Can't deal with the constant formula making!

[anon1387]

My baby is nearly 2 weeks old and has been bf and ff due to jaundice (she's fine now). She favours the bottle so am making one every 2-3 hours as I need them like I was advised but it's killing me (am offering breast first but she usually has a meltdown)! I'm so tired and going up and down all night is even more exhausting, plus having to wait for the milk to cool down. I have tried her with refrigerated milk but she won't drink it. How can I make the constant feeds easier?

The pump is not an indicator of your milk supply so don’t worry about that but pumping can help stimulate your supply.

I was in a similar situation and used ready made formula to make like easier. But I gradually withdrew the formula and by 4 weeks was exclusively breastfeeding which was SO much easier.

I’d call a private lactation consultant. Could be the best money you’ll ever spend!

At this point I gave up on the nhs advice and just made bottles every 12 hours in advance and cooled in the fridge. It’s a small additional risk.

And yes the ready made stuff is expensive but it is only a temporarily awful period - and anything you can afford that makes your life easier at this stage and gives you more time to relax and enjoy your baby is really worth it. It’s hard to see yourself at the time.

This^

After blast chilling a few bottles grab one and microwave for a few seconds and giving bottle a good shake, test in back of wrist. You can make a days worth up at a time then rotate so its used within 24 hours. I know the latter is not advised but again it works. I do highly recommend a perfect prep though.

I 2nd 3rd and 4th the ready made cartons at night! Saved my sanity.

I used to make a jug up of formula in the morning then store in fridge. I would microwave filled baby bottle to slightly warm it before use. My sister did the same and our kids are healthy adults with kids of their own now.

Hi op. If you want a prep machine have a look at second hand ones on facebook. Some have hardly been used - just make sure they have used the proper tommee tippee filters. The machine is a lifesaver.

If you want to try to bf I would do as the previous posts have said and just let the baby feed all day alternating breasts. I didnt know about the cluster feeding and upping the supply. I found the first 3 weeks so hard.

You are doing amazing and congratulations

If your objection to the ready made is the expense then buying a perfect prep machine isn’t a solution.

I’d use ready made at night and focus on cracking bf

@nicky7654

I used to make a jug up of formula in the morning then store in fridge. I would microwave filled baby bottle to slightly warm it before use. My sister did the same and our kids are healthy adults with kids of their own now.

Do not do this

Reduce the bottles, wait 30 mins after breast refusal. It worked for me. By 4 weeks had dd1 on ebf

Ready made cartons aren’t the cheapest way and I wouldn’t use them for full time formula feeding, but they are a God send to have on hand for the odd emergency bottle in the night if you choose to too up while working on the breastfeeding.

I don’t know what your finances are like and yes the pre made is more expensive it if you can afford it I would. Maybe not for all feeds but definitely for nights and on those occasions baby is hungry and it will take time to get a bottle ready. You are probably not spending on other things at the moment like meals out, activities so maybe you can afford a few ready mades a day to make life less stressful.
On the breast feeding do ring one of the helplines as giving lots of bottles so early is only going to go one way. If you are happy to transition onto formula feeding entirely this is fine but if you want to keep breast feeding you will need support.

OP, I also had a slow start to breastfeeding and found Neuners nursing tea (on Amazon) and Boobix lactation cookies sooo helpful in boosting my supply. I had a few of the Neuners teas a couple of weeks ago randomly and even that made my boobs feel fuller, even though we're past any supply issues. I really do recommend them.

Also, my second day of exclusive breastfeeding went much as you describe - fussing, crying, latching and unlatching. It's cluster feeding and totally normal, it's how the baby increases your supply for their needs. I spent days and weeks totally convinced that baby wasn't getting enough and was starving, but then at some point I stopped worrying, gained in confidence and now it's the easiest thing in the world.

I think DS2 was about 2 weeks old when we changed from little top ups after every feed (so faffy) to one "big" top up bottle feed once a day, we did it at bedtime. It worked fine and no issues with his weight. I think I did a couple of says where I put him to the breast once an hour whether he asked for it or not (and let him stay as long as he liked) which can help to boost supply.

After a few weeks of the one evening bottle, we felt we would have been fine to drop it altogether, but DH liked giving it so we kept it until it didn't suit our routine any more. He is nearly 2 now and still breastfeeding :)

I think because I'd BF before that gave me the confidence to do this but if you're not sure, you could get support by contacting one of the BF helplines or looking for BF support in your area? These are the organisations I would suggest. IME health visitors have very little (if any) training in BF support and certainly not in topics like how to consolidate top ups.

abm.me.uk/
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/contact-us/helplines/
www.laleche.org.uk/
www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/feeding/early-days/breastfeeding-support-nct

I mixed fed from birth also because of jaundice and I had a traumatic birth spending a week in hospital. Formula wise we ended using the ready made stuff for a long time despite the cost, it is so convenient. Personally I didn't like the idea of the prep machine and read loads of horror stories but know others do recommend it. I restarted bf in earnest again at around 4 weeks so it's not too late for you. If you want to bf then get all the help you can but it's a personal choice I know. Top tips from my own experience of "keeping at it":

• try all different positions. The best tip I got was to lie on my side with a rolled up towel under my boob. Lie baby on their side and they can latch on. Admittedly I did that later on when baby was less fragile!
• expressing is tiresome but I just made sure I put my feet up in front of the telly and told DH to watch the baby for an hour or so. It definitely helps your milk supply.

Good luck OP. You are doing great and it certainly doesn't last forever!

A Hakaa is a great way to catch a bit of let down milk, if expressing isn’t working.

In my experience with ebf 2 kids for 2+ years each and now the 3rd they all look hungry, fussy and unsatisfied in the first 6 weeks, they cry, latch, unlatch, spend hours on breast, nipples bleeding, etc. Just stay strong, count days till 6 weeks, get rid of bottles, get help around the house. I would just do weight checks to make sure baby puts on 30g a day (if I remember correctly), that’s the only way to know if baby getting enough milk during bf. Pumping, looking at how hungry your baby is are not very good indicators.

In my area there is a bf support face to face, it’s not a group, but you get to see someone who can asses the latch, weight the baby, give advice. Your HV can arrange this.

Buy the perfect prep machine and / or ready made formula for now. Make your DP help more .

Perfect prep machines are the one baby item I wish had been around when my DC’s were born. Very jealous how easy they can make feeding today.

We used ready made with both of ours. Expensive but worth it for the ease and avoiding the worry of doing it wrong!

During the day I make them up as I need them. At night I make up 3-4 bottles and store them in the fridge.
Makes life easier for the nighttime feeds.

I stopped bottle feeding expressed milk as it was proving too much. Just try it cold turkey over 2 day, keep offering the breast, and see what happens. I promise you she won’t let herself starve.

I wouldn’t promise someone their baby won’t let them self starve. That’s dangerous