Breast milk & formula feