mixed feeding - please help me feel good about this!

[stargirl30]

This is my first post on here and I'm hoping someone can make me feel better about my situation.

DD1 is nearly 4 months and is excl bf. I love bfing!
I am going to back to work 2 days per week when she is 6 months and have been trying to express without much success. I've sort of decided that she'll have to have formula during the day.

The problem is that although my head knows this is OK, deep down I am quite unhappy and I know that when the time comes it's going to really upset me.

Please can someone cheer me up??

You've done great to feed her to 6 months, so that she would have formula in the day, 2 days a week when she has started solids anyaway. Remember that for 2 days a week, your body will be fine to not bf in the day then, and bf the other 5 days.

But you might well find expressing easier when it is to replace a feed instead of being in addition to, so don't write it off completely. I found that it was a great way of actually sitting down and having a proper break in the day

Surely once she is eating solids, formula is just another non-bm part of her diet?
She will be really lucky to have been ex bf until 6 months

cmotdibbler - if I feed her on my non-work days won't my boobs explode when I'm at work? I'm a teacher, don't fancy drenching my classes in BM lol!!!

Well done for getting this far. You've giving your DD a great start.
Don't worry about a couple of day time bottles 2 day a week. Seeing as she'll be 6 months+ why not try giving the formula in a cup, not bottle?

Stargirl - lol at drenching the class! You could express a bit off during your breaks on the days you are at work to keep you comfortable. You actually may find it quite easy to express during those times so you may very well be able to give ebm even though you are struggling with the expressing now.

Theres a few people here who have done that, and they say not. Certainly, although I expressed every day, if I couldn't for some reason I felt very full by the end, but it wasn't a huge problem. You could also express after she had fed in the evening, which although not ideal, might still give you enough milk for one feed the next day

Go for it. You've done fantastic so far, and your baby has received the best nutrition she could get. 2 bottles of formula a day is fine. Just ease them in one at a time if you want to replace those feeds altogether. You're doing really well, don't worry about it.

I did mixed feeding from my little one being an early age - the final night time feed was a bottle of formula. I carried on until 8 months bfing and although its really hard to do it, I understand, there will be a time you thank goodness you did it. Like when you are stuck in traffic and baby is screaming for food. Your Dc will still be a bf baby and be easier to wean because of it. Dont beat yourself up

If you don't want to give formula, stargirl, then don't.

At six months, working 2 days only a week, she can have water to drink (to maintain hydration) and solids - use dairy stuff like fromage frais or yogs if you are worried about milk-related nutrition.

Then bf her the rest of the time on those 2 days and the 5 days you are not at work.

You'll need to express when you are at work for your comfort's sake.

Thanks for all your replies. I really don't want to express at work, I can't guarantee I'll have time although I could probably manage 5 mins hand expressing to avoid class-drenching incidents.

Tiktok - a very interesting idea, I thought that she'd still need milk during the day at 6 months?

Yes, she does need milk in the day at 6 mths...but for 2 working days only out of 5 it's not going to harm her as she can make up for it at other times and with dairy foods in the times she is not with you.

This would not be appropriate if you were working much longer hours.

I agree with Tiktok. I think that for those 2 days you could manage without formula if you feel strongly about it. You may find she wants to feed more at night perhaps and it might depend a little on how she gets on with solids but it's doable.

MEANWHILE you are talking about 2 months away. You are excl. bfing now and those 2 months are going to be a large portion of her life. Don't let it be a cloud over you whatever happens.

What kind of pump are you using and when are you trying? There may be something that can be done in that department.

I am using an avent isis manual pump and am trying to pump at about 8-9am every morning. I don't often seem to get my let down with the pump. However, someone at my bf group recommended trying for 2 weeks at the same time every day and I do seem to be having a bit more success at the mo. Like you say, 2 months is a long time and I keep telling myself every little bit in the freezer will help.

stargirl - have you tried pumping out of the other side to the one you are feeding on? tricky at first but gets good results.

giantkatestacks - I have tried it once and it was a bit of a nightmare, I have a very wriggly baby and very small boobs!

Stargirl - I think that's sensible advice to keep trying at that time. Your body will get accustomed to the extra demand and that should help. Sometimes it helps to apply some warm compresses to get a letdown or even a bit of nipple stimulation. You HAVE got time.

Star, expressing is an art and takes practice.I had a hard time with the Avent Isis hand one but it was a dream with electric Medela.

Tiktok's advice is good though.