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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

does giving formula reduce milk supply

15 replies

NBM · 30/04/2009 20:42

sorry in advance for the typing,i am feeding dd so one handed.

if dd was given 1 bottle of formula a day, would this effect my supply

OP posts:
CMOTdibbler · 30/04/2009 20:45

It depends really - on how old DD is, when the bottle is given (ie would it be causing a big gap between feeds), and on how stable/resilient your supply is.

Probably the worst time to give a formula bottle would be late at night

8oreighty · 30/04/2009 20:47

also if you are totally exhausted and at your wits end, a nap for you and a bottle for the kid will increase your milk supply. I breastfed twins, so milk supply was really important, and found if I needed a break it was fine to give a bottle once a day.

8oreighty · 30/04/2009 20:47

only important in that I needed lots...

Original poster
NBM · 30/04/2009 21:06

CMOT - She is 6 weeks. Weight gain is good, how can I tell how stable/resilient my supply is?

OP posts:
CherryChoc · 01/05/2009 12:13

At 6 weeks I'd be wary. Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand basis - your breasts will make as much milk as they get the signals to - so feeding the baby will stimulate your breasts to produce more IYSWIM. I think supply stabilises at about 2 months.

wastingmyeducation · 01/05/2009 12:51

6 weeks is an important point in breastfeeding. If I recall correctly, there's a switch between hormones that control supply at this stage.

I would definitely be wary of any formula at this point.

What was your reason for wanting to give formula? Maybe we can help.

mawbroon · 01/05/2009 14:22

8oreighty - "also if you are totally exhausted and at your wits end, a nap for you and a bottle for the kid will increase your milk supply" - sorry, but that is not true.

Milk supply works by supply and demand. Removal of milk from the breast stimulates production of more milk. Giving formula instead of a breastfeed will result in less milk being produced, not more. Getting rest will make an exhausted mother feel better, but will not increase her supply.

In answer to the OP, I have often seen it said on MN that you need to know that introducing formula at this stage may lead to you fully formula feeding and it is up to you to decide if this is the route that you wish to take.

PatTheHammer · 01/05/2009 14:33

I waited until 7.5 weeks with DS and then gave a bottle every other night, now about once every 3 nights. He is now 16 weeks and supply has always been fine. I did it because I needed to get him used to a teat (for returning to work at 6 months) and couldn't express anything meaningful, still can't really .
NB: I wouldn't ever replace a night-time feed as I understand this is important for supply, we give the bottle in the early evening.

OneTiredFox · 01/05/2009 15:16

I gave DD a bottle a night from 6 weeks, but started with EBM and then switched to formula slowly, when I realised my supply was OK and had run out of supplies in the freezer!

I found expressing too time-consuming but think it's important to try that before you offer formula, just to keep the supply and demand going, as mentioned above.

When you feel a bit more confident you could switch to formula for one or two feeds a week and see how it goes. I stoppped expressing after a couple of months as it worked out OK for me.

Good luck!

Original poster
NBM · 01/05/2009 22:32

Thanks or all of your replies. I am going to keep going with expressing for now, it is very slow! I was very very tired yesterday but am feeling a bit better today.

OP posts:
mawbroon · 02/05/2009 08:28

NBM, can we ask why you need to express?

Original poster
NBM · 03/05/2009 11:04

mawbroom

I don't need to express but I want to so that I can leave my baby now and again and my DH can feed her (he loves this).

OP posts:
moondog · 03/05/2009 11:11

Agree with Mawbroon *oreighty, giving bottles and having a rest will categorically not increase supply. Who told you this?

NBM, expressing takes practice. Good time is in the morning-feed off one boob and express of the other. It's also a good idea to not have a routine in giving EBM as your body will respond to lack of demand on it at that time and probably reduce supply accordingly.

I would give EBM at different times of the day and on an erratic schedule. I did this from very early on (I had to) and it worked out ok.

mathshoneybunny27 · 03/05/2009 17:54

I have given one bottle a day (and it was late at night) with both DDs from week one and it worked fine for us. Not totally disagreeing with the good advice here but some mother/baby combinations can handle it - like I said it worked for us

mawbroon · 03/05/2009 20:01

Fair enough NBM. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't expressing and creating extra work for no reason! Some mothers are told to express to increase supply when in fact they could cut out all the hassle and just feed the baby directly more often!

maths - great that it worked for you and your baby, but OP needs to know that it may not work for everyone before she finds out the hard way.

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