Milk drying up!

[northerngirl]

I'm not sure why I'm posting this I probably just need to vent but wondered if anyone had any advice as well.
I breastfeed my son (he's 11 days old) during the day and give him formula for night feeds. I know that not breastfeeding during the night will affect my milk production somewhat, but I breastfeed CONSTANTLY during the day, he's never off my boob! I also express a couple of times a day for if I go out or if my boobs get sore, but I'm lucky if I get 10ml out of each boob now
He always seems hungry so I'm just not convinced that he's getting enough from me, I don't know what to do! I'm determined to keep breastfeeding it's killing me that I don't seem to be producing enough, I just don't understand why it's happening when I express and breastfeed so much! :'(

 

[Sprout]

The thing about formula it takes longer to digest than breast milk, so giving one formula feed tends to satisfy a baby for the equivalent of two or three breast feeds, so it is going to be hard for your body to keep up when you're giving formula too...feeding at night and reducing formula feeds should really help your supply - I believe the hormone responsible for milk production is much higher during the night.

If you want to reduce/cut out formula, I would suggest you start expressing at night to up your supply, then gradually start switching out formula feeds for breast feeds.

Eating oats and having fenugreek are also supposed to really help. Make sure you're staying well hydrated too! Good luck

 

[tiggy85]

To increase your milk supply you need to be feeding at night as prolactin levels are higher at night, particularly between 1am and 4am.

It is normal for babies to cluster feed (feed frequently and almost constantly) for periods of the day during fussy times and for a few days during growth spurts In order to increase the milk supply. The typical noticable growth spurt is around 10 days so he could be doing this? My boy fed 1-4 am constantly for three nights (I feed on demand) and this meant that my milk supply increased and then he went back to feeding 2-4hrly.

It's not good if your boobs are getting full as this will mean milk production will slow. An empty Breast from effective feeding will increase milk production. Also I would check latch, positioning and attachment to make sure he is feeding effectively and not a cause for frequent feeding and poor milk supply. Good luck, it's tough in the early days and if you do want to continue breastfeeding in the short term you will need to try and phase out the formula. is there a reason why you are using formula at night?
X

 

[rachaell]

I would say to express over night as well if your giving a bottle. I gave breast milk in a bottle at night as my lo was struggling to bf at night at first and so was slow to gain weight. Even so I had to set my alarm to express every three hours in the night. V tiring but meant my supply got established and I could eventually switch to exclusive bf. Also re amount expressing, atfirst you grt v little but it will increase, esp if you try in the night, i expressed muchore early hrs of the morning xxx Good luck and congratulations!.

 

[northerngirl]

I started formula feeding at night because for the first 6 days i didn't go to sleep at all because he wanted feeding every hour throughout the night and i got really ill from sleep deprivation. I just don't know how I'll cope with that again, also he cries most of the time that he's not in my arms so i can't find the tine to keep sterilising and expressing at night. Really don't know what to do cos if i breast feed at night i'll be so ill from no sleep, just keep crying all the time cos i'm stuck between a rock and a hard place!

 

[Rooster30]

Move onto formula if you are really struggling, there's no shame in it. Baby needs a happy, healthy mummy and he's had a great 11 days of your breast milk. You've done supremely well.

My sister combined too, but not sure how she did it at night. Think her baby had boob and bottle before bed and boob during the night. Not sure though.

Good luck

 

[OMGbabyno3]

It is hard.

I have given my LO a few formula bottles. First one was in hospital on second night. I just needed some rest and was so sore from section couldn't take it!

I have exclusively breast fed for about three or four weeks now, mostly on boob with the odd expressed. I find expressing v time consuming and dis heartening when not much comes out!

With night feeds, I bring LO in bed and she feeds with us both lying down. I drift off and she helps herself. Have yiu tried this? I've read a few others say they do it. Whilst I don't have a deep sleep, it's a hell of a lot better than no sleep!

Good luck Hun xx

 

[Kay Kay]

I remember being in a similar position when lo was the same age as yours. At two weeks I made the decision to stop bf, which was tough but I felt like I was going crazy. My HV advised not to stop cold turkey so I expressed every 3 hours (even during the night) until my milk eventually dried up, which was just over a week. I gave formula during the day and the expressed milk for night feeds for that week. You need to do what's best for you. Your baby has already benefited massively from all the breast milk you've given him so you should be proud of that xx

ps - no need to sterilise bottles that have had breast milk in by the way (you probably know this but just incase it saves you some time/hassle) x

 

[MissyAK]

My LO is now 9 weeks old and has been combined feed, now I feel like my milk is drying up which upsets me. I've had the thought in my head that I was not producing enough milk for my son so I was topping him up, which I now regret.

