlightMcKenzie · 23/01/2008 17:02

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