Baby with bad belly!

[i92]

Hi mums! I have a two week old baby who has been brilliant however my breastmilk is starting to dry up slightly so I’ve started combination feeding him using cow and gate and boob. I found recently, even though he goes toilet regularly he has a lot of built-up gas in his belly and I wonder if anyone can advise a good formula that is gentle on the belly?

If you want to keep breast feeding, you really need to just breast feed him, even if it's continuously. If you swap out for formula, your milk is likely to dry up completely. Chances are the gas is just the swap and it will settle down. New borns are often a bit gassy anyway because their insides need to develop

I agree with pp.

do some tummy massage, bicycle legs etc to help relieve some gas.

Your breastmilk won't dry up if you keep feeding him. The more you feed, the more you produce. When he goes through a growth spurt, then you'll have a time when you seem to be feeding more often, then you'll start producing more. It's magic, and without the hassle of having to get bottles ready!

They do get gassy at this age; 2 week colic is typical. Make sure you're burping him after each side - you may want to swap positions to find the best one for him. Two of mine burped best sitting up on my lap with my hand under their chin supporting their head, the other one was better lying flat on my lap.

This is my third and the first I had a huge milk supply, this time round it’s not worked out the same so he doesn’t get enough on the boob. He was also a c section baby so I have noticed a difference. Combination feeding is the best option

What makes you think it's drying up and he isn't getting enough? Is he losing weight?

Combi feeding with formula isn't the only option. Pumping would increase your supply and be gentle on his tummy. Admittedly, it is a lot of work, but it would return you to breastfeeding better than formula.

My boobs just won’t fill up, no matter how much he feeds or if I pump

Which causes him to wake up a lot

A 2-week old baby should wake up a lot! He’s feeding to increase your supply. It’s a crucial time. This all sounds incredibly normal for a breastfed baby.

Sorry, edited to add huge congratulations on your baby!

Your breasts not feeling full doesn't mean they're not producing milk. If he's gaining weight and having plenty of wet and dirty nappies then there's nothing to be concerned about.
How long since you stopped breastfeeding your last child? Maybe your body just knows the score now?

And your baby absolutely should be waking up a lot. That's biologically normal infant sleep. Feeding overnight is crucial to building your milk supply. It's like the baby is "putting in their order" for the next day.