FF to supplement and growth spur question

Mafernj · April 2014

So I have a very low milk supply. I am trying everything that you guys recommend on the posts and my LC told me to pump and take some capsules. So I manage to feed the baby breast milk and sometimes I just pump and bottle feed her because I feel my breast are totally empty and when needed I FF her. She is 3 weeks today and looks like she is going thru a growth spur , my question is ... If I don't have enough breast milk to satisfy her..how much formula do I feed her? I do get some milk out but at night my supply is really bad. During the day I can get about 2-3 oz per pump but at night I just pumped for almost one hour and barely coated the bottom of the bottles. What do ff moms do when the baby just want to eat non stop ? TIA.

sebullows · April 2014

I feed him when he wants to eat.

Mafernj · April 2014

How much do you feed him? My baby is taking about 3 oz so I usually pump as much as I can and give the rest on formula . So just continue that? Since I do have some breast milk I let her comfort feed whenever she wants I'm sure she gets some milk but not enough to be count as a feeding so I will continue to do that. I just don't know how much formula is too much formula.. This just occurred to me and my dr won't be in till Monday so idk whom to ask

Mafernj · April 2014

Thank you I'm scared of growth spurs . I have read horror stories here and if today is any indication of what's to come.... I have already cried 4 times today and my arm neck and all left side is killing me from holding her. I want to be prepared as much as possible. Thank you for the advice!

clo1982 · April 2014

I usually make it in 2 oz portions since that is equal to one similac scoop. If he finished it all, burps and still seems hungry I will make another portion. I don't like to make bigger portions since that stuff is expensive and sometimes he will eat only a few gulps before being done. That is if I am supplementing after feeding breast milk. If I am doing strictly formula for a feeding I make 4 oz. I ep though so I have more of a feel for how much he normally eats than I would if I bf.

Mafernj · April 2014

Yea my boobs are available 24/7 for her because it helps increase my supply ...idk why it's so low it's so frustrating.
I will do the 2ox at the time ff specially at night since for some reason my boobs are totally dry by 7-8pm. Formula is expensive and I don't want to waste it. Oh I also think she has reflux... My husband thinks I'm becoming hypochondriac but he doesn't understand that I am w her 24/7 and I think I see that her spitting and puking and discomfort after feedings is a new thing she wasn't like that last week.. Uggg motherhood is awesome but this is really hard . Thank you ladies

PinupMomma08 · April 2014

bennieangel said:
I've heard that letting LO comfort feed can help your supply too - so I know it's not fun but it might be worth it? I'm pretty sure we're in the 3 week growth spurt too based on his need to eat every 45 minutes - 90 minutes (vs 2.5 hours)

Totally agree. Comfort feeding definitely helps boost your supply!

Mafernj · April 2014

It's exhausting but I let her comfort feed usually she wants to do it for like 30 minutes at the time then sleep then want it again and I see my milk come down and just wasting cuz she doesn't want to really eat.

jtenkorang · April 2014

I had to start supplementing with formula just yesterday. We had a very bad day. Skyla was at the boob non stop and she just wasn't getting enough. She would cry and fuss of she wasn't on the boob. Now that I'm supplementing it's like having a new baby. Che went from her 3 week growth spurt straight into her 6 week growth spurt. Plus she hasn't been gaining like she should and wasn't getting enough hinde milk.

. But she's doing better. I also just make 2 oz at a time and she barely finishes that.

Mafernj · April 2014

@jtenkorang‌ How did you know she wasn't getting enough hinde milk?

Pankers · April 2014

I have less supply than you, if I pump I get maybe 1oz if I am lucky.. We are having a growth spurt too. I've just offered my breasts whenever she was hungry but only supplemented at night to give my boobs a rest and some sleep. She's feeding every hour. I feel like she's getting enough as she's still getting wet diapers. I'm hoping that this also ups my supply as I get about 3 oz a day total from pumping. I've been working out that outside the growth spurt she's on 75% breast milk and 25% formula (based on the weighed feedings with the LC).

