Anyone combining bf with formula?

[Esperanza84]

So...it seems like I don't have enough milk for my little girl, she's not putting on enough weight so I try to increase my milk production by expressing milk as often as I can, but still, she seem to have fallen in love with the bottle. So I always bf her first, and than, I give her a bottle if she doesn't settle.

Anyone else doing this or something similar? Any tips on how to increase my production of milk? I really would like to continue bf and hope that the milk I have now, wont go away, because at least it's enough to make her satisfied for a while (if we're out somewhere).

xx

 

[beckyboo1]

Try taking fenugreek tablets and increase the amount of oats you eat- these are both meant to assist with milk production

You will have enough milk dot doubt that. Your body produces enough for your LO.

Are you expressing regularly on a daily basis? How often is LO feeding?

 

[Hope81]

Esperanza sorry to hear you have troubles are you drinking and eating enough?
I heard that oats are very good for milk production.
If nth works at least you did your best and you gave her the best start in life.
There is nth wrong with combinations feeding

 

[Esperanza84]

I'm drinking a lot and before I gave her formula, she was feeding every second hour, maybe every third hour during the night. She seemed happy, and I was happy. She's smiling and laughing a lot (and also did before I started formula), so I really think she's just a tiny girl. But, since she hasn't put on enough weight the last month, I thought I had to give her some formula as well (she bf for about 5 minutes on each breast, than she gets angry, but is still hungry). I think she's just lazy, she doesn't want to work for the milk, so that's why my production hasn't increased with her need.

I try to express before or after every meal, but I'm not very good at doing that during the nights, and I don't always have the opportunity during the day as well.

Thanks for the advice ladies! I'll try them all!

xx

 

[BevG]

i combine both, Alyssa has 3 bottles a day at the minute and may have more or less if she chooses. sometimes she refuses the bottle and will only take breast for that feed and sometimes she refuses the boob instead lol. i feed her thru the night and morning, and it helps her go to sleep. often if were out she wants a bottle so she can still see whats going on around her, shes happy and healthy and has always gained weight steadily, following her centile perfectly for weight and height. shes been combi fed from about a week old. tbh i think she prefers breast most of the time and she increased my supply when she wanted to bf more than take a bottle but at first she was lazy and didnt take the boob properly, 5 mins and either fell asleep or came off and wanted food so go t a bottle, shes took it upon herself to feed more effectively as times gone by and shes happy to choose which she wants now, either bf or bottle. i offer the boob and i offer her 3 bottles during the day at 11, 2 and 5 or thereabouts depending on naps etc. she dosent usually take more than 5 oz if she even takes that, its more like 3oz lol. atm shes vomiting a fair bit from teething upsetting her tum tho

 

[Esperanza84]

Okay! Thanks Bev! It's good to hear that it's doable!

I have been expressing milk now, first with my pump, than with my hands. Feel so stupid doing that. When expressing milk with your hands, you get more milk apparently! A tip from the bf help center here in Norway!

http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/blog/2012/6/27/to-pump-more-milk-use-hands-on-pumping.html

 

[Mrs. KM]

How much weight has she gained? If she seems satisfied and is happy and meeting milestones, she may just naturally be a slow gainer. I spent over a month trying to get my lo to take bottles because doctors and nurses said she wasn't gaining enough (about 2 oz a week). She refused formula though even though she was topped up for the first six weeks. Finally the doctors and nurses agreed that she is just naturally a skinny mini. It is true that your body will provide as much milk as your lo needs. Although introducing formula can lower your supply. So if she is gaining steadily and is happy, I wouldn't bother with the formula... Unless you want to ofcourse . At 21 weeks, K is less than 12lbs, and perfectly healthy

 

[Mrs. KM]

Oops just saw your other post about her getting mad 5 minutes after eating, so maybe she isn't satisfied. I would continue what you are doing and offer breast first and then if she is still hungry, offer a bottle. Xx

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

I don't produce enough milk either but I'm not putting Henry on the bottle yet.

I've started taking domperidone tablets. They r used to treat nausea/sickness but a side effect is milk production. I'm taking 10mg 4 times a day for 4 weeks.

I don't produce enough because of my pcos ad I know because Henry was sucking 5/6 times then swallowing. He should be swallowing either every or every other suck (u can tell the difference between a suck & a swallow by looking just below their ear, a swallow is deeper). I've been taking the tablets a week now & Henry is now swallowing every 3/4 sucks so they r starting to take effect.

Maybe speak to ur local bg group, mine have been amazing x


Using tapatalk so can't see tickers

 

[Esperanza84]

Mr KM: in Norway we use different measurements than you do in the UK, but they say that a baby is suppose to gain 120 - 200 grams a week. My little girl had gained 100 grams in two weeks, but she's awake, smiling and happy. I'm a "tiny" person, so I guess she could just have it from me.

Thanks for the advice larlybelle. Will see if I can talk to my doctor next time I see him.

I've decided not to give her a bottle if she's happy after she's been bf, only if she cries and gets angry. From the look of it now, it looks like she'll have 2 - 3 bottles a day, and bf the other meals. I'm quite happy with this!

 

[pinkyprincess]

I've just caught up but I think that's the best thing to do. Trust your body and if she needs more food, fine give her a bottle. You are doing amazingly well!

 

[BevG]

thats what i have, 2-3 bottles a day right now. when she was teething at 12 weeks she wanted to bf more and when were out she sometimes wants a bottle so she can look around lol. i always take a made up bottle out with us but dont always use it as i bf her if she wants it and only offer bottles after i have offered boob. i think thats how ive kept my supply and the bfing going by always offering boob over bottle. your perfectly right to only give a bottle if you think shes still hungry, like mrs km's lil girl she might just be small naturally and only gain slowly, your the best judge of if she seems satisfied or not.

 

[Esperanza84]

It looks like my boobs are okay during the day, but before bedtime she refuses to work for the milk so than I give her a bottle than. That seems to work fine for both of us!

Thank you so much for the support ladies!!!

 

[Mrs. KM]

That's great!

 

[Kirsty.Y.84]

I combi feed, I breast feed during the day, then gf has a bottle before bed and at night I top him up with formula, usually 2oz per feed. I had the same problem where he was refusing thè breast in the evening and I think it's pure laziness! I express that feed for him instead and that seems to work. As long as you are expressing often then you will produce enough x

 

[Esperanza84]

Yes, I express in the evening

 

[BevG]

Alyssa has gone thru various phases of refusing certain bottle times or boob at times and i just go with the flow, early on id express when she had a bottle instead but now i dont as were in a decent enough routine and if she wants to bf more at times ive noticed she is perfectly capable of latching on for a while and taking the full feed and even increasing my supply to what she wants lol. just go with the flow hun and do what suits you

 

[pinkyprincess]

How's the combi feeding going?

 

[Esperanza84]

It's going well, thanks for asking! I've started to give her baby rice twice a day and she gets one bottle in the evening before she go to bed. The rest of the day and night I bf her