Combi feeding

[TreaclePlum]

Hi guys
I've had endless help and guidance from midwives and BF support so just interested to know other mums with similar situations!

3w old. Second baby. Boy. 7lb 15at birth. Now 9lb.

He is a hungry chap. Has cluster fed every day since born. And by cluster fed i mean back to back boobs, no break, for 6 hours, 8 hours...just gets more and more frustrated till i give up and top up with formula.

Then after that feeding he takes 100 - 140ml formula when hes finally satisfied.

Usually just needs this in evening, although last night he fed 2.30am to 7am so i gave a top up then too.

Anyway, after all the support ive had, ive learnt

• its not possible to over feed a newborn so doesnt matter how much formula he takes
• its common for supply to dwindle in evenings and he be fussy.

My questions for those whove had same situation

1. did your supply ever establish itself so you didnt need formula? Im assuming it wont as formula is ruining the supply/demand system.

Ive been told to express but i cant...he's on my boobs all pm and most night cluster feeding. I have barely any time to sleep never mind sit and express with a toddler and a husband back in work!

2. did your babies have soooo much formula after HOURS of boob?!

...

Thanks!

It's hard work but my baby cluster fed for a month and that built up my supply. My baby is still fussy in the evenings but I don't think it's down to my milk supply being low but over tiredness as she is gaining a lot of weight -- seems like your baby is gaining weight too.

@esgill thanks! Well initially I didnt want to use formula because I knew the supply demand thing needed to balance out. But it was literally impossible to carry on as it was.

Im just shocked how much formula he takes on top of all the breast milk!

Pace feed when using a bottle, try not to over feed him

If you want to breastfeed I would honestly stop using the bottles you're doing yourself and him no favours. It's not that he's a hungry baby, he is just being a baby and every time you give him formula you make it harder for him next time.

Also it is possible to overfeed when bottle feeding and lots of parents do

It's not possible to overfeed a breastfed baby

@RedRobyn2021 .
Yes its easy to say just BF but as discussed, it became impossible.

8 hours non stop feeding all afternon whilst looking after a toddler. Every day. And he got fussier and fussier as evening went on until he wouldnt latch and just screamed and screamed and rooted but wouldn't take it.

Ive had 5+ midwives and HVs advise they would just spit up if they take too much which he never has (yet!).

I'm BF for hours first before topping up with formula, stopping only when he refuses the nipple!

I love breastfeeding. Didn't have this issue at all with my first. Yes we had cluster feeds but it was frequent feeds not endless feeds. And not day in day out!

100ml is waaaaaaaay too much formula for a 3 week old baby, even if you weren't breastfeeding first! His stomach isn't that big, you're stretching it.

A full feed is around 50ml at that age. 100ml is more how much a 3 month old would need. Its important to pace feed bottles, that 50ml should take 15-20 minutes to drink. If he's drinking quicker he won't feel full. Then will drink more, stomach will stretch and will again then not feel full.

He'll be nursing a lot for comfort, as well as putting in his orders as its supply and demand.

Also, you can overfeeding a baby when using bottles. Very easily.

You can't overfeed if directly breastfeeding.

Supply doesn't dwindle in the evenings. But they fuss, to get their orders in, to signal for your body to produce more milk.

You can express whilst feeding, use a haaka. They're brilliant and I always collected a lot more milk from that (on opposite boob to the one you're feeding from), than any manual or electric pump.

This!

And also, he won't be feeding for 6-8hrs, he may be aucking for comfort and trying to build up your supply

I would use a dummy. When he's fed for 20 mins each side put a dummy in- if he'll accept it he's had enough milk for now if he cried then he still wants the boob for food or comfort

Thanks all
Ill ring for more advice because it always feels wrong having so much formula every day on top!

I tried a dummy last night and he was definitely more reasonable with his boob demands!
Ill let you know if this works this afternoon and if i can back off formula

Sorry i got quite defensive in previous posts because ive had so much NHS advice and everyone assured me that much formula was fine....but i kept ringing them and asking MWs that visited the same question because it didnt FEEL right