What would happen to bf supply if 1.5 feeds were formula?

[pamelat]

DS only 15 days old

Am wondering about what the effect on breast milk supply would be if I make 10pm ish feed formula and also topped up at 8pm ish with a few ml.

I am struggling to keep up with his demands. I have a 2.4 DD to think of too. I breast fed her for 5 months but it was easier with just one.

I am pretty much decided re 10pm ish feed becoming formula. I cant express very well and neither do I have the time when feeding every 2 hours in the day with a toddler, and cluster feeding all evening.

What I would like to know is whether anyone has any experience of topping up after cluster feeding.

Normally from 6-9pm DS feeds and feeds but is still not satisfied and we struggle to get him to 10pm for the formula feed. I was wondering whether it would effect my supply if I topped up, I wouldnt think so if letting him feed for 3 hours still?

from what i understand, it will impact on supply this early on - while you are trying to establish your milk supply. how much longer will he cluster feed for - i'm sure it calms down after a while, but its so hard to remember those hazy days . i'm sure someone with a clearer explanation will be along soon...

My understanding is that using formula at this stage will reduce your supply, but I'm no expert either so hopefully someone else can shed some light on the mechanics of topping up.

FWIW, I understand that babies who are topped up with bottles are equally fussy and want just as much feeding in the evenings as bf babies: see here so it's possible it may not help (although I can't speak from experience).

Have you tried feeding in a sling? That would give you your hands free to do things with DD1 during the day. Co-sleeping, even if it's just for a few days / weeks might help you cope too.

Congratulations on the little one. Remember, the madness does pass!

I've done exactly what you're talking about from about week 1 and I have had no problem with supply. I too have a toddler and a 3 month old and found that this system really works for me. I also find it impossible to express.
As I understand it, substituting a breast feed with formula does affect supply and that would make sense, as if it didn't then you would be producing more milk than you needed.
Hope that makes sense and congratulations.

Is he really hungry?? My 12 week old uses me as a dummy in the evenings. Its hard work! Have you tried a dummy and getting DH/DP to settle him?

thanks eeryone, one handed typing whilst feeding

he is really hungry baby, put 11oz on in one week so tried dummy but wont take it, nor will he settle in eve wit dh.

i was up times last night feeding which is unusual.

falkirk did you do one or two feeds with formula?

sorry should say 6 times last night

My 9 week old has 2 formula feeds a day and it has had no impact on my supply. He is BF until 4pm when he has a 6oz bottle, he then BF from 6.30 - 8ish and then has a 6oz bottle at 11pm. He started the 11pm formula at about 6 weeks it was EBM from 2 weeks and the 4pm formula feed at 7 weeks as I simply couldn't give him the time to cluster feed with 2 other children.

Later on this would be fine, but at 15 days in order to keep supply up need to feed as often as possible. My DS "demands" a feed every 2.5 hours during the day.....

last night e woke at 130am and fed, fed, fed with no more than half hour sleep until 6am.

DD wakes 7am

He then up at 8am and fed every hour and half for 45 minutes until 330pm when finally fell to sleep.

growth spurt time I know but I cant physically or mentally continue that and its unfair to dd.

will switch 10pm feed and see how we go

Have you considered co-sleeping, even temporarily, to get you through the hardest first few weeks?

I have a 7 week old who for the past 2 weeks has been going 1-2 hours between breast)feeds at night. He feeds 3 hourly in the day, I've tried cluster feeding in the evening and have also tried a dream feed, none of which helped.
Last night we had our best night ever because I gave him 4oz of aptamil for his last feed - he was also topped up with breast milk.
I'd go for it because it'll help you to stick with bf with he majority of the time without getting totally fed up.

pamelat - he has 2 - 3 4oz bottles a day. He is bf first thing in the morning then a bottle at 9am, bf about 12 ish, bottle at 2pm, bf any time from then on until bottle at 7pm. He goes down in the moses basket around 8.30 and wakes up around 01.30 am when I co-sleep and bf throughout the night. I find that easier and tend to get a good sleep (disrupted sleep but not sleepless)
Having said that though, he's obviously going through a growth spurt as I've had to give him extra bottles the past 2 nights.
Good luck