Combination Feeding

[jfa99]

I wanted to breastfeed and didn't even think that I couldn't. DD was born 2 weeks early and was very sleepy after birth. We managed successfully to breastfeed from the start, however her weight dropped below 10% 10 days after she was born. It turned out I was not producing enough milk and was advised to breastfeed, then express straight after and give her the expressed milk. I managed only to express about 20mls which was so disapponting.

I was referred to the infant feeding team and we decided together to give formula after each feed. I have tried to increase my milk supply, expressing after each feed (felt like I was feeding her for 24 hours non stop), spending 2 days in bed with DD and I naked for skin-to-skin contact, trying different ways of latching, biological nurturing (excellent and worth looking up) on Domperidone (which didn't make any difference) and I finally accepted that I was never going to breastfeed exclusively.

DD has since become a very contented baby compared to spending what felt like forever at my breasts. However, we still feed every 2 hours and having my second bought of thrush, I have come to the decision that I want to give her formula only. I spend an hour feeding DD, up to 30 minutes breastfeeding, then I sterilize a bottle, make up formula, cool the bottle down, feed, wind her and then start the process all over again in 2 hours time.

I feel that i am "pretend" breast feeding and whilst I have managed to give her some of my milk, I want to move on and give her formula only now. It has taken a while for me to accept this and like you, i felt such a failure and guilty that I was giving DD formula. I am now ready to stop breastfeeding and give her formula only. Whilst I am saddened to do this, I feel ready to stop and I am grateful that I have manage to give 8 weeks of breastmilk.

Has anyone else experienced similar?

You're definitly not pretend breast feeding!!!! SOunds to me like you've done every single thing you can to try and give your baby breast milk. You rock! I;m quite sure many women have had to give up before 8 weeks in your situation and many don;t feel they want to any way.

You say you are rady to stop and,if you are, fair enough. You should do what is beest for you and your sanity!

However, if you're not sure - we mix fed for evening feeds and found that if we made small bottle before hand then allowed it to cool while I fed then the process didn';t take too long. If you formular feed you will be feeding all the time anyway [or washing bottles/preparing] probably as much as you are now as that what new born do.

With every respect: How do you know you're making enough milk? Cos babies do lose weght that first few weeks and they do want to feed all the time. Perhaps you have medical reason? Seen doctor about thrush?

Maybe try these? However, you've been through so much so don;t feel bad if you give formula. Breast is best and you've given her 8 whole weeks, more than many. Also, bet you're MEGA knackered. It gets better, honest!!!!!

honestly your breastfeeding experience sounds very similar to many women's i've heard, and my own. My DS lost more than 10% of his birth weight and wasn't back at his birth weight for three weeks. But my midwives weren't concerned, because he had lots of wet and dirty nappies.

Expressing is also notoriously disheartening for many women, and there are mixed views on whether or not it is really the best way to get more milk into the baby.

I persevered with breastfeeding even though I always worried he wasn't getting enough milk, as he was small on the charts, and always seemed hungry. (he fed every 2.5 hours until 6 months. He's now 9 months, fully on solids, so down to 4-6 feeds now).

my point is that there's probably nothing wrong with your milk at all, but i too say fair enough if you want to switch over to formula. Sometimes i think the decision is the hardest part, and once you've made it, you will feel fine about it and the guilt will go away.

I could have written your first paragraph, it is so similar to my experience. We had been allowed home but then they weighed DS and he had lost over his 10% too. I spent a week at the hospital and he was putting on tiny amounts of weight so they eventually let us go home.

Once we were at home he just used to cry and feed for just 10 mins then fall asleep at the breast and just cry later as he was obviously hungry. It was so stressful so DP went out and bought some instant formula and during the next week I cracked and gave him some.

In the end I gave up bf but mix fed until he was 14 weeks. I already had bottles and a steriliser and a breast pump just incase so it was no hassle (and then sadly easy to give up bf.) So, I expressed every day and fed my milk through bottles alongside formula. I was so upset about it but I have to say at 14 weeks I had zero supply and just gave up expressing and felt so relived it was over. You have done really well so don't beat yourself up about it, and if you want to stop then stop but if you aren't sure I bet someone will be able to help you carry on!

bluebump Thank you for your words of wisdom. I have fretted about stopping breast feeding and now I have decided it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. My milk supply has never been great and I now hate my breast pump with a passion. It is time to move on to the next chapter of our lives and I don't regret my decision. I am a much happier person, and Millie is much more content.

Chandellina You are right. Making the decision has been the hardest part, an now I have decided, i feel so much more happier and relaxed. Thank you for your comments.

mumblecrumble I have been very tired, but now with a break and a bit of sleep it is getting easier. By pretend breast feeding, I feel that she only took so little from me when I breast fed and then she would take 3-4 oz at each top up that I was so willing myself and Millie to be able to breast feed, when I woke up and realised that we were never going to exclusively breast feed.

I do wish they had explained more about problems that may arise at ante natal classes. I have been going to a breast feeding support group (may not be asked back now!!) and they were looking for volunteers to speak to ante natal group. Don't think my story is what the co-ordinator is looking for!

jfa99, Sounds like you have had really difficult time feeding your DD. Glad to read you are happy moving to full time formula feeding. Just wanted to mention, that you can still put your daughter to your breast for comfort (alongside bottles), even if you know/feel she is getting little or no milk...just a thought.

Don't beat yourself up about this jfa99, you've done so well! It's sad for you that it didn't work as you'd intended but you have can, hand on heart, say you tried everything.

I had slightly different problems to you (latch, bleeding nips etc.), but ended up doing something similar to you with DD1. It softened the blow a little of what I perceived to be my failure as I knew she was getting something from me and I felt a little less judged for giving her formula. By 3 months she was exclusively ff though. However, she is now an incredibly healthy and content 3 year old, and that's all that really matters.

DD2 is now almost 9 months and I'm still bfing her. I was amazed that it worked so easily after the trauma of last time. Just because it didn't work out last time, doesn't mean it won't later. You will have learnt so much from this experience that will help if you do choose to have another DC (although probably not what you're thinking about at the moment!)

Good God, I really think you have given it your absolute best shot and without a doubt your baby has had loads of breastmiok, every drop of which will do her the world of good. No reason to feel guilty at all.

No expert, but the 'infant feeding team's' decision to give formula after each feed sounds a bit odd when everynoe knows that in the vast majority of cases, this reduces supply. What do yuo think about this decision?

Maybe you could try a week or so without giveing formular and see how it goes?