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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
R/P from BF board: Mixing BM and formula? What to do!?
Hi ladies. I'm in between a mental rock and hard place here and need some insight.
A little background info:I recently went back to work for teaching but now I'm off for the summer. I'm barely keeping up with DS's demand when I was at work (he was taking three 5oz. bottles while I was gone and still hungry afterwards according to my FIL who was watching him) However, DS is growing like a weed right on schedule (gaining 1/2 to 1 oz a day) I'm currently drinking tons of mother's milk tea, taking 4 fenugreek pills 3x a day with blessed thistle and a lactation tinture in additon to adding oatmeal to my diet and I've noticed only a slight increase. 
While I was working he would nurse 1 time before I went to work and 2 times when I got home. Now that I'm home full time for the summer BF has become very difficult. DS fights the breast until he is latched onto the shield (I have very flat nipples) and is still very hungry afterwards. Based on what me and my LC can tell he only gets about 4-4.5 oz per feeding. Unless he is halfway asleep it takes a good 10 minutes to get him calm and latched and it leaves me in tears every single time. I think once we get back into our routine this summer it'll get better.
But I've been considering EP and mixing w/ formula or at least topping him off with formula. But I feel AWFUL about this. I'm extremely conflicted. Part of me thinks it'll just be easier to add in the formula and still BF on demand that way we can just use formula when we are out and about and I don't have to worry about NIP or my supply. I just feel so guilty that it'll make life more convenient. I've almost made it to my short term goal of 3 months. I just feel like I'm giving up on my kid. 
Sorry this is all over the place. But, for those of you who mix: What made you decide to mix? Did you feel guilty at all? Any advice?
TIA for reading my little pity party. 
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Re: R/P from BF board: Mixing BM and formula? What to do!?
You are doing GREAT!
I BF #1 for 10m then bottle fed BM for another 2. So she got a full year. This baby, I dropped day BFing/pumping and BF morning and twice at night and I fight for that supply. If she is STILL hungry, I mix a bottle of formula...no big deal. Just feed your baby.
I have to do the same thing because my DD has bad reflux and only gains weight if she gets a bottle with cereal in it... otherwise, she can't hold down enough food to gain. And I can't pump enough to give her the number of ounces that the nutritionist wants her to take, so I need to supplement. Sometimes it comes down to the health of your LO and you have to do it. I was really really upset about giving her formula too, but sometimes you just don't have a choice... it sounds like you also have done pretty much everything you can to keep your LO EBF.
I actually found that once I made the switch to EP and started supplementing, I was much less stressed and my supply went WAY UP. The amount of formula I need to give her has decreased drastically. Maybe this will be the case with you too... supplementing a little bit can take some of the pressure off.
GL, I really feel for you!
How long have you been off for the summer? ?If it has only been a couple of days, I would give it a few more to see if your body catches up to the increased demand. ?Keep the baby to your breast as much as possible for a day or two. ?It may take a couple of days, but hopefully you will see an increase in supply.
If not, there is nothing wrong with adding some formula. ?Whether or not you decide to EP or just top off with formula is up to you, but personally - I HATE pumping! ?I just started sending formula to daycare with DD this past week so I wouldn't have to pump anymore (we nurse at home). ?So far, so good. ?My BFing goal was 6 months, but this way I feel like we may be able to go a year.?