Combining breast with bottle feeding

[JoJoMart]

Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone is combining breast feeding with bottle feeding due to low breast milk supply? I've read about heaps of ways to stimulate my milk to make more breast milk but it isn't happening so I'm topping up my 5 week old bub with formula.

Has anyone been able to successfully breast feed exclusively after doing this or found it easier to do both? How do you know how much formula to top up with? My bub is breast feeding for 40 minutes then being topped up with 100ml which he takes easily!

I originally had a low supply after having had a caesar........I can only express between 20 and 50mls each time I express so I obviously don't have a huge supply.

[nuddle]

not for that reason, but with my first, I had trouble dealing with breastfeeding, found it too painful, though I had a heap of milk, and had too much guilt stopping all together, so I ended up breastfeeding first thing in the morning, and last thing at night, and she was on formula during the day. It worked really well for us.

[Harlequin]

How much you can express isn't really a good reflection of how much of a supply you have.

I have a good supply but can never express more than 70mls in one sitting. Usually its only 30mls. There is a lot more to expressing than just having enough milk unfortunately :(

Bubs could be guzzling the bottle down after a feed because it comes out quicker than your boobie...

How come you are worried about your supply? Is bubs putting on weight?

[Holly_Golightly]

Hi.

DS is 7 weeks old and BF hourly and FF feeds every 2/3 hours with 90-100mls of formula also.

I can only express 5-10mL generally. I am on Maxolon which has helped as well as all the other supplements.

Lately he has been more eager to breastfeed and does not fuss as much and feeds for longer but I cannot see him BFeeding exclusively as I have a hormone imbalance which can effect my supply.

However, a friend of mine did start supplementing and eventually BF until her DS was 1. So it can be done. You obviously know all the tricks so keep doing those.

I have no idea how much formula to supp with but he has been having the same amount for at least a month so hope that indicates my milk has increased. I am just going to let DS lead the way.

[ShadyCharacter]

Comp feeding is nearly always the start of the end of breastfeeding - if your supply is already low, comp feeding just makes things worse as your body tells itself that you don't need to produce as much milk as previously... its a slippery slope.

What makes you think you have supply issues? Is bubs happy and healthy with plenty of wet nappies?

[JoJoMart]

My bub hasn't been putting on enough weight with BF alone so I have no choice but to comp feed him. The maternal & child health nurse who wanted me to exclusively breast feed him has admitted I need to top him up as I don't seem to provide enough breast milk to help him gain weight.