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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Upping milk supply...

35 replies

Cyclista · 09/01/2010 17:28

My 7 week old boy has been BF in the day and formula fed at night. I started giving formula because I felt that come the evening, I had nothing to offer him and the poor child was just starving hungry. I've decided to try and up my milk supply with the objective of either cutting back the formula feeds or cutting out totally. I'd welcome advice on how to do this.

Yesterday I phoned la leche league and spoke to a lovely lady who advised me to basically go 'cold turkey' and just BF whenever my boy needs feeding, even when it feels like he's getting nothing. She was confident my milk would quickly increase, and was really non-judgemental and helpful. I feel like this is a bit drastic and unfair on my boy - why should he be grumpy and hungry because I've changed my mind about how to feed him? So last night, my lovely husband did the night feeds with formula and I got up and pumped 15 mins at the same time, so my boy got fed as usual but my boobs got extra stimulation. I got about a fl oz out of each boob at each pumping.

Today I've fed, fed and fed. At about 3pm, he started getting hungry even after feeding on both boobs twice, so we gave him the breast milk I'd expressed in the night. I feel like my boobs have had the extra stimulation they need. Also I've started taking fenugreek capsules to see if that helps.

At present, my boy gets formula at roughly 7pm, 10pm, 2am and 5am. I'd like to drop the 7pm formula feed tonight if I can, and then in the next week or so, I'd like to drop the 10pm formula feed so he only gets formula during the night itself. If I manage to do that, I'll decide what to do about the night feeds. I can't ask the husband to do both night feeds on a 'school night' and don't really know what to do during the week as regards night feeds.

I'll try and keep updating this thread to let you know how I get on. Any advice would be more than welcome.

OP posts:

MorningNicePeople · 09/01/2010 17:32

No real advice except feeding / more time on the breast stimulates the breast and increases supply, could you feed him from both breasts several times before the formula feeds?

Original poster

Cyclista · 09/01/2010 17:35

Yes, I could - I guess I'm being selfish as it would take so much longer at night and I'm shattered already. But you make a great suggestion.

Any idea how quickly I should see an increase in milk? If I had an idea, it would help me hold out. It's ridiculous, I long for leaking boobs whereas most people hate them.

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 09/01/2010 17:37

The thing is that the cluster feeding in the evenings is the stimulation needed to get your breasts to produce more. So by interrupting that (even with expressing at the same time) you run the risk of reducing your supply rather than increasing it. Sorry.

Your breasts will always produce milk "on demand" so he will not be hungry as long as you offer him the breast whenever he asks.

About night feeds, what set up have you got at the moment - is he in your room? Have you considered co-sleeping at all?

MorningNicePeople · 09/01/2010 17:38

think around 48hrs i do believe, but everyone is different that you have got milk when expressing is positive given you haven't fed at those times, that is why i suggested breast first, then you could go back to sleep and dad could continue with the bottle, also if he is getting breast milk in addition to the formula you might want to decrease the formula a little.

Picante · 09/01/2010 17:40

That's a lot of formula if you want to increase your breastmilk supply. He knows a bottle is easier. I don't mean this in a bad way but this could be a slippery slope to your milk drying up. You really need to feed as often as you can. Milk in my experience takes about 3 days to catch up with demand. Fenugreek I think takes about a week to make a difference. Pumping will help but not as much as bf.

theminniebobble · 09/01/2010 17:40

Don't think that I can be of too much help as I am having a breast feeding nightmare at the moment with my week old baby.

However, in trying to work through it with my fab midwife she told me an interesting fact- that the "more milk" hormones that need to be stimulated are most active between 2 and 6 in the morning. So then's a good time to try and take off more milk and give them the message that they need to create more.

Picante · 09/01/2010 17:42

"Your breasts will always produce milk "on demand" so he will not be hungry as long as you offer him the breast whenever he asks"

Not always the case. I definitely have empty boobs after feeds.

detoxdiva · 09/01/2010 17:43

In my experience, the only sure fire way to up your supply is to drop the formula completely and feed him on demand - day and night.

Yes, it will be exhausting for a few days while your milk supply catches up with the increased demand, but you should soon find that he will then start to go longer between feeds once he is getting more at each feed from you.

BertieBotts · 09/01/2010 17:47

It takes about 24-48 hours to see an increase in milk production from cluster feeding, IIRC.

BertieBotts · 09/01/2010 18:02

Kellymom pages on milk supply

inthesticks · 09/01/2010 18:13

Agree with Picante.
I used to find there was a noticable 24 hour delay in supply changing.
DS2 was fully BF but when he was 2 weeks old he had to have a scan which involved him missing a feed (he had to drink some other stuff to show up on the scan). Same time next day I found there was noticably less milk.

SoleLundyFastnet · 09/01/2010 19:22

I went from expressing only about 2 oz a day (when they were in NICU) to exclusively breastfeeding my twins in 24 hours. Neither of them lost even 10% of their birthweight.

