re: Mixed Feeding Thread

Quoting Carter 06-07-08:“ I have been doing both too...my lil boy was in nicu for a total of only 3 days...and he should have gone ... [snip!] ... when it's time to heat a bottle from the fridge it does so much faster then a reg bottle...just thought I'd throw that in there”

Try a high hops beer a day (like Sam Adams), some fenugreek (you need to work up to A LOT! Start with 1 3x a day for two days--then 2 3x a day for two days, etc, until you work your way up to 4 3x day), and eat some whole grains--oatmeal is best. Also, pump after every feeding and at LEAST every two hours. While none of this got my milk production up much, this was the regimen that my LC prescribed for me.

Quoting Dread Pirate Buttercup:“ Try a high hops beer a day (like Sam Adams), some fenugreek (you need to work up to A LOT! Start with ... [snip!] ... every two hours. While none of this got my milk production up much, this was the regimen that my LC prescribed for me. ”

and drink lots of fluids. The fenugreek can dehydrate (which is what it did to me) and actually dry out the milk supply even more=(

My son gets about 4-5 bottles a day and miraculously I still have a little bit of milk left after about 4 months shocking because at my best I was producing about 1 ounce total. He seriously only gets like 6 or 7 gulps out of each boob but he loves it anyway. lol. I actually BF him when he's tired because it puts him right to sleep. So I really only BF before he takes any of his naps throughout the day or before bed when he's winding down.  
I tried some pills called more milk plus that have fenugreek in them but that didn't help and I never attempted reglan because I'm allergic to it. It makes me feel horrible.

I had started out wanting to exclusively breastfeed, but my body didn't agree. It took me several days before my milk came in, and the nurse informed me at the hospital that if my baby dropped too much weight... I wouldn't be allowed to take her home. So I started giving her a little formula to keep her weight up. Afterwards, my body just kept having issues with producing milk even after I tried several different things to increase my supply like some of you ladies have mentioned.

So I was a mixed feeder for a while. Now I'm an exclusive formula feeder. At about 3 months, we noticed that Luna was no longer gaining weight. Turned out that my supply had started to gradually dry up. I could only pump a total of 2 1/2oz from both boobs combined all day. It was kind of depressing to not be able to bond with my baby that way, but she was starving. So formula it was! I just tell myself... At least I had 3 months. My Grandmother (who I tend to take after) wasn't able to breastfeed at all.

On the nipple and bottle question... I use the Playtex Drop-Ins. They work perfectly fine with me. I also use the Latex nipples. My baby didn't seem to like the Silicone nipples.

Can mixed feeding upset a babies tummy...I started to mix feed, only about 2oz of formula a day and Caylee seems really fussy. Could be something else because she actually seems better after I give her formula.

Quoting Lo & Chuck + 1:“ Can mixed feeding upset a babies tummy...I started to mix feed, only about 2oz of formula a day and Caylee ... [snip!] ... a day and Caylee seems really fussy. Could be something else because she actually seems better after I give her formula.”

Could she have gas or be constipated?

Quoting JessicaOfVA:“ Could she have gas or be constipated?”

I dont know. I'm not really sure how to tell. She has plenty of dirty diapers but it does seem like shes trying extra hard to get them out. But I heard that is normal. She could have gas, but I tried some gas drops but I'm not sure if they help it seems like sometimes they do and sometimes they dont. Maybe she is just growing out of the sleep and eat stage and into the cry and eat stage, she just turned 2 weeks old yesterday and has been a wake more and more each day.

Quoting Lo & Chuck + 1:“ Can mixed feeding upset a babies tummy...I started to mix feed, only about 2oz of formula a day and Caylee ... [snip!] ... a day and Caylee seems really fussy. Could be something else because she actually seems better after I give her formula.”

It could have been something you ate as well that caused her to be fussy. howis she doing today at it?

Quoting Emilie1228:“ It could have been something you ate as well that caused her to be fussy. howis she doing today at it?”

Yeah I know when I would eat broccoli, me and the baby would have upset tummies.

