Supplementing question....again.

hbrooks88974

Hey everyone, my LO is 9 weeks and we EBF up until about 7 weeks. We began supplementing when I went back to work and was not able to pump enough to keep her satisfied during a shift home with my fiance'. I try my best to only breastfeed unless absolutely necessary. Now...this might be a stupid question (!), but if I am supplementing roughly 5-10 oz per day does that take much away from the benefits of breastfeeding (such as reduced risk of illness, etc.)? 

Myaflowers

I had to supplement some in the beginning (long story) and again once I returned to work at 9 weeks because I couldn't pump enough. I'm sure others will chime in with some research/scientific evidence, but my belief is that any amount of breast milk is beneficial! As far as pumping enough, make sure you are drinking plenty of water. I probably drank over 100 oz throughout the day. Make sure to replace your membranes about every month or so. You might also try Fenugreek. It didn't do much for me and upset my stomach. What ended up helping me was domperidone. It helped me pump enough and a little extra to freeze. It only works if you have low prolactin levels, though. Good luck! Don't feel bad for supplementing! Like I said, your baby is benefitting from any amount of breast milk that you can give!