Advice needed on topping up with formula

[gbm]

Hi all, my ds is 20 weeks old and up until 4 days ago he has been breast fed with no problems. Over the past 4 days i do not seem to have been producing enough milk to satisfy him. I have been waiting for my supply to catch up with demand but so far this has not happended, i have been unable to express due to lack of milk but need to provide a supply when i am not around
Any advice on what formula or how to go about mixed feeding would be greatly appreciated so i am able to continue breast feeding

If you really want to continue breastfeeding then don't top up. Your body will make the amount of milk your LO needs if you let your LO tell your body how much that is by sucking as much as he wants. You have successfully breasfed to 20 weeks so your body is definitely capable of producing lots of milk.

Are you tired/stressed/under the weather? If so try and get lots of rest. Drink lots. Get as much skin to skin with your LO as possible and let him feed whenever he wants. Your supply will soonj catch-up .

Gbm,you don't need formula.Just feed more,The more you feed,the more you mkae.
Enjoy the simplicity of it all.

gbm, it's really common for women to feel they don't have enough milk....far more common than it actually being the case. A baby who simply wants to feed more often and who seems unsatisfied with the previous pattern of feeds is not telling you that you don't have enough for him. You want to continue feeding - mixed feeding might compromise this. Can you give more info as to why you think you don't have enough?

Hi thanks for the replies, i feel my ds is not getting enough milk because he continues to feed around every hour and a half during the day but is not satisfied after a long feed on both breasts. When he is ready for the next feed my breasts feel empty and he starts to feed but becomes frustrated. My ds has had growth spurts before and the milk has caught up after a couple of days but on this occasion it has been four days! I also need to provide milk for when i am not here and cant obtain milk when expressing at present.

gbm....how do you feel about offering a third or fourth breast after he has had what he wants with two?

Hi tiktok, im not sure what you mean? He empties both breasts and then cant seem to get any more milk, and i cant express any either. Thats why i'm considering formula top up, for when i seem to have 'run out', or when im not here, and would usually give ebm.

Hi, gbm. By 'third' breast I just mean putting him back on the first breast again after he has told you he has had enough on the second.

Many women can't express milk.

At 20 weeks, just on breastmilk alone, mothers do not run out of breastmilk. Babies can be fussy and difficult to comfort, however, at any age. They may take less time at the breast and object if they are offered the breast again and again when they don't want it.

Sometimes, mothers about to start a period report their babies are fussy in the days before (something to do with the taste of the milk, it's thought).

The introduction of formula would impact on your supply - probably not drastically, if you kept it to the odd bottle occasionally, but it's not the answer to concerns about low milk supply, that's for sure!

Very relieved, tiktok! Have been looking down at my chest wondering why I only have two when some women obviously have more!

at chip!!