have any of you succesfully reverted back to exclusive bf?

[horsygirl]

I want to as I am regretting introducing formula (i'm quite happy to express and give a bottle that way) but my supply has gone down considerably. Any tips on how to do it?

I did this and it is easier than you think! Because I had quite a nasty cs I had to stay in hospital for 5 days and my milk was a bit late coming in so the midwives persuaded me to supplement with formula as ds wasn't settling.

As soon as I got home I put him on the breast every 2 hours which was when he seemed to want to eat and lo and after about one day my supply seemed to catch up.

If your dc is a bit older it might take a few days but just express every 3 hours or so and that should do it. Good luck!

But if i express won't there be nothing left for him to eat??!

I managed to return to ebf with dd1. When she was about 12 weeks I was completely exhausted, feeding her for 45 minutes at a time then having barely an hour between feeds before we started again (although she was good at night). She started having a few bottles of formula, and within about 5 days I stopped bf completely. After about 3 days of this we realised that ff wasn't the answer, she was getting plenty of food but she obviously needed lots of comfort. I also felt guilty and found the poos revolting compared to the bm ones. We went cold turkey on the bottles, and we just fed alot until my milk supply was sorted again (just a few days I think). I then managed to feed until she was 1. I've always been lucky and never felt I had a problem with supply, I think there are some herbal teas that are particuarly good - hopefully someone will be along soon to help.

I think the best thing is probably to be prepared for a tiring few days, plenty of rest and fluids, and try not to do anything other than feed.

Good luck

nope - the more milk you take out of the breast (whether by expressing or direct to baby) the more milk you make

Your baby is much more efficient at getting milk out than an expressing machine. Your hormones do strange things which mean that even though you feel "empty" your baby still gets milk. I was always amazed at how much I could produce even when my boobs didn't feel full.

I don't know how it works either but it does, or at least it did for me. Obviously don't express immediately before a feed but maybe in between feeds either am or pm and evenings about 9 or 10ish?

is it true that babies are more efficient than pumps? even electric ones? mines from the hospital and its seriously strong.

they are more efficient but this doesn't mean just a stronger suction - it's the way the jaw and tongue work exactly with the structure of the ducts etc in the nipple.

babymoon horsegirl.
The best way to increase milk supply, and so much fun!
Go to bed, with your baby, and strip off from the wast up, baby in nappy, take lots of scrummy treats, any good books, drinks, watch crappy dvds, but just spend 24hours in bed with the baby latched on as much as he will.
Baby suckling is better than expressing but if he is asleep for a good period of time and you want to express, do so, it probably won't be needed if you can get him on the breast as much as possible though.

depends how long you have been on formula for. if a while, then you need to reduce it slowly, watching to make sure your lo keeps peeing enough. think there are guidelines on how to do this on www.kellymom.com.

I stopped bf entirely for one week- no expressing, no feeding, nothing. Thanks to MN advice I managed to crank it up again, and now at 5 months my DD has only one bottle a day. And I am bloody proud.

See my thread horsygirl:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/1364/445370?o=1211312038244

It did take quite a long time, dropping bottles very gradually.

I also used herbal tea to up my milk production. I don't know what the official take is on this as I haven't seen it advocated by MN regulars (eg. by Tiktok- sorry if I am wrong Tiktok) but it really had a very clear effect. I used www.healthstore.uk.com/p410720/TRADITIONAL-MEDICINALS-Organic-Mothers-Helper-Tea.html

Good luck!