One bottle of formula- will it effect my supply?

[Fifilottie]

After having to accept my new larger body and three months of not yet fitting my size tens I am having to go on a shopping trip next week. I breast feed and as aresult am nervous doing it in Public....not anywhere to do it privately as going shopping ina small town. Can I get away with giving DD a bottle of formula while out....That way I can spend a bit longer out and about. However will this effect my supply or is it likely I could get away with it if I express a bit more milk at some point when I get hokme??????

Having mixed fed for a few weeks myself while getting the hang of BF, I don't think that one bottle of formula will affect your supply.

However, you may well experience engorged and/or leaking breasts while you're out which is very uncomfortable (and messy ).

How about expressing before you go out so that you have a bottle of your own milk to feed DD? Or some shops can be very family friendly and will let you breastfeed in their changing rooms. Coffee shop can be good about it as well, if you can find yourself a quiet corner - I always found that facing the wall and having a drapy cardigan or wrap helped to give me and DD some privacy (and stopped the tutting brigade.)

I wasn't always comfortable about breastfeeding in public, but you have a right to feed your baby. If you want to get out and about more, it may be worth trying to breastfeed in public to get usd to it, then you won't feel pressured to zoom around so that you cn get home to feed, or worry about giving your baby forumla. Hope it all goes ok

most probably if you have been breastfeeding for at least 6 weeks. but you could always go into a changing cubicle in a shop and feed her there? You may find your boobs feel uncomfortable so you might need to hand express into a wide necked bottle while out and about.

I totally get your nervousness around feeding in public and it was a bit scary the first time i did it but no-one batted an eyelid and now i wapp em out all the time! Discreetly of course!

Have you tried breastfeeding at a Baby Cafe, LLL meeting etc? It can be really good to "practice" and get used to feeding around other people, but it isn't too scary as everyone else will be doing it!

If your baby is 3 months old, I have been told that it is very unlikely that a bottle would affect your supply. Happy shopping!

Cheers guys..will go for it wirh formula and enjoy shopping. May try breast feeding publicly at my post natal group to get used to it...but am even nervous doing it there. LO needs a lot of help feeding so I kind of have to hold my boob right in her mouth so she latches well. Guess it doesn't look to discreet..may have to change our technique...

have you got a long flowing cardie? I hold my boob in DD's mouth too for initial latch and some boob compressions. I loop the long flowy bit over my arm and round dd's head (so my arm is inside the cardie ifyswim) I hold DD across with my other hand (and a finger holding the cardy in place- so her head is blocking views of my boob, use the hand under the cardy to free the boob and latch her on and once she is good to go, remove that hand and put it under her so she is now in crook of my arm and mostly no-one has seen my nip!

A good thing to try is practice breastfeeding in the mirror- then you can see how little a passer by would see- I have shown more flesh on nights out!

You may find your technique changes anyhow as DD grows- mine certainly has. Good luck!

Have you tried the vest under a t-shirt thing? Personally I am happy to get my kit out anywhere but I started doing this because I was getting cold. Works really well, you only really have an inch or so of boob out, that combined with a quiet corner in a coffee shop might be an option.

You know what though? 99.9% of people don't care that you are breastfeeding. Really they don't. I have only ever had positive comments and then only when someone has come up to see/stroke the baby (so they have in effect put themselves close enough to see I am feeding).

Good luck and enjoy your shopping!

I think its a bad idea -

a) your breasts will feel full if you miss a fed and you'll be uncomfortable maybe even leaking over clothes you are trying on...

b) your baby might not like bottle and formula (have you tried before?)

Best bet is to find somewhere to feed - are you taking car - could go back to car and sit there?

I feed anywhere, tip is to wear big (maternity) cardigan and take muslin and cellular pram blanket to cover you up. Honestly no one really notices or sees anything. Try in front of mirror at home.

i wasnt that comfy bf out and about.....big boobs and big baby etc made it hard. i wanted to enjoy going out and about and got the hang of expressing so did that once a day every day and and it worked for me.... but one ff wouldnt cause a great prob just perhaps have the pump ready to take a bit off when you get home sodc doesnt just take the foremilk that has built up????

I would suggest finding somewhere with a baby room to feed in. My local Boots has one with a lock on the door and they have them in places like debenhams, M&S, John Lewis and Mothercare.
I was nervous about feeding in public untill i tried it..really was ok! Now i'll do it anywhere and no body has ever said anything (don't think people even notice)

Our baby is often given a bottle of formula/breat milk mix randomly (becasue he wont drink a bottle if it just has breast milk in it.... don't ask!?) Anyway, the only difference I notice is that my boob feels very full sometimes, so you might like to express at a time close enough to when you would be feeding to relieve the pressure!! I have not noticed any change in my supply to be honest.

Re: feeding in public, I totally understand if you do not want to do it, but I agree with a lot of the other posts that people really do not bat an eyelid.....you are doing something that is so natural. If you are discreet about it then there should be no probs for anyone concerned.

It isn't always easy to be discreet and I sometimes get flustered still, but no one else seems bothered, only me!! LOL

good luck x

Thank you so much to everybody for responding. I know it should be a god given right to breast feed publicly but there is something silly in my personality that makes me shy. My partner reckons I should go for it and that he thinks people shouldn't bat an eyelid...right well shopping trip is tomorrow so shall bring the formula in case I chicken out of finding an appropriate place to breastfeed..think I will try and search for a mother and baby room..will have to anyway if she doesn't like the formula.However she has taken top ups in the past when I first started breast feeding and is used to an EBM bottle midnightly..will wait and see........thanks everyone xx Next dilemna though.... buying clothes....am I really a size fourteen now or something...does this fat and big hip thing go or do I diet?What's the best shape top to cover this post pregnant big hipped hefa body...a diet?!!! But but but I get cravings like in pregnancy with breast feeding I am sure(anyone the same)...:-(.

ps just reread the title..I meant affect...sorry!! hehehe

Good luck Fifilottie! If it helps, the Mumsnet trick of wearing a vest top of the same colour as your top and then pulling top up, and vest down is really effective. I have had people come over to say hello to DS not realising I am feeding at all!

Re the breastfeeding craving thing, I am exactly the same but am hoping in a few months time all the weight will magically drop off

I am just shovveling in veg at meal times, like a big dinner plate of green veg + a normal size portion of dinner, brekkie involves vast amounts of fruit etc so that I am not hungry without a massive calorie/carb load. Other than that I don't really worry about it.

Maxi-dresses are in this summer! Perfect!