Ya know, it's sure nice to see a board where mommas do mixed feedings, rather than all formula or only boob. Cuz I gotta tell you, I really wish I had come here when I was having problems BFing, cuz I could NOT find any support out there for my issues. I had BFing issues for the whole 3 weeks I did it and when I decided to "give my boobs a break" at around Thanksgiving and just pump for a while, I never went back to BFing. My baby girl got EBM for 3 1/2 months and I was able to bond with her when I fed her a EBM bottle by cuddling her and holding her skin to skin and giving her lots of love and kisses. Exclusively pumping was a lot of work, but BFing doesn't always work for everyone, so hey, whatever gets them that "good stuff" right?!

I was exclusively BFing for about 5 weeks. It got to a point where I got a little impatient because it never seemed to satisfy my baby   and I didn't think that is was fair to him. So I started feeding him formula.
I BF him about 2-3x's a day but he doesn't get full so I'll feed him another 4-5oz of formula when he is done.
I'm a lot happier now and he seems to be as well.
I have a couple of questions:
Does anyone know where you can finda formula feeding chart?
What are the baby's bowel movements supposed to look like when they are on formula?
I'm feeding him Enfamil w/ Iron.

Thanks for this thread!

This was a great thread. Had my third son June 3rd and go back to work in a couple of weeks. Each breastfeeding experience has gotten easier, and I have produced more milk with each child. Of course, it is difficult knowing I will be going back to work and have a job where it is practically impossible to pump. I had told myself I would be happy to at least be able to bf while I was home. Since my milk supply is so much better this time, I am now considering maybe bf at night. I'll be gone at least 11 hours per day, so I was slowly weaning him now. I wonder if my body would keep enough to feed him at least at night, even if it's only once or twice. Anyone had this experience? Were you able to bf only a couple of times a day? Keep in mind, I will not be able to pump during the day. Thanks.

Quoting mswolf:“ This was a great thread. Had my third son June 3rd and go back to work in a couple of weeks. Each breastfeeding ... [snip!] ... experience? Were you able to bf only a couple of times a day? Keep in mind, I will not be able to pump during the day. Thanks.”

I work full-time and don't pump. My son is 10 1/2 months old and we are still going strong.

I am still able to feed him when I get home and before bed and once in the morning. Your body will adjust to when the milk is needed. You might be a little uncomfy at first, but you said you are slowly weaning him from the breast during the day. That is probably best.

I didn't stop pumping though until my milk was well established, like 4-5 months. So I'm not sure how old your little is or will be, and if that will have a different affect on you.

I am in need of some advice. I will start with a little history. This is my first time breastfeeding.My baby is a week old today and I have been mixed feeding from the start. He was 9 lbs 7 oz at birth and had low blood sugar so the hospital reccomended it. So I have always put him to the breast for as long as he would nurse and then offer him a formula bottle. He has had basically no spitting up-so I assume he is not overeating. When my milk came in-on the 4th day-I was very engorged. Even my armpits were lumpy.The baby acted like he was not getting anything and would fuss. I did notice he drank more of the formula bottles that day so I decided to pump. I pumped for 30 minutes and only got 1/4 ounce.Friday was pretty much the same. I was so upset that I never even offered him the breast on Saturday. Sunday I took a long,hot shower and noticed that if I just touched my breast there was milk coming out.So right before I thought he would want to eat I put the heating pad on my breast for a good 10 minutes. I did the same with the other breast while he nursed on the first.It seemed to really work and he did not want a bottle after. I did that for his other feedings yesterday but today it did not seem to work. He cried and fussed at the breast-both actually. So I gave him a formula bottle. My breast feel soft-so I do not know what to do because he nursed more yesterday than any other day and today I seem to not have anything. Any suggestions?? I would try to pump but in frustration returned it to my SIL.

Quoting Tracy Ann:“ I am in need of some advice. I will start with a little history. This is my first time breastfeeding.My ... [snip!] ... day and today I seem to not have anything. Any suggestions?? I would try to pump but in frustration returned it to my SIL.”

what i would do is put the bottle away and spend a couple of days just cuddled up on the bed or couch. With baby constantly having access to the breast. Try putting your baby to breast b/f he gets really hungry/upset. That will help up your supply and then you can work on regulating it after you get him back on the breast.

i wouldn't pump either at the moment. You can start pumping when your supply is regulated.