I would give breast first then give a top up of formula if needed, however over the past few days my milk supply has lowered. So now Im trying to pump as much as I can, so I can give him whatever is remaining of my milk.

 

[tiggy85]

Have you tried safe co sleeping? This will maximise sleep and then when babe is not feeding so frequently you can go back yo you're normal sleeping arrangements. I've had to do this on the nights he has fed hourly and like someone else said I don't get deep sleep but I'm getting hours of light sleep. Baby feels safe and secure next to mummy and can feed lying down so I barely wake up.....I don't like co sleeping so when he was more settled he has gone into his moses basket.

Also catching up on sleep in the day is a priority when you can, have you got a partner or family member that can have babe for an hour whilst you get some sleep? , the first 6 weeks or so is all about establishing your milk supply so babies will feed as much as they need to increase the supply, it does settle down and it gets easier if you can work out strategies to maximise sleep and survive! I always say it's about survival those first couple of months, and you have to do what you have to do to survive, don't feel guilty about whatever you decide to do but remember the frequent feeds and sleepless nights won't last for long and the next night they might be different, also babe could be mixing his days and nights around. There are things you can do to help with that too.

Hope things go ok for you xxx

 

[Pumpkin9]

I didn't combi feed to start but I noticed at around 10-11 weeks that my supply seemed to be a problem as my lo was very unsettled all the time, so different scenario to you.

I started combi feeding then and eventually I went completely to formula ( was actually pretty quick really as I'd noticed he was much more content) anyway, I think that formula will have an impact like the other ladies have said, and also as said before there is no shame in formula either, you've clearly tried to breast feed so well done you as it is the toughest thing that anyone can do (in my opinion!)

I beat myself up when I switched to formula. I didn't want to do it and I felt like I was giving my baby poison (which is ridiculous but that's how I felt at the time) however it was the right decision for me. We were all much happier afterwards as lo was getting what he needed and I wasnt emotionally drained from the crying and sore nipples.

 

[Sprout]

Just to give the other side of the story, my BF baby started sleeping for much longer periods at about 3-4 weeks, so it might be worth trying to see if you can hold out for just a bit longer before switching to FF if it's the regular night feeds that you're finding tough.

Hope you get some well deserved rest either way!

 

[tiggy85]

Agree with sprout, my 4 week old EBF boy just gave me a 4 HR stretch of sleep followed by 3hrs last night. He had been feeding hourly overnight for first week and then again for three nights around 9 days old. Once my milk supply increased he seems more settled.

 

[Pumpkin9]

I should clarify, what I meant to say is that there is no 'right' decision as such. If you can keep going with the breastfeeding then absolutely fantastic, but likewise don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out for you. I know a lot of ladies in both situations and ultimately they have done what works best for them and baby.

From memory the first two weeks were constant and then breastfeeding calmed down a lot. But then mine was a different problem to yours anyway and my lo was also slow to gain wait which sort of forced my hand with the formula also

 

[northerngirl]

Thanks so much for all your advice, makes me feel a lot better to hear I'm not the only one who's struggled! I did one night feed last night and it seems to have helped my milk supply today somewhat, just gonna try and carry on with the combi and feed a bit more at night, if it lasts then great but if it does end up drying up I'm gonna try not to beat myself up too much. Thanks ladies xox

 

[tinselcat]

As well as feeding at night, there are other things you can do to maximise milk production - foods such as fennel, oats and drink LOTS.

I sympathise on the exhaustion part xx

 

[Taboo917]

I BF in the day and I give Caleb formula feeds in the night. After both night feeds I go and express to keep my supply up and tend to get the most milk then compared to any other time of day.

When I was going to the BFing clinic they also said while I was getting back to BFing to increase the supply I needed to express at least twice between 1 and 5am.

I also have porridge every day for breakfast and have a nursing tea twice a day...I take fenugreek when I remember too! x

 

[Staceylou27]

I was convinced my milk supply never came in properly my lo would scream and be so upset because she was hungry! I felt so guilty as a mum that I couldn't breastfeed my baby like I was 'supposed' to do.

I had wanted to breastfeed for as long as I could I exclusively breastfeed for 3 days before I physically and mentally couldn't do it any longer.

I combi fed until she was 9 weeks. I would offer breast when I wasn't sore and my breast felt full and I would top up with a bottle. I couldn't believe how different I felt in myself I knew I had made the best decision for us and my lo was still getting some goodness from my milk and I was happy as I wasn't sore.

Sleep is so important and so is a happy mum, your baby will be able to tell your upset and stressed. Do what you think is best for you, people will always have an opinion whether it's 'right or wrong' but no decision is wrong, it's the right one for you

Good luck