Your supply will respond , and quickly too - just let your ds feed as often and as long as he wants. Remember you make milk while the baby is feeding too!

Also, I am feeding 2 and my bbs don't leak at all! Don't think leaking milk is always a sign of good supply!

Good luck!

Original poster

Cyclista · 09/01/2010 19:25

Thanks everyone. This evening is getting harder - my boy's really hungry and I'm just shifting him from boob to boob and feeling so guilty that he's hungry! We'll keep going.

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 09/01/2010 19:40

If you got your fenugreek from Holland & Barrett (640mg IIRC) you need to take 3 x 4 tablets a day. Best before meals so you are less likely to do fenugreek burps. If you have got enough fenugreek in your system then you, your wee, your sweat, baby's wee, everything will smell of maple syrup. I took it to get DD1 -7 weeks at the time- of the bottle as she was almost exclusively bottle fed (expressed bm and formula) from birth and it took 2 days to work (I went from a 38DD to a 38F in 48hrs). By 8 weeks she was exclusively breast fed.

Good luck to you whether you do a gradual weaning off the bottle or a short sharp shock wean. Remember put your feet up, grab the remote and slob on the sofa for however long it takes. DH can be your slave and bring you hot and cold running chocolate

Original poster

Cyclista · 09/01/2010 20:00

That's more fenugreek than H&B's bottles advise, are you sure that's safe?? Thanks for the moral support...

OP posts:

catastrojb · 09/01/2010 20:47

hi - just wanted to suggest skin-to-skin to increase your supply - if you have not been doing it already. just strip off and snuggle up - it is so effective. good luck.

TruthSweet · 09/01/2010 21:50

Link to Kellymom.com the guru of all things bfing. The trouble with the H&B herbal stuff is that they can't say what the herb is used for as would be making medical claims so can't give a precise dose
for each use of the herb.

For example fenugreek has been traditionally used for diabetes, coughs, congestion, bronchitis, fever, high blood pressure, headaches/migraines, diarrhea, flatulence, anaemia, irregular menstrual cycles and arthritis, to ease labor pains and menstruation pain, and as an appetite stimulant as well as a lactation aid. So presumably a different dose would be required for each of those illness if you wanted to treat it herbally.

Disclaimer - I would not recommend using any herbal remedy to treat anything on that list . I am just referring to lactational uses.

TruthSweet · 09/01/2010 22:03

Oh I had another idea! (I'm like lightening tonight)

Instead of trying to drop each top up one at a time, had you thought about giving slightly less each time e.g. 4oz at 7pm instead of his usual 5oz (or whatever). I would look at trying to drop the 7pm and the 2am ffeeds first as the 7pm one you can sit on the sofa and do as many sides as baby requires and the 2am one would stimulate your supply the most.

Also you could try expressing when your DP gives the formula so you can get your body 'primed' to produce milk at that time. That way as you reduce the amount of milk in the bottle you increase the amount of feeding at the breast.

Original poster

Cyclista · 09/01/2010 22:04

Thank you again everyone for the support. We've made it to 10pm without formula which was today's target so I'm really pleased, and DS seems okay. I do believe you that breasts are never empty but they feel totally drained and he's been peckish all evening which is hard to see. But we've made progress.

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 09/01/2010 22:06

Oh well done I'm really pleased for you [thumbs up emoticon]

MoochingNoshingPondering · 09/01/2010 23:58

Great Cyclista, well done you and ds.

SoleLundyFastnet · 10/01/2010 04:44

Well done!

Original poster

Cyclista · 10/01/2010 09:28

A good night!! He had his 10pm formula as usual but wasn't ravenous and only had the same amount. I then breast fed him 10 mins on both boobs at the 2am feed and when i offered him the bottle to top him up, he wasn't interested and went off to sleep. The husband did the 5am feed and gave him formula (I was knackered) and he slept as well as he ever does. So on the first day, we replaced two formula feeds with breast milk which was better than I dared hope!

Day two starts today - I'm really hopeful. Am dosing myself up on fenugreek...let's see what happens. Thanks again for the support.

OP posts:

TruthSweet · 10/01/2010 12:30

That is fantastic news! You can do it! Don't be disheartened though if you have a blip and DS takes a bottle after a feed - sometimes they will just chug one down because they want to suck but if they refuse on off the bat they are FULL to the gills.

Original poster

Cyclista · 10/01/2010 15:18

You must be a prophet - DS has just downed 4 fl oz like a starving man! I'm a bit down.

Had a decent morning, he fed on and off all morning and I knew he was tired and needing to sleep, but he stayed wide awake. He'd nod off when feeding, I'd put him down and 2 mins later he'd be crying again. Got to the point that he was screaming blue murder and I knew I couldn't make him happy, so gave him a bottle of formula. He's asleep and happy.

I'm so torn - I want a happy baby. I believe BF is the best for him nutritionally but am I forcing this on him because I want it? He's not fussed about what he eats as long as he gets enough, and then he's happy!

OP posts:

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