I has to stop breastfeeding. Baby sick after formula

[Lanzy]

I had really hoped to breastfeed and did for 5 days, but after day 3 or 2 midwife had noticed baby had lost weight, they said this was normal as baby was earlier than expected so I then got put on plan of breastfeed every 2-3 hour and after 20 mins of BF to give 30ml of formula.
On the last day midwife came out I said I was struggling with feeding because of pain. I then expressed milk and there was so little of my milk decision was then made to formula.

it’s unexpected and I don’t know what to do and how to make life easier. Giving up BF was sudden and boobs are sore, everytime I feed baby on new plan of 60ml and no BF. She brings up milk. I wind her and allow breaks whilst taken bottle (MAM colic)
she still looks for breast and I feel guility! - I guess I like now seeing how much she gets but the constant hiccups/sickness scares me after formula!

messed up the title!

If you don't want to give up breastfeeding don't. The pain does go. Has your baba got tongue tie? Mine did and it was agonising x

Expressing milk doesn’t give you a true indication of what baby is having, so I’m unsure why you’ve been told to give up BF?

hopefully someone will be along soon to help you with the formula issue.

Can you put her back on to the breast?
Just because nothing much comes out when you express it doesn't mean that you're not producing much. Your midwife should know this - mind you, a lot of them don't, in my experience.

I would just breastfeed and forget about the bottles, OP. Don't be put off. Women's breasts were designed for feeing babies.

Forgot to say once it was resolved it eventually got better x

"...............plan of breastfeed every 2-3 hour and after 20 mins of BF to give 30ml of formula"

Your midwife is an idiot (I am a midwife).

This is a sure way to ensure you do not produce enough milk.

Please, please - just put your baby back on the breast. Forget the bottles. Your baby doesn't need them and giving formula just stops you from producing milk.

So you say your breasts are sore - good, that means there's milk in there.

Feed your baby, OP. Chuck the bottles out.

If you want to get your dc back on the breast you need some real life help.
I'm not sure what is around any more but midwives and health visitors are generally not specialists regarding breastfeeding.
Something isn't working as well as it should for your baby to be losing so much weight but it could be something as simple as positioning and attachment that needs adjustment.

Do you have a friend, sister or other relative who breastfed?
If so ask for their support.
It can take up to 6 weeks to establish but is so worth while.

I stopped breastfeeding last night, all sudden so haven’t BF since as been formula. How long can I leave it before too late? - I am hoping to get in touch with BF support

On one hand I feel less stress with formula but I think I’d like to express so she gets my milk and benefit of that, but how I start that and go about and if it’s too late - I’m autistic and first time mum.
would expressing cause stress? Could I express and do breast occasionally!

Expressing as well as formula is a massive stress.
Could you go to bed with your baby, have lots of skin to skin and just keep putting her to the breast as much as possible?
That would help in the short term.

Hi OP, I did combi feeding with my littlest. So basically I breastfed him, loads of skin to skin, loads of time on the boob to just cuddle and comfort.

Then about 3 times a day, especially if he ever did lots of angry/sad crying, I just asked DH to make up a little bottle of formula to offer. Usually he chugged it back and relaxed and then we could go again on the boob without hysteria.

He is 2 this week and still asks for (and gets) the boob multliple times a day.

Just because you're offering formula doesn't mean you have to stop offering boob.

Wish you all the best of luck with whatever you decide - it's hard and you are allowed to do whatever works for you and your baby <3

No, expressing does not stimulate your milk supply.
Only breastfeeding does that.

I really hope you can give BF another shot OP - your midwife gave you bad advice, and IMO it's made the situation worse.
If you can, please get an urgent appointment with a lactation consultant. There's usually a few NHS breast feeding clinics per county, but we used a private one and she was incredibly helpful.
My DS1 had severe tongue ties that made it difficult for him to feed and caused me pain, and she was able to snip it. DS2 had one that didn't affect his feeding but was painful for me, and she was able to fix that too.
In my view it's a high priority and is 100% worth the cost.
If it helps, I combi fed DS1 with expressed milk and formula for his first month (he was early and underweight) and eventually transitioned him to be fully BF, so you may well be able to achieve that if that's what you want.
If you do struggle with the sensory aspect while you're trying to fix BFing, I found it really helpful to watch TV with the subtitles on while feeding, so I had something else to focus on.

Expressing is a massively ball ache. I once expressed 3oz and then never could again but exclusively bf from 6 weeks to 6 months and we are still bf 3 years later. Expressing is not an indication of how much milk you have.

Your midwife sounds incredibly uninformed regarding bf. Get your baby back on the boob

Actually expressing does stimulate the milk supply

I planned on formula feeding if I'm being honest but I thought I'd give BF a try and so glad I did as my baby didn't take to formula at all and was sick every time. I was given the same advice as you to top up with formula but trust me your milk is enough and to listen to your instincts. If it's painful then ask your midwife to check for tongue tie like others have said. Congrats on your new baby OP xxx

@TheShellBeach it does, actually. Why do you think women are encouraged to power pump?

OP - I'm a HV lead for BF. Please seek further support. Nothing stopping you from putting baby to the breast - do it tonight if you wish. You need the right support to ensure it's comfortable. It is normal for babies to lose around 10% of their birth weight, so don't stress on that.

You feed your baby how you wish, but if you want to BF, get the proper support in. It is so hard in the first few weeks but once you've cracked that you'll be well on your way x

You've been given terrible advice.
Check out Kellymom and la leche league websites for advice.
Put your baby to the breast as much as possible to protect your supply. Lansinoh cream is great for sore nipples.
If it's a pain like burning or razor blades then it's probably due to incorrect latch. If your latch is good then it could be tongue tie. My daughter had tongue tie and was terrible with bottles due to it. It can cause wind, colic, vomiting so it's worth getting bet checked for it anyway.

Offer both breasts at each feed and don't time limit it. As long as your baby is actively feeding then continue the feed.

I did the breast, formula top-up then express combo and it was brutal. I would not recommend it.

Obviously feeding expressed milk is better than formula but breast milk is even healthier and better straight from the breast as it has the ability to adapt to baby's needs depending on time of day, temperature, how much baby is drinking, even if baby is ill etc. Its exactly what your baby needs at the time they're at the boob so you do lose some of that feeding the milk at a different time to when it was expressed

Just get skin to skin and feed feed feed her. She will gain weight, forget the formula entirely and expressing too for a while- the more milk she takes the more you produce for her.

How much you express is no indication of your supply. If you want to breastfeed, then put your baby back to the breast and continue. Call the National Breastfeeding Helpline or get a lactation consultant for support.
It's not too late to restart, if that's what you want.

Guys tonight after my boobs leaking today I put her to breast, I only did 5 mins on each side as she fell asleep. hope i’ve done right thing until I can speak with MW and NHS BF support woman I have!
Tonight would it be fine to even do few mins? Then hopefully I’ve not lost supply!

Any time at the breast will be amazing, don't stress. Put her to the breast as much as you can. Well done.

There is also the National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212 www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk