Is what I'm doing alright?

[Bump02]

Hi there, just need some advice. I have a 6 week old baby girl and have been breast feeding really well, no problems with latching on, apart from the evening where she turns into a frantic sucker. I know babies can feed more in the evening but I get so sore and she is latched on all evening, almost every half an hour and it frankly wears me out which makes me cry and stress, which I know won't help my milk supply!
So for the past few nights I have been giving her approx 8oz of formula (been using sma gold carton) then last feed around 11pm is from me, unless she asleep by then.

I'm just worried about mixing bottle with breast. She seems happy with deal and sleeps well and is pooping and peeing alright. I don't want milk to dry up! She has 90% of her feeds from breast so am I doing okay?

If you have any advice or tips I would love to hear them.

This sounds like cluster feeding and my DD did it

it is hugely tiring and feels never ending

i rode it out - i posted about it on here though feeling weepy and stressed about it

tips are to go to bed and feed laying down

get your partner to take her so you can at least have a shower and refresh yourself and start again

your milk won't dry up from one feed (as far as i a aware) and the cluster feeding won't last forever

if you do carry on with the formula then could you express to keep your supply going? the first few weeks are very important in terms of supply so the more you can feed the better

stress doesn't affect your milk either

Those evenings are hard aren't they!

Plenty of people do offer one feed a day of formula and it doesn't have to be a problem, but if you don't want to there are other things you can try

Have you tried expressing and getting someone else to give that to her? That way you get some peace but don't harm your supply

The other thing is go to bed early and get someone else to look after your dd and to wake you only if nothing else will distract her (it can be amazing how much longer they can go if it's not you holding thm) thn you can give a big feed before bed.

Good luck what ever you do

6wks ... growth spurt. it won't last forever so feed feed feed if you can.
Sure, it won't do her any harm and she and you seem settled and less stressed.
But, been there, done that and supply will be affected, no doubt but you won't 'dry up'
You're doing well, great in fact, good on you.
Do what you feel is right and be confident in it.

Hi Starlight haven't seen you around for a while.

Sorry bump but it doesn't seem like 2 mins (actually 15 months) since we were all asking these kinds of questions on our postnatal thread. I almost miss those days

Thank you all. Great advice from you ladies. I am going to try tomorrow night to just stick to breast, think just really tired this week as had busier week than usual and I am going to try all the advice.

So nice not to feel alone. Thanks again.

you're SO not alone.
Well done you for reaching out.

Stick at it, you're doing great.

Growth spurts are hard, but take things easy and a day at a time. Things will settle down again soon.

I think what you're doing is absolutely fine. I don't see any problem with giving one formula feed along with your breastfeeding. I did mixed feeding from two weeks, and had no problems with milk supply - in fact it is probably easier than if you are exclusively breastfeeding because it is easier to deal with growth spurts and let your body catch up more slowly.

If you want to stop at some point in the future, just reduce the amount of formula over a few days.

Also, have you tried using a dummy? Very young babies seem comforted by having something to suck on - it doesn't have to be you! Try swapping for a dummy when you think your baby is full.

Good luck - and really no need or worry.