If you BF for a year and supplemented

WaitingOnNo2

I wanted to EBF DD for a year.  Last weekend we gave DD her first bottle of formula.  I have my period for the 3rd time and my supply takes such a hit.  At night she's so fussy and I know she's hungry-fussing after the initial letdown when nothing else comes out.  So we have started giving her a bottle at bedtime around 9 pm then I dream nurse her at 10:30.  I BF her exclusively the rest of the day.  If I start this now will it be a slippery slope that leads to my supply eventually going down even more during the day to the point where I have to stop nursing?  I'm so worried.

jlsimon56

You have to pump whenever your LO gets a bottle, so your body knows that it still needs to make milk.  If your LO gets a bottle and your body doesn't know it, it will think your LO needs less and less.  

How old is your LO?  Your ticker says you are mighty pregnant.  :-) 

bellelamb

I ended up supplementing when my middle was four months. I could only pump once at work so he needed more. I did end up giving more formula the longer we went but I did bf when I was with him until a year. It took awhile to get over the guilt of formula but once I did when I was with him our bfing relationship was much better.

abbieaggie

briderx:

bellelamb:

I ended up supplementing when my middle was four months. I could only pump once at work so he needed more. I did end up giving more formula the longer we went but I did bf when I was with him until a year.

 This is what happened with DS as well.  I couldn't pump enough at work to feed him for my next workday.  By the end of the year I was only nursing morning and night and he stopped nursing at 1 year old exactly.

Same here, I had latch and supply problems with both but didn't really have to supplement until I returned to work.  Pumping while on mat leave helped my supply a little, but once I went to work I didn't have as much free time to pump.  Getting over the guilt is the main issue.  I tried everything, even an SNS feeder w/pumped milk and eventually let go.  I think this time I am more prepared and aware and not give up as easily, but if it goes the same way, I will not feel guilty as long as I try and in the end the baby is fed and loved.