comp feeding - comments please

[mea]

Hi,

Until he was 2 months old DS was on the 50th percentile for weight. Now at 3 months he is on the 25th and I've been advised by a CHN and a midwife to give him formula after BF once a day. I was disappointed when they said my supply might be low - it seems fine to me.

It's not possible because he won't take a bottle, but what do others think of this advice? Should I be concerned about his weight? Should I try formula by dropper or spoon? He is BF on demand, every 1.5-2hrs during the day and twice at night.

I would like him to take a bottle of EBM occasionally so I could have a break. I enjoy BFing, but feel like a siamese twin sometimes.

Thanks,
Mea

[Foxymoron]

Are you aware that the percentile charts are based on FF babies?
Is he still bright eyed and happy? I'd seek out a qualified LC and some advice that was based on making sure baby has no problems causing his slower weight gain. Are you and the bubs father slight people? Is the baby tall on the percentile chart but just low on weight? Genetics play a role, were you or bubs father small as babies? Sorry I have soo many questions, but if your baby has seemed quite satisfied with your milk up till now and not showing signs of distress and constant hunger I'd be querying the advice given. Were you advised of ways of boosting your supply?


I would have liked my DD to take a bottle of ebm just occasionally too, but she was a staunch boobie only baby... She'd just look at you like you had lost your mind if you offered a bottle or cup of ebm! Good luck with that ;) Some babies will accept it, some won't ! ( my eldest was very easy going and had ebm from a bottle or happily had a boob- they are all different)

[cobysmummy]

my son was breastfed up until 6 months where he had started lossing and gaining only a little bit of weight and i was told the same... to give him a bottle of formula.. as soon as he had the first bottle he rejected my breast so has to be bottle fed... needless to say he still hasnt put on much weight... do what u feel is best for u and ur bub...

[Elfin]

Take it from someone who was a failure at breastfeeding and did comp feeding once you start doing this, your milk supply will most likely drop. I took this advice from the MCHN and my milk dried up then I had breast refusal then I just formula fed so it was a bit of downward spiral. I would seek advice from the breastfeeding association and/or lactation consultant if you really want to continue to breastfeed. I understand the weight charts are out of date, based on formula fed babies and that breast fed babies put weight on at a different rate.

Try boosting your supply, more feeds, expressing, drink loads of water, rest as much as possible and try fenugreek.

JanetF where are you:confused: Need your good info here.

[JanetF]

Everyone's advice is spot on about the risks of comping. It's just sustained weaning and for no health benefit. Like Keara said, those charts aren't for bf babies they're for ff babies who grow very differently. Weight gain is not an indicator on it's own of anything being wrong with your baby. Provided your baby has access to the breast when he needs it you'll be making more than enough to nourish him beautifully. I sometimes think MCHNs must have shares in formula companies the way they tell women to use the stuff all the time :mad:

Get some proper advice from the ABA and/or a LC if you're really concerned but everything sounds normal to me. Rest assured that in the same way your body grew your baby in the first place, your body can now nourish him perfectly almost indefinitely :) And ain't that cool?!

This is on supply issues from oversupply to undersupply - very unlikely in your case so a good reassuring read.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/index.html

Another reassuring one about avoiding low supply.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

[saqqara]

this site http://www.promom.org/bf_info/growth.html has a guide on weight gain for breast fed infants. It might help you work out whether or not your son is gaining weight well.

If your supply seems fine, have you considered the quality of your milk? Are you eating a healthy diet and/or taking vitamin suppliments? How does your milk look when you express at the end of a feed, is it nice and creamy looking, or a bit watery? That might give you an indication on whether or not your DS is getting the quality milk he needs.

[JanetF]

Bm comes in a range of colours from blue to white to yellowish so colour and consistency aren't good ways to judge anything about it. However the Promom site is wonderful! I love it! :D

[Crazy Monkey]

I wouldn't be worried about what the MCHN said.. If you want to exclusively breastfeef your baby, then thats what you should do... Seek help from a lactation consultant if you think your supply is dropping but I dont think thats the case...

Do what you feel is right for YOUR baby...

[Crazy Monkey]

I wouldn't be worried about what the MCHN said.. If you want to exclusively breastfeef your baby, then thats what you should do... Seek help from a lactation consultant if you think your supply is dropping but I dont think thats the case...

Do what you feel is right for YOUR baby...

[xkwzit]

Hi Mea

I think you need to get advice from a LC. THe ABA are also good, but if you've got supply issues, I think a LC would get you better results. There are many tricks you can try to get better weight gains and a good LC can help you there. You would not think there were that many different ways to get breast to baby, but there is! Maybe he's not getting sufficient hind milk, the creamy, fatty milk that you get as the breast is fully emptied, but a LC would be able to help you out with that (if that's the issue). Ours helped me keep DD1's weight gains in the acceptable region of >90g/week (acceptable to our paed) forget the "average" 175 g/week, that's a FF baby number.

It is true that if you introduce a bottle, you baby may reject the breast, so if you are passionate about BF, I think you need to try other avenues before resorting to this.

CHN just make me mad :mad: :mad: - but that's an issue for another thread.

Cheers

[mea]

Thank you all for your great advice.

For me the worst case scenario would be breast refusal, so I'm glad a few of you mentioned that might be a possibility if I did comp feed! One of the things I love about BF is the no preparation required (I'm essentially pretty lazy).

Over the last week he gained 190gms anyway so I'm not going to bother comp feeding. I really don't think he needs it and am reassured by your comments. I'll just keep an eye on his weight gain every now and then.

I'm going back to work parttime when he is 6.5 months so will need to get him drinking from something by then. Someone recommended a sippy cup so I'll give that a try.

Cheers,
Mea