For those bf and topping up with formula

[vickib_1984]

Your mil is an interfering old bag!!!!!! I f you are worried about her movements then speak to your health visitor on mon keep with the breast I would express some of your fore milk before she feeds so then she's getting the hind milk how old is she!??? I can't see on my phone lol x

 

[Bunnykins]

Right lo is in bed can reply properly now!! Poo wise I've had a few green/yellow poos that are stringy and have lumps of cottage cheese in them I've just assumed its ok as he seems fine in himself, but it does tend to happen more when I've topped him up with formula.
When my lo was 8 weeks old he dropped weight and I was told by my hv to add a formula feed, I was really set against it as I felt it would make his colic worse and contribute to a diminished milk supply, my mum was over the moon as she hates me bf and is always saying I can't wait until he's on formula and I can give him a bottle (she could give him a bottle of expressed milk now but she doesn't think that's the same!!!!) She even said she would by some aptamil and give him it, I went mental and said she'd never see lo again if she did that! I don't know what is up with people like her and your mil but it really riles me, we've made a choice to bf so GET OVER IT! What I hated most was the look of satisfaction when hv suggested a formula top up, like see I told you it was wrong to bf!

Anyway I stuck to my guns and did everything to increase my supply and did loads of skin to skin to encourage a good latch and fed him from one side until I was sure he was getting the real hind stuff. It paid off and he was weighed today (first time since the drop at 8 weeks) and he's jumped from 9th percentile to 25th!! I'm chuffed and glad I listened to my instincts. Im also glad he wasn't weighed in that time as I'm sure with all the spurts and teething he's done there would have been fluctuations in his weight and I'd have only worried. So it all evened out in the end for us and it might for you too?

I have given lo the odd carton of formula at bedtime when he hit his big spurt at 3 months & 4 months but it was only cos id run out of expressed and my supply hadn't caught up to his new demands. I don't like doing it tho as I know he gets more calories etc from my milk but I'd it helps fill his belly before bed for a couple of nights then needs must.

I don't think your problem is supply, I think its that she isn't taking enough for whatever reason, bf babies know how much they need and you can't overfeed them, so if the supply is there and she isn't screaming in hunger for more then I don't see why they have recommended formula??? If she manages to take more from a bottle than you then it might be worth doing a bottle of expressed hind milk once a day so you know she's getting it. Try working on her latch, maybe she's not quite on properly and so she's getting tired with the effort to get some milk and falling asleep, this was part of the problem with my Lo he was feeding loads but not very efficiently, he still feeds loads but he's getting maximum milk!

 

[Bunnykins]

Also like vickib says try expressing before she feeds so you empty out the fore milk and she is left with the hind milk until she gets used to taking it

 

[Jayceesmumma]

Thank u so much for your reply it's really built my confidence up!! She is 3months exactly today.. Defo gonna go gp on Monday if I can she shouldn't poo like that so quick after formula and it sound like that's a formula poo!!
I'm gonna try and express for her and maybe it will even increase my supply? She's always latched on the the nipple part never gets a full mouthful, maybe it's coz she's tongue tied??
I don't see how expressed bottle is any different to formula bottles what's up with that??!! My mum is big on bf but she's a very paranoid person so if I tell her her weight has dropped she will panic lol!
I honestly don't believe there's anything wrong with my supply either.. My OH has been supportive and says he doesn't think there's anything wrong with her and she's getting enough from me! I was kinda shocked how supportive he was over it considering the family he's come from lol!
Hate the satisfied looks lol!! Sod her I'm not putting her on formula unless she really needs it which she doesn't! She's been so unsettled after the formula I feel guilty for giving it to her!
He only suggested formula if I felt she was getting hungry after a feed.. Maybe it's her latching on that's a problem? How do I get her to take more of a mouthful?

 

[Cantstop]

My LO went up and down between 25th and 50th centiles, sometimes dropping just below 25th and I constantly worried about her weight etc, but my HV said it's normal and not to worry, and now she's between 25th and 50th again, so if she seems otherwise well try not to worry about it.

You're being really strong to ignore these people trying to put pressure on you to do what they want - it's really selfish of them and they should be supporting you for trying your best! It must be awful to have them chipping away with things like that when you're worried anyway. I notice she sleeps 12 hours at night - would it not be possible to wake her after 4 hours for a feed then put her down again when you go to bed?

Good luck with whatever you decide though, be it formula or early weaning - we all know what we'd do in an ideal world but in the end you just have to do what feels right for your baby.

 

[Bunnykins]

Ah if she's tongue tied that might explain it, she may not be able to get a good latch so is having to work really hard for her milk and its tiring her out before she can get enough, my friend had this problem with her lo and a tongue tie, I'll find out what she did. Might be worth speaking to a bf counsellor on how best to get a good latch. I've posted this on another thread but I solved my latch problems with some skin to skin and letting lo bob bob around and find the nipple himself, it took ages but he got there and we've not looked back xx

 

[Sarah13]

Just catching up, your MIL sounds a nightmare definitely best coming on here!

Sounds like its her tongue tie stopping her getting the hind milk so that's why she just wants a few mins on each side as the fore milk is easy to get, totally explains the lack of poo and low weight gain. Kynons poo always has white bits which it the waste creamy stuff and i get 4 a day he eats so much, looks a bit like scrambled eggs! He also didn't put weight on when he had a cold. The long sleeps could also be as she doesn't have much energy. My sister got told to feed her dd every 2 hours night and day for a week when she dropped a lot and to wake her too, it worked and she kept the weight on and went back to a 4 hourly routine after that. She ended up breast feeding for 10 months and my niece did great. That week was really hard she set an alarm at night to ensure she would wake but at least it paid off!

You could try expressing the rest of each side off once she's fed if she gets upset keeping her on one side, i only feed one side except before bed, then give her that hind milk in the bottle as it might be easier for her as less work to get it and you know it is only rich hind milk.

I eat tonnes and basically what ever i like so as well as all the healthy stuff and i eat chocolate most days
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[Jayceesmumma]

Thanks everyone.. I've tried feeding her again at 12 by keeping her down with us at 8.. Doesn't like to feed much when she's tired and hates being woken up, will refuse to feed.. Stubborn mare lol!!
I feel better this morning, my OH was so supportive that really helped
Gonna perservere and express after each feed in the day and give that to her at night coz that's when she feeds the least.. I've always asked if 12hrs was ok from 4weeks and all hvs say it's fine n not to worry, if she was hungry she would wake.. Was worried she was low on energy from lack of milk..
Hmm maybe I should have got it cut from birth then?? I didn't see the need as she fed well and it's not that bad like mine and I've had no speech probs or anything!
Any tips on better latch would be great help!!

 

[Sarah13]

That's good your oh is supportive that really helps. Hopefully she will start taking a night time bottle of expressed milk. I guess she's caught in a bit of cycle of tiredness now so might take a few days for her to adjust, just be persistent doing the same feeding routine every day and Im sure she will improve. I don't know much about tongue tie and latch, do you have a bf group you could go along to? I was looking at my dd growth charts and she dropped from 75th to 25th and stayed there, we checked her age and weight now and she's still on it! Funny cos she was 28 weeks before she got to Kynons weight now and he was 4 weeks early! He's 16lb 3oz so he's big and she was small. Goes to show you they are all different!

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[Jayceesmumma]

Bless him little chunky monkey!
Well that kinda failed.. Fed her til she was full and tried to express after.. Got half an oz and think we have thrush AGAIN so sore suppose as the day goes on I'll express after ever feed then give her whatever I get as a top up tonight..
Don't know if there's a local bf group I'll look into it.. Wouldnt be able to go til after next week as its half term now and I've got the kids..

