Please help! Topping up with formula when i have diarrhoea?

[RMG0501]

Hi all - just looking for any support of advise out there. My little girl is 10 days old - she is getting regularly weighed as lost 10% of her body weigh from birth- when born was 7lbs12oz. She still hasn’t gained weight back and remains slightly jaundice.
I’ve been breast feeding 3 hourly at least unless she asks sooner (she has been very sleepy and difficult to wake or keep awake for feeding but I’ve been persevering.
Anyway I was quite ill in hospital and treated for sepsis - lost 2.2L of blood - Iv paracetamol antibiotics blood transfusion. I’ve since come home on and still on oral antibiotics.
For the past 3 days had fever - given paracetamol and increasing worse diarrhoea (yellow watery stools - sorry TMI). Spoke to OOH and advised continue antibiotics - get some Imodium (none in the house- arghhh) and of no better see Gp in the morning.
Little one has been feeding every hour- I think she is starving as she is not getting anything much out of me- tends to fall asleep on the boob after no much time.
I was so worried I ended up giving some formula as a top up - she took 15mls only and then soundly off to sleep.
Really have I done the right thing- has anyone else experienced anything like this?
I’m just looking for some advice and support really? Xxx

You're probably dehydrated alright which is why she's feeding little and often, but by doing this she is doing exactly the right thing, putting in her order for more and increasing your supply. If you continue with formula top ups it will have the opposite effect, your body will think she's getting enough or not need a feed and will not produce more, sticking to the lower supply amount at the moment. If she's sleeping and happy when awake I would continue as you are, with her feeding on demand and you drink lots of fluids. Within a day or so your supply will increase to meet her needs.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well, I didn't want to read and run. Just because she's feeding hourly, doesn't mean she's hungry...this is backed up by the fact that she only took a small amount of formula. Make sure you stay hydrated abs hand in there, you're doing great 👍

Sorry also if she's having plenty of wet and dirty nappies she's fine, if you think she's having less of these than she should feed more frequently or try a small top up after a breastfeed using paced feeding. Also she still needs only tiny amounts at this age, her stomach is tiny so needs little and often, so don't worry about her starving if she has a few smaller than normal feeds. Breasts are like rivers not lakes, they are never completely empty, always a little flowing.

I had a stomach bug when dd was 4 weeks old. She did exactly that, fed almost constantly. The doctor told me to take imodium and eat so she would be fed.
I did feed all the way through. I had no bottles, milk or anything. She was fine but it was stressful at the time.

Sorry you are feeling so poorly. If it helps, there's a growth spurt about now which may account for the frequent feeding.

As for the use of formula, then personally I'm of the view that if you need the rest, that's fine. Realistically, early formula use may cause problems with supply /preference, but equally it may not. I did everything 'wrong' as we mix fed from birth, I often went 6-8+hrs without feeding etc. And supply has been fine, and am now ebf as baby refuses the bottle. So for some babies, it doesn't matter what you do, you have a cast iron supply seemingly. Others get affected by small changes in demand. You know your body and your tits.

Thank you everyone for getting back to me/ it made me feel so much better. It always feels the worst in the middle of the night. Unfortunately Little one lost some more weight so we are trying a little bit of formula to see if that helps before having to go back to paeds. She seems to flip between breast and bottle really well. I’m also expressing what I can and topping her up with that when possible. I’m still not a 100% but managing to eat something now so hopefully when the MW comes tomorrow we will have turned a corner...fingers crossed. We decided to have a dramatic start to first few days at home thanks again everyone

Glad you're feeling better.