Mixing breastmilk and formula?

[Johanna82]

My DS is 4.5 months old, and is breastfed but for the last few weeks we've been having quite a few troubles. It seemed that almost overnight my milk almost completely dropped, and I've been trying to express milk to increase my supply however while I used to be able to express without a problem for months, for some reason my let down reflex doesn't work anymore when I try to express. The doctor gave me maxolon to boost my supply a bit, but still hasn't worked enough. I was ready to give up breastfeeding altogether... But for the last two days I've been topping up DS with 100 ml of formula after each breastfeed, and he is much more content and last night slept through from 7pm till 6 am! (I have been breastfeeding at night every few hours previously). Is it ok to mix breastmilk and formula this way? I figure its better than no breastmilk at all... Any advice would be appreciated!

[Tam-I-Am]

Lots of people have done it with little or no issue - and you're right, any amount of breastmilk is better than none at all! :)

The problem is, as you're probably aware, breast supply is about supply and demand, and in those early months the overnight feeds are the MOST vital ones - as they're what determines how much the bub has access to the next day. Additional to that, every drink of formula your bub has is a drink less of milk he has - which also reduces demand on your supply, and this can be a slippery slope to full-time-formula feeding for some mums and bubs.

It sounds like you're really struggling with it all :( :hugs: Have you considered seeing a lactation consulatant? Or at least an Australian Breastfeeding Association lactation counsellor?

[zenifa]

:hugs::hugs: to you!!
Have you tried taking fenugreek or making some lactaction boosting cookies to get your supply back up?

I agree with Tam, its worth getting in touch with a Lactaction consultant or contact ABA for some assistance.

I agree that some breastmilk is better than none, but I agree with Tam that topping up with formula will also have a major effect on your supply, which often dwindles and mums turn to formula full time. Expressing can be a long difficult process too, as it takes longer to get the milk out than an efficient baby feeding off the breast, but if you can its worth continuing. When my supply started to dip, I just kept offering the breast (I demand feed anyway) and bubs feeding more often increased my supply naturally - I know that this doesn't always work for everyone.

Good luck!!

[Johanna82]

Thank you both for your quick reply and support :)

I have taken fenugreek, as well as blessed thistle, and maxolon... all at the same time! I spoke to an ABA counsellor a couple of weeks back, and she had no idea why my supply dropped so quickly and advised to express and take fenugreek for a few days. DS isn't really interested in feeding more often (too much to look at around him I think and he's getting distracted) but he gets niggly after each feed cause he's not getting enough. I probably haven't helped by introducing solids already (a couple of weeks ago) but he's a big baby (9.2 kilos at 4.5 months!) and I don't think I was satisfying him.

I planned to breastfeed till around six months, and I'm aware that introducing more formula might make my supply even less, but I figured for these last couple of months mixing both formula and breastmilk is better than no breastmilk at all... It's all so hard!:(

Thanks again for your help....

[AM]

It sounds very like a growth spurt, and temporarily your supply may not be keeping up, but if you allow bub complete access to the breast 24/7 to get maximum nipple stimulation, your supply should catch up fairly soon.

I personally would ditch the formula for the reasons Tami outlined, it actually makes supply problems worse.

Do you sleep during the day with bub, and try eating oats for breakfast, both of these can help with your supply.

Not feeling letdown is normal after a few months, our bodies just adjust to breastfeeding, and often after a while of breastfeeding expressing just becomes really difficult, if not impossible, pumps are really not a good substitute for the real thing, and our bobs seem to know this and can refuse to co-operate!! :laughing:

The absolute key to increasing you milk is just feed, feed, feed. If you can, just spend a day or two in bed skin on skin with bub just nursing nursing nursing, it really should be a temporary thing.