 

[knopk@]

Even if its half an ounce, express after feeds. There is not much hind milk but its most rich in nutrients. Dont deprive her of foremilk thougj, they need it too.
You have done so well to carry on, i am sure with a bit if perseverence she will gain the weight back.
Fx its not thrush.

Re poos, my lo has cottage cheese stuff as well and greenish colour is fine as long as its not green all the time.
With lactose intolerance there would be bubbles in poo/ it.would stink

sent from my Galaxy s2

 

[Jayceesmumma]

Thanks.. R u bf or ff?
It's defo thrush so annoyed with getting it all the time!! Don't need that right now!! Defo gonna keep expressing the good stuff.. Much rather do that than give her formula! Especially after how she was after it.. Mil asked if I gave her more formula today just piss off woman!!!!

 

[Laura_C]

It def sounds to me like the tongue tie is the problem, your supply is obviously good, it just sounds like she is struggling to take it and getting frustrated and then tired. You've done so well to keep up with the bf xxx

 

[knopk@]

Thanks.. R u bf or ff?
It's defo thrush so annoyed with getting it all the time!! Don't need that right now!! Defo gonna keep expressing the good stuff.. Much rather do that than give her formula! Especially after how she was after it.. Mil asked if I gave her more formula today just piss off woman!!!!

I am combi feeding.
Your mil sounds like a nightmare.
Maybe worth getting someone to look at her tongue tie? Its easily fixed. Try local breastfeeding group, i found them helpful.
Can you get stuff for thrush? You might be in agony by Monday if its thrush

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[pinkyprincess]

How do u know it's thrush?? Like what are the signs?

 

[Sarah13]

Oh not thrush again! We're just getting over it. Pinky - your nipples get really sore like a burning right through deep inside and they are a bit red, really hurts to feed. Sometimes babies will have white bits in thier mouth.
I don't get much expressing after I've fed only an ounce maybe but it all counts!

 

[Sassysugar]

Just caught up on your thread, sending you a big hug, your mil sounds like a nightmare, I'm sure all you want to do is tell her to piss off!!

You're doing such a fantastic job, could you maybe have the tongue tie snipped? I think it's quite easy to do and as lo is able to latch and get some milk it sounds like it's not as bad as it could be (tongue tie wise iykwim) or maybe a local group could check your latch and help her latch better with tongue tie.

I hope you can get it sorted. I've not had thrush but have heard it can be so painful Please don't let your mil in wear you down or make you feel guilty for what you're doing. Like the girls say trust your instincts, your her mum and you know whats right her her x

 

[Jayceesmumma]

They go red and blotchy, and feels like someone rubbed stinging nettles on them! I've still got a little bit of gel left from the last time im using that on me and lilys mouth, should last til Monday..
I don't want it cut tbh so I'll try everything I can to avoid it but if it will help her feed I'll have to!
Gonna look into a group it's hard coz it's half term and can't really take the girls there
Think she's complained to OH about me feeding her..
Hate when I have to face her again
Thanks for ur support and kind words ladies it's really helped me
She's unsettled ATM so I think she's defo getting hungry feel so bad giving her that formula..

 

[Lisa_85]

Don't know if its been suggested and it might not be what u need but i can only express when Issac is latched on the other boob. You could try feeding from one boob then swapping and expression the hind milk ground the boob she fed from first? Not sure if she would stayon long enough. Issac is a fussy feeder and refuses to that on after the fast flow ends so I'm having to use formula. Don't feel bad, ur doing great! And take no notice of your MIL i keep gettinh told to just put Issac on formula but i don't want to give up on the breastfeeding xx

 

[Jayceesmumma]

Thanks hun I'll give that a try I've fed her every three hrs instead of four so I'm not getting anything when I express
The only time she gets a full feed is in the morning when I'm the most full, so it flows easier for her.. She's constantly crying now which isn't like her not sure if it's teething hunger or her cold
OH thinks it would be best to get her tongue cut rather than just out her on formula.. God I love him!!! Nothing like his mother! She will be angry we r getting her tongue cut rather than formula!!