I'm starting to supplement with formula!

[muppetmummy]

Since 6 weeks old Logie's weight gain has slowed considerably and he's fallen from the 50th centile to the 25th on the bf weight chart. 2 weeks ago he hadnt put on any weight so the hv suggested i wait a fortnight before weighing him again. For just over a week I have been taking fenugreek and increasing my calorie intake to try and help my milk production.

Over the last month I've noticed the boob feeding hasn't been going as well as it was. Logies been unsettled at the boob a lot, pulling on and off and crying, and not taking as many gulps as usual.

Well, I had him weighed this afternoon and he's lost 3 oz over the last fortnight, so he's now back to the weight he was at at 6 weeks old!
The hv said I need to supplement with formula (she's very pro breast so i'm sure she wouldnt suggest it if it wasnt needed.), and suggested I take logie to the doctor as his eczema is infected as well
The doc checked him over and agreed supplementing is needed.

I've known this was coming for a few weeks so its not a big surprise. I have breast implants so I'm surprised i've made it this far exclusively breastfeeding! I do feel a bit dissapointed but I know its the best thing for Logie.

Logie had 4 oz of formula about 2 hours ago, then had a sleep. When he woke up an hour later I offered the boob, he has a bit of a suck and has fallen asleep again. to be expected i suppose.

I want to keep the boob feeding going as long as possible alongside the formula. Anyone have any tips?

ps..my period returned today, i was hoping to get a few more months period free Good job im having a coil fitted on weds

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Im no exper on bf but its possible that hes going theough a growth spurt and your body has yet too boost his milk supply as well, is he on the breast alot mor?

 

[Tiggy26]

Hi MuppetMummy,

I had exactly the same problem as you. I exclusivley breastfed Antonio untill he was 3 months old then it was a dramatic change, he screamed at my boob and always seemed hungry. I assumed he was going through a growth spurt and hv said the same so I stuck at it. The following week I went to get him weighed and hed lost a little weight, my hv remembered our conversation from last time and agreed that it seemed my milk supply had dropped, i havnt got any implants but im just one of the unlucky ones. Breaks my heart as I thought when I got through all the boob pain with my son all the worst was over and I made my desecion to breastfeed whilst I was pregnant and had my heart set on it.

Anyway, when Antonio was 3 months I then did 50% breastfeeding (let him get what he could) and 50% formula (I use Aptimil) that worked well for a month or so (I even expressed what I could as well) Then from 4mths onwards ive been 100% giving formula. His weight is great and seems a lot happier. Have also started weaning now.

I think if your hv/doctor have advised you to do top up's then I would. Dont stop breastfeeding completly if you can help it and let your LO take what he can (any amount of breastmilk is better than nothing at all and is better than formula)

T xx

 

[muppetmummy]

mrs tommo...I don't think it's a growth spurt as it's been going on for several weeks. He hasn't particularly been feeding more than before, he's just been more fussy whilst feeding.

Tiggy...It's good to know that that others have been through this before. I think eventually I will have to feed 100% formula as giving him formula is gonna fill up his tum, and make him go longer between feeds  It can't be helped though, the priority atm is to get him to put on weight.

He drank 4 oz of formula around 7.30pm last night, and when I offered him some more formula at 11pm before going to bed he refused it. (he had boob inbetween)
He had a boob feed for about an hour this morning on and off, then I gave him 3oz of formula. There was more in the bottle but he'd had enough and wanted to go back on the boob for a bit before falling asleep.
I'm gonna keep taking the fenugreek for a bit, and maybe express if he goes a while between feeds to try and keep my supply going. I love the boob feeding and would be upset if I had to quit totally.

Its really hard work feeding him from a bottle, he doesn't know what to do and sucks at it wrong. Poor thing looks totally confused. I might look at one of those bag things that have tubes that attach to your boob.

 

[Tiggy26]

Its heartbreaking I know, but like you said, getting your son to put weight on is the main priority here. Its better to have a healthy baby then to have an un-healthy baby for the sake of trying to continue something you were determained to do. Sometimes we are just unlucky but rather than us seeing it as a negative, we should think positive and be happy we have such beautiful children and continue to provide for them regardless of which way we choose to.

You are his mummy and you know whats best

Hope his feeding gets better, let us know how you get on.

T xx

 

[laracomps]

Really sorry to hear this MM. You know all the trials and tribulations I had. It is so heart breaking, but you have done so well!

Only advice I have I guess is to always try and offer boob first, then bottle.

Oh and in terms of getting him to drink from bottle - you could try the breastflow ones from mothercare, they are more like breastfeeding as they have a teat within a teat (i should get commission from these ppl!!). Expensive, but you could try just 1 to see how you get on?

Sorry its a bit short, phoebs is yelling for me

 

[drea b]

I know exactly how you feel - Kaira wasn't putting on enough weight (was actually going in the other direction quite a few times) I combined for a couple of weeks but now we are practically exclusively bottle feeding. I still offer her the boob every night but it's more for comfort (for me as well) than anything else.

The main problem we had was the more formula she was taking (SMA Gold) the more constipated she was getting. I've just switched to Aptamil (aparently it's the closest to breastmilk) in the last couple of days and fingers crossed she's seems much better - more like breastfed poo's (sorry tmi!!) Great for her - not so much for mummy

Good luck with combining both

 

[Bloom]

As you know MM ive been having a bit of a battle with Sophie's weight gain but shes never lost weight but shes on the bottom of the growth chart so had no extra weight to lose.
You have done a fab job to get this far so dont beat yourself up over it.

I am now giving Sophie 5oz of formula at her 6pm feed everyday as shes been fine on this and she will go 3 1/2 to 4 hours on that so its been working really well for me plus i know she is having at least one really good feed every day which has made me relax and i feel there is not as much pressure on me which in turn is probaly helping with the breast feeding.

Are you planning on topping up each feed with formula or supplementing a breast feed with formula?

I have also found that keeping in the the same routine has helped so if your going to give him a bottle maybe at the same time everyday so he knows whats coming and i also would avoid the bottle at his night time feed as DD sees this as cuddle time before going to bed.

Hope that helped as this is what works for me but every baby is different.

There is no reason why you cannot carry on breast feeding if that what you want.

 

[muppetmummy]

I've been offering Logie a bottle of formula after every feed as suggested by the HV. Sometimes he doesn't want it, othertimes he drinks 3-4oz.
He's still been going 2-3 hours between feeds even with formula.

He's drank 10 oz of formula so far today and I dont think he's been focusing on the boob feeding as much already. He's not been making a big effort to get anything out, more comfort sucking
On the plus side though he has seemed more settled.

 

[kalia]

The bottles laracomps mentioned mean it is more work for LO to get the milk. We got them when we were breast and bottle feeding but now I've decided I don't like breastfeeding and she exclusively gets expressed breast milk there's no need for us to use them. If you are heading in to Aberdeen at any point and would like one of our breastflow bottles to see if they are any good for you just send me a PM.

 

[muppetmummy]

aww thanks for the offer kalia He is used to the Avent bottles now. He does seem a lot happier on formula, he's more awake during the day and is interacting with us more.

He's totally gone off brestfeeding now, he will stay on for a couple minutes before getting fed up and crying until he gets a bottle. I've been trying to express but I can only get off a couple ounces over the whole day!!

Before formula he was having to dedicate all his energy to sucking the boobage and slept a lot more to conserve energy. Although it's not ideal formula is definately what he needs, he seems so much more content and I can see a diffence in his weight already just by looking at him..

I still feel very sad about ending breastfeeding but I know that as long as Logies fed and happy thats all that matters. I know I've tried really hard to keep it going but it's just not going to happen. I've been really lucky to have had almost 3 months of breastfeeding and I've loved it.

I'll keep trying to express until my supply totally goes as it helps my boobs from getting sore. I've been feeling uncomfortable since he's stopped feeding off me.

At least now I might be able to have a bath! I haven't had one since he was born. He's still feeding every couple hours atm but once his weight is back to normal I exect he'll go longer.
He's not so clingy now he's on formula so I can start getting on top of the housework! I've hardly been able to put Logan down since he was born so the place is seriously skanky!

 

[laracomps]

Well done MM - 3 months of exclusive breast feeding is so good!!

I'm sure Logan will be happy whatever, I know Phoebe doesn't really care where its come from - its just me that does