Experienced Breast Feeder needed for quick question, please

[Gillyan]

Hi

I BF for the first 2 days and then switched to bottles for the next 2 days, then my milk came in and my boobs and nips weren't so sore and I decided to try again. MW recommended still giving a bottle top up through the night and just feeding constanlty if needed through the day.

I have been doing this and baby been feeding for 4 hrs on and off in the day then sometimes will sleep for a few hrs after a short feed. She just had one bottle in the night.

I had a bad time with last baby so gave up at day 9 - this time is so much easier, baby is latching on beautifully.

Questions -

Does it matter if you offer both breasts for one feed or should I stick to one?

Do you think it is okay to give a bottle through the night? ( It send's her to sleep wihin mins versus hrs of BF )

Am I right in thinking that the constant BF in the day will bring a better supply and then she should be staisfied more easily from just the breats and we can drop the bottl in the night/

Thanks in advance xx

I have never found it to be any bother whether you offer one or both breats at each feed but try and make sure that over time each are used equally

I wouldn't give a bottle at night but mainly because it is at night that your supply is stimulated most by the feeding

I would try dropping the bottle and riding out the mammoth feeding as then your supply will increase and it wont be such mammoth feeding sessions in the night

discalimer: I am in no way professionally trained, I have fed 3 dcs for 13 months, 9 months and still feeding at 27 months

who you really need is tiktok

hope it all keeps going really well

It's usually best to offer both breasts at each feed - some babies don't want both, but it never hurts to offer.

I'd try not to do the bottle at night - night feeding is really important for supply, so will help to boost it.

I'm sure someone qualified will be along soon !

i used to feed from one until empty and then offer the next if still hungry/ thirsty - esp in this weather.

and remember to alternate your 'start' boob lol.

i have a friend that successfully mixed-fed by giving formula for the night feeds, although i didn't do it myself. not sure at such an early stage if it would be a good idea supply-wise, but it worked for her no problems. i always found bfing in the night easier lol - no getting out of bed

bumped anyway

What Trinity said

Offer both breasts at this stage - you'll soon figure out if she's satisfied with one, or needs them both.

The more she feeds the more your supply will increase, so if you can drop the night time bottle, your supply will increase to compensate.

It's very normal for feeds to take a long time at this age, but they will get quicker as she gets older.

From a personal point of view I'd rather not give a bottle at night, but lots of people seem to without any problems, so do what's best for you.

Gillyan, sorry you are experiecing these concerns. The midwife is, sadly, undermining your breastfeeding - maybe there is something else that makes her suggest such odd advice? Giving bottles in the night with a new baby will almost certainly make your milk disappear....breastfeeding needs to be done often day and night, in order to establish a supply. It would be helpful to get another real life opinion on this, and to give you the chance to discuss how you can best maintain your choice to breastfeed.

At the moment, feeding four hourly in the day with bottles of formula at night....this is a recipe for saying goodbye to breastfeeding, and sorry to be blunt, but you need to know!

Best way to establish and maintain bf is to keep your baby close, offer both breasts at each feed, feed day and night...if the baby is kept close this will mean many, many feeds with varying lengths of time between them. This does not last, and it gets easier

Hi, at first I was always told to offer both breasts at each feed (to build up my supply).

As TR says the reason your baby feeds for hours at night is because baby is trying to build up your supply, this generally only took a couple of days of this (for me) before my body caught up.

You may find now that the night bottle helps your baby sleep instantly, but it may not work this well in the future.

I preferred breastfeeding my baby at night because sometimes they just want the closeness, and its soothing to them.

One thing you need to watch with bottles (as my midwife told me when I told her I was topping my son up with formula) is that generally formula is a lot bulkier than breastmilk and the massive amounts that you give them can stretch their tiny tummies, meaning that you'll have to try and get your supply up to keep up with it. (if that makes sense)

Hi guys - BTW if you rae Mum then you are qualified as far as I am concerned

Thanks so much for the advice.

I didn't explain very well re - nightime feed, I am still offering breat first, both sides and then if she's not settling she's having about 15 - 30 mls of a bottle and that seems to sort her, the MW said byt offering the top up's my supply should still be being stimulated - does that make sense?

Sometimes, like today I have fed her from 8-9 9.30 - 10am 11-11.30 and then she slept and is still asleep - thinking about going and waking her and i think the next feed she'll go back to sleep on straight away but then at night she'll do what she's done this morning.

I actually have caught up on sleep though and I think with a bit of sleep you can do anything can't you! I'll see if I can just keep her on the boob tonight.

thank so much for your advice, people must post stuff like all the time!

Gillyan - I did much what you did with dd2 in the early days - when the feeding got too much at night I would offer a bottle. DIdn't effect my supply (it wasn't happening everynight) and probably kept me breastfeeding as it got me through the 'I can't take this anymore' moments.