Mafernj · April 2014

I never know when she's had enough... She soaks a diaper after each feeding . Feels like all I do and think about is her feedings . And she is not on a strict every 2 hours anymore. She eats a lot for a while between my boobs and the oz of formula or pumped milk that I have saved then she sleeps for a while so I just try to not go over 4 hours without her feeding and I wake her up if she is sleeping to eat. Idk if I'm doing wrong but I don't want her to lose weight or not gain enough

Pankers · April 2014

If you are concerned about your LOs weight gain ask you pedi or LC to do more regular weighing. Our LO was tiny at birth so pedi wanted to see 1/2 oz gain a day. We did some weighings with our LC and she was closer to 1oz a day. I was surprised as I guesstimate she was having about 15-20oz of milk/formula a day.

We started also weighing her on my kitchen scales (they go up to 10lbs, and we are about to break the 7lb mark soon), just to see the overall weight difference week on week. I am sure your baby will be getting what it needs, I was surprised due to my poor supply, but she's gaining weight on track.

Mafernj · April 2014

I am looking for a new LC the one I saw just never called me back. My insurance hooked me up w one but she will be available Monday so I hope to speak to her then. My dr isn't worried about her weight but I freak out because I need to see how much she takes in and BF makes it impossible and I still want to breast feed I don't want to pump it all the time. Also, do you count calories? I read somewhere in here people talking about calorie intake... I just make sure she has 10-12 feedings a day and 3oz bottles and 2oz when I see her actively swallowing breast milk

Pankers · April 2014

@mafernj, I guess it depends how big you LO is. We are only doing a max of 2oz. LC said not to do more, or she'll sleep longer and then not feed from my breast and compromise my supply. I only supplement at the feeds from 5pm to 3am (usually 4 feeds) and only 2oz. All other feeds it is just my breast and maybe an SNS system with breast milk.

Edited - my LO was 6lb 6oz last weigh in over a week ago. We think she's close to 7lbs now according to the kitchen scales.

jfb29 · April 2014

Have you done a weighed feed to determine how much LO is getting? This and her slow weight gain is how I know I have a low supply. See if your ped or LC will do one.

Pankers · April 2014

jfb29 said:

Have you done a weighed feed to determine how much LO is getting? This and her slow weight gain is how I know I have a low supply. See if your ped or LC will do one.

This. Helped me understand when to supplement a feed.

Mafernj · April 2014

When I saw her a week after Birth LO nursed and took about one oz from both breast . She was born at 8 lbs 10 oz two weeks later she was 9 lbs and 3oz . I have a kitchen scale I'm gonna try to weight her

sopranoali · April 2014

Check out kellymom.com

SassyFlats · April 2014

Kellymom.com is a great resource with lots of information on breastfeeding and problem solving.

Also, if your baby is gaining well (sounds like she is) and is having the right number of pee and poop diapers, you don't need to supplement and you don't necessarily have a low supply. I think it's really emotionally hard when your breastfed baby cries and fusses and you worry that they are starving because you can't see how much they're eating. But you don't need to measure the milk itself. You can tell by the diaper count and her weight.

I know it's tough to handle the growth spurts with the extra neediness and fussiness. But chances are you're doing just fine! Take a look at kellymom.com, I think it will help you.

pattipants · April 2014

Ditto -- I found a weighed feeding with an LC to be most helpful. Unfortunately, we confirmed that DS had horrible sucking issues, and he was only ever taking 1 oz in a full HOUR of feeding at my breasts. He was just never improving, week after week, and that was what prompted me to switch to exclusive pumping. At least now I know how much DS is getting from his bottle, vs when he'd putz around on my boobs doing nothing and then wail cause he was still hungry! Anywho... You might actually be producing a good amount of milk -- maybe your LO is just an incredibly efficient nurser!

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