Why is my BF 7 week old so much happier after having a top up bottle of formula?

[claudib]

i'm demand feeding (although am trying as much as i can to give my breasts a chance to fill up) and have so far been trying to avoid giving her a daily top up.
She often winges much of the day with me alternating between feeding and winding but she doesn't seem satisfied for long after feeds. but the times when i have given her a formula bottle -hey presto- my beautiful happy and contented little girl is back. i feel like by holding back from introducing a formula bottle i'm missing out on this time with her and want to enjoy her natural personality.

The usual response i get is don't use formula, put your feet up/telly/ chocolate -etc (although i'm not sure being inactive and eating badly is conducive to increasing my milk supply!).

What is so wrong with topping up? if i'm expressing at the same time can it really reduce my milk?
why do many advisors seem so against it? and how would they explain my daughter's change in personality when she has one..?

i topped up with both of mine and it helped me to continue to bfeed for 8 months each time - if i hadnt i would have prob stopped all together

the most important thing is your and your baby happiness - dont discuss it endlessly with all the mums you know - you'll get a different opinion from everyone - just do what is right for you and enjoy this precious time x

I am not an expert at all, but I can share that I have only ever felt 'full' over the last couple of days where my ds has been ill and gone off feeding (and refused one breast entirely ).

Anyway, ds is 3months and over 17lbs, so clearly getting enough even though I have never felt it (apart from all the leaking in the early days)! So don't think you need to let your breasts 'fill up'...

One thing I did this time was just let him feed/nurse whenever he seemed fractious (espesh in early few weeks) - if they don't need food, they need comfort anyway so you may as well nurse them - it does settle down and saves you having to think . And this is with a toddler - def enjoy watching telly and feeding with your lovely first baby!! (and congratulations).

I think as formula is harder to digest it makes them feel fuller than breast milk.

My DD is the same, only really content and satisfied after formula - she is still really grizzly after hours on the boob.

i haven't used formula much but suspect that if used to top up bf it makes babies feel that very overstuffed way one does after a giant sunday lunch. snooze will result.

bm is more easily digested and the process of bfeeding (supply and demand) has been evolved so i expect that interfering with that could have unforeseen consequences.

sometimes i express a big breastfeed like 7/8 oz to give at lunchtime

ds seems so much more content after it

claudib. how old is your dd?

You say you are demand feeding, but your bit about giving your breasts a chance to fill up makes it sound like you are not feeding every time she demands?

Milk production works on supply and demand. Giving your breasts "a chance to fill up" is not how it works. The only way to make more milk is to remove the milk more frequently from your breasts, either by pumping or feeding your dd. Eating badly and being inactive will make no difference to supply either, but eating well and getting out and about a bit will help you feel better.

You also seem to be giving yourself a lot of work what with sterilising everything for top ups, as well as expressing and dealign with all the paraphenalia that goes with it.

What happens if you put her back on the breast when she whinges?

I found that 99% of my ds's complaints were solved by giving him the breast which to me seems way easier than topping up and expressing.

I'm finding the same - leaking breasts in the morning so I express so not to waste it, then some days in the afternoon/evening he's whining on the breast and spitting it out in disgust, followed by screaming in hunger a minute later - repeat for hours.

A bfc/midwife said this is how it works - my supply has responded to the demand, just 12 hours out of sync because the system doesn't care about you needing sleep...

I was having a similar problem. DS in hospital was happy and looking around. DS at home gradually deteriorated until he cried all day for food, except when I was feeding him, which seemed to be almost all the time. I was exhausted from the feeding and he was exhausted from the feeding/screaming. Now I mix feed and the bright interested baby is back again. It was just hunger. Now I'm sorry I left it so long to change things, but you know how it is when you've got it into your head that you must exclusively BF at all costs...

mawbroon i am indeed demand feeding, by 'giving my breasts a chance to fill up' i mean i will take her out for a walk so she will go into a deep sleep.
when i put her back on the breast she does the head bobbing and shaking thing so i will wind her and repeat with her wingeing intermittantly throughout. but when i feed her after a sleep or when she wakes in the night she seems to be satisfied enough from the breast.
i just mean it seems a shame for us both that she is miserable and seemingly hungry. but maybe it isn't hunger at all..
The sunday lunch theory makes though