Expressing Breast Milk for feeds… please help!?
Question by miss.vett: My daughter is 1 month old, and i have been trying to BF her but it really isnt working out, I want to keep feeding her my milk, but want to express my milk and bottle feed her. I love the bond that BF gives us, and I feel guity of depriving her of it. But feeding her every hour or less is just TOO MUCH! I dont have time for showers, eating or anything. I dont have any help either, I dont have a mother and my husband works every night without even a day off a week. I have given my baby formula a few times because I have been so tired/ sick of her being on my breast 24/7. I dont want to deprive her of my breastmilk but do you think that continuing to express and bottle feed her will be the solution?
I keep changing my mind and putting her back on my breast because i feel so bad, but it really isnt working out.
What do you think? Answer below!
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Yeah, so you just give your baby formula.
You’ve already done a wonderful thing by giving your baby breast milk for a whole month, and you deserve a pat on the back! If you would like to stop breastfeeding and switch to bottles, then that is what you should do. A happy mommy is best for the baby, whether the baby gets breast milk or formula. It is definitely possible to express milk for feeds, but if you’re not making enough you’ll have to supplement with formula. Your supply will probably start to dwindle, but your baby has already gotten lots of wonderful immunities from your milk and will continue to as long as she is drinking it. Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t work–formula is not the devil!
BF is supply & demand the more you feed the more milk you produce. My first 2 were non stop feeders to start with & I know it is exhausting. Try your best to rest when she does, let everything else that no one will die from if you dont do slide, it wont last forever.
If you’ve been stopping & starting your supply is most likely not fully established, especially since she would have had a couple of growth spurts already meanning she’ll be wanting more, thats when those hourly feeds keep her going & build up you supply.When she has a growth spurt (& wants MORE) you catch up around 2 days later.So she will feed more often over those 2 days .
Night feeds are very important, you produce your best around 2am so if she can chow down overnight that will really help boost you
You will never pump as much as baby can suckle so you would find to pump & bottle feed only youll be pumping non stop to try to get your supply up to meet her needs
I found ‘sup feeds’ of formula detrimental as thats milk shes not drawing from you so youre not replacing so you fall further behind.Breast milk is also digested very quickly, much faster than formula, just keep offering her the breast
Keep counting nappies your looking for 6-8 wet a day to show hes hydrated & ‘getting enough’
Keep YOUR fluids up & dont stress (#1 & 2 breastfeeding rules!) & Rest when she does
Good Luck it can take time but is sooooo worth the effort
I understand your exhaustion and frustration… I’ve been there, I know how it feels to have baby practically glued to you. But I don’t believe expressing is the answer. She is still going to want to eat as regularly and as well as feeding her you’ll have to deal with bottles, sterelisers and other equipment. I think you will find it much more time-consuming that direct breast-feeding. Also, a pump is not as efficient as a baby for getting the milk out so there’s a good chance your supply will drop.
My advice to you, is stick it out if you can. She’s still very, very young and finding her way in the world. It *will* get better. As she grows she’ll be able to take more milk at a time and will go longer stretches. Make sure you’re eating a good diet, so your milk is the best it can be. Check for other things when she cries too, don’t automatically assume hunger.
Most importantly, try not to get too stressed – and yes, I know it’s easier said than done! Relax whenever you have chance, sleep when she sleeps and try to enjoy the feeds. Good luck!
My husband and I own a coffee shop and we work 88 hours per week. We closed the week after he was born but then we were right back working. I understand what you mean when you say “But feeding her every hour or less is just TOO MUCH!” I felt like that too. However, I knew that my milk was far better than powdered cows milk with vitamins added to it and I just could not give in and feed him formula. First, let me say that the frequency of feeding does taper off and you are almost to the point where she will eat every 3 hours. I would hang in there if you can. I know you want to continue feeding her because you are here asking for help. Just put yourself aside for the time being because you are almost through the worst of it. I didn’t think I would make it either but I did! And I am so proud of myself!!
Pumping is a great alternative, I considered that too. BUT!!! It is time consuming too. You have to hook up to the machine, do it every few hours, etc, so, looking at it that way, why not just let the baby suck instead. I pump twice a day because my son has 2 bottles a day due to our work schedule and I want daddy to bond with him through feeding as well.
Gosh, my advice to you is stick with it if you can. Like I said, you are almost to the point of decreased feedings and you will be so proud of yourself if you can hold on
I put a link to a couple of groups that may be able to further encourage you. Good Luck!!
Your baby is going through a growth spurt. Babies typically have them at 7-10 days of age, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months. She will want to eat CONSTANTLY! Until this growth spurt settles down in a few days, you won’t have the time to express.If you try to pump during this period you will drive yourself crazy! As hard as it is just keep breast feeding her whenever she wants to eat. But if you really want to try and pump, then I suggest pumping from the opposite breast whenever you feed your daughter. As far as help, ask a girlfriend, neighbor, church member to help you. If none of these people can help you then tell your husband that you need help during the day (you said he works nights) you didn’t get pregnant on your own, you shouldn’t be expected to do all the parenting on your own! Hang in there it does get easier!
It sounds like it IS working out. You’re just exhausted and needing a bit of rest. Switching to bottle-feeding (whether with expressed milk or formula), won’t make it easier. Right now it sounds like it will, but think about how much you are feeding and add sterilising water and bottles to the mix and it just adds things to do, rather than making it easier (especially as right now baby is probably in the middle of a growth spurt, explaining the constant feeding).
I’d suggest taking a day or two off from doing anything and propping yourself in front of TV or computer with books and magazines at hand, a good blanket and stripping baby down to just a diaper, you down to just your nursing bra and cuddling/nursing for those days. Get up to walk around, get food, pee, etc. then return to your resting place. After two days, return to regular life, force yourself to go out, even if it’s only for a walk around the block with baby in stroller or carrier or for a drive to a coffee shop for your favourite warm drink.
Also, consider talking to a La Leche League leader or group or board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) to see if baby is latching on right. A latch that’s not 100% good will make baby nurse more often as she won’t get as much milk from you with a less effective latch.
Make sure your husband/partner knows how tired you are and let him help out. Suggest how he can help. Perhaps he could make meals for a few days and freeze them up for you so you can just pop them in the freezer, or let him take over laundry, or see if he can spend some time with baby just before work so you can take a shower or a bath.
Also, check out online breastfeeding resources, such as those on http://www.kellymom.com (particularly http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/index.html) and LLL international (http://www.llli.org).
Finally, know that it’ll get easier around 8 weeks. Many of us take a wobble around 10 days, 4 weeks, and again at 6 weeks. If you can get past those hurdles and to 8 weeks give yourself a huge pat on the back and then decide if it’s not working out. Every day you breastfeed you are protecting both you and your baby from future disease. But don’t feel guilty if you switch to formula, we do what’s best for our babies and ourselves and sometimes that means having to switch.
Good luck.
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