Difficult Dr's appointment - told to cut down BF and add Formula

[Stefka]

I went to the Dr because I have been feeling really run down since I had my baby. He's seven months now and I still BF him as well as give him his solids. At the moment he has about four feeds a day and then he also feeds a couple of times in the night though those I think are just comfort go back to sleep type feeds.

The Dr told me that he should only be on three feeds a day and that because I am so run down I ought to add in some formula. She said I am not eating enough and therefore he won't be getting what he needs for me anyway plus he will be sucking me dry of nutrients that I need. She wasn't nasty about it at all but said she was very worried about my health.

I don't want to give him formula. I am not sure about cutting down his feeds either. I have to go back and see her again. She gave me a prescription for some kind of multivitamin. I feel kind of confused and upset and not sure what to do.

Get your thyroid levels checked - I'm bf & have been really tired - my doc did a blood test for thyoid & iron.

my doc also said nothing about stopping or reducing bf. I bf on demand & have done this with all my children.

right, what i meant was you need to eat when you are breastfeeding cos your baby gets lots of food from you. I understood that the op's doctor wanted her to use formula to benefit her own health, not the baby's, of course she only needs to eat more if her own health was suffering, I thought this is what she was asking. I work with anorexic teenage mums so I was coming at this from a different view point. i'm very pro bf-ding, totally supportive and know that you don't need to eat specially to feed, UNLESS your own health is suffering to such an extent, and GIVING UP bf-ding is advised as a way of combatting this.

I think Stefka's thread has moved on from her original concern about her doctor's advice into her other worries about her own health and diet. Getting into entrenched views about BF and co-sleeping , either from an 'expert' or 'just trying to be helpful' angle probably isn't helping. I hope you start to feel better soon Stefka - sounds like you are doing a blimming great job feeding your LO

Thanks everyone. I am definitely going to stick at the breast feeding and it is really reassuring to hear that my own diet won't have a negative impact on my milk.

My DH just made me stand on the scales so he could check my weight. It's fine but I think I am getting the message! I need to eat better than I am.

I hope that when I go back to the Dr I can talk to her about this and that she will leave the breast feeding alone for now. Actually she didn't do herself any favours by telling me she put on loads of weight when she stopped! Hardly a good incentive to give up is it!