When can you introduce more bottles without effecting supply?

[Misspaella]

New thread:

I am currently bf my nearly 6 week old DS2 (3rd DC - all 4 and under) bar 1 bottle of ebm which my DH gives to him around midnight so I can get some sleep. I am just having problems coping with the cluster feeding madness that can hit as early as 1pm but usually from 4/6pm to at least 10/11pm. DH is not around due to work to help with cooking/bath for the other 2 DC's and I am finding it impossible to even eat my dinner and have 10 minutes to recharge let alone trying to get my other 2 DC's fed and in bed etc.

DC's have already stayed at my parents and in laws days at a time so don't really (and can't anyway) want to ship them off to relatives yet again. Dinners are becoming as simple as just pasta, eggs, or just sandwiches.

To top it off, DS2 has just had a 2nd tongue tie release last Th but is still pinching my nipples. I am so sore by the end of the day and dread the cluster feeding. (Latch is good, well according to 3 LCs and 6 different bf support groups AND he has been gaining nearly a one pound a week over the last 4 weeks!)

I am now thinking to continue bf as normal but if after a coupls hours of cluster feeding if DS2 is still grizzly maybe supplementing with ebm to tide him over.

Will it effect bf and make things worse for me?

Why not switch the EBM feed to 6pm then grab a nap before feeding normally at midnight or whenever.

Agree with Wobblypig about timing the EBM feed.
Also if your DS is settled in the morning, how about trying to do a cooked meal at lunch or do the prep for it so all you need to do is switch it on? And get your slow cooker out if you have one, I have found mine a godsend.

Could try prepping dinner at lunch - that could help.

As for the EBM at 6pm DH is never home by then....realistically I can count on him being home around 7:30/8 (nature of his job and the distance he has to travel). I can't kick up a fuss about this as he is only freelancing (having been made redundant last Christmas) so just happy we even have an income.

Hi mispaella, I think at this early stage introducing bottles might mean total bottles. No judgement intended btw, because I have done both. Both times I found that I could not express enough for decent feeds and it dwindled. Also, it will take much longer to express than just feed iyswim. Can you try nipple shields if its painful?
If its to difficult to juggle can you just bath 3 times per week or alternate the children 1-2 per night? Are you managing to feed lying down and able to doze while LO feeds?
Really empathise with you as I had similar experience with dd2 x

Can you cook it even in the morning then just zap it later? (evening meal not baby!)

Missp - some good ideas for changes to your evening routine, and this might be a good thing to explore. For instance, you could feed the baby in the bathroom while the older two play in the bath together.

The drawback of expressing and giving bottles is that it takes time, which you don't have much of

It may not save you any time at all compared with simply feeding.

Giving bottles - even ebm - to extend the gaps between bf undermines your supply. Most women can 'get away with' the occasional bottle or even one bottle every day if they have a good supply (as you seem to, with your baby's weight gain). Two bottles is a bit riskier at the moment - but this is a judgement call and there's nothing wrong with trying it to see if it makes life easier and your supply stays good. If you think it impacts on your supply you can always switch back again and drop the bottle(s).

Maybe worth getting yet another person to watch you feed, too.

Thanks for the tips.

I am going to just try and persevere with the evenings for now a until we reach the 8 week mark and see how things are then. Hopefully things will settle by then anyway....

Now I am going to start another thread about this latch of mine.