Feel like a Bad mum

[mummy2b19]

I have been ebf for 5 weeks, after the enitialy lose after birth A put on 7oz then 6oz then 5.5oz. Went to get her weighed on Tuesday as she was being really whingy and wanting to feed all the time. She has only put on an oz i have been starving my baby for a week and I didnt even realise! I have been told to start topping her up with formula and she is a completly diffrent baby shes really content. Is there any way I can go back to EBF or am I going to have to carry on combination feeding. Shes taking anywhere between 0.5 and 3 oz of formula after being on both breasts. I was expressing but was told to stop by HV as she thinks that I was expressing too much and wasnt leaving enough for A to feed off. I was expressing 8oz a day aprox but then she would have then have that before bed or whilest we were out the next day. She is 5 weeks old 6 weeks on Monday. Any advice is very much apritiated xx

 

[Princess81]

You could try starting to take fenugreek to increase your supply. Also strip baby down to just a nappy and have a skin to skin day, let her feed as much as she wants, eat and drink plenty of water. Porridge/oats is good for boosting your supply too x

 

[pinkyprincess]

Let her stay attached all day if needs be. Before giving her a bottle let her suck on you to stimulate your supply.

 

[mummy2b19]

Thank you I will try that. where can I get fenugreek from and what is it? x

 

[Nic36]

You can get fenugreek capsules from holland and barratt - they're about £9 for a big tub, but they really do work quite quickly for many ladies! Good luck!

 

[pinkyprincess]

I think ur taking enough when you smell like maple syrup

 

[Mrs. KM]

Fenugreek and let her eat as much as possible without top ups for a day or so. I topped up until 6 weeks and since then have been ebf. I took four fenugreek capsules three times a day. She is onlygaing 3oz/week instead of the 4oz the doctors prefer, but she refuses the bottle so there isn't much I can do. Good luck! If you can pump 8oz you shouldnt have a problem.... I could pump a max of 2oz a day.

 

[Mrs. KM]

And you are not a bad mom! Its impossible to tell how much your baby is getting when you bf. Xx

 

[Bunnykins]

I can only echo what everyone else has said about the fenugreek capsules and porridge oats, they really work, also skin to skin for a day worked wonders for me. Make sure you take time to just rest in a chair for a day with lo, no running around as stress can affect supply, plenty of food, rest and water helps your body.
I avoided getting my lo weighed whilst he was bf, I think he was only ever weighed at birth, then a week, then 8 weeks, 4 months, and 6 months, this was because I know babies weight fluctuates with bf and I didn't want to worry unnecessarily, so only weighing him a few times meant I never saw him lose weight or not gain it fast enough I just saw an overall trend of his weight going up.
I also never worried about using top ups because if he seemed hungry and wanted to feed all the time I'd just let him feed, most times it was just a growth spurt or because I'd not been taking care of myself and a couple of sofa days sorted it out. Top ups if not careful can actually reduce your supply so make sure lo still suckles on you even if you've given a bottle. Your not a bad mum and I don't think you were starving your lo it's just bf is harder as supply can fluctuate and you can't see how much they are getting so it can seem they aren't getting enough, as long as your feeding when she wants it you won't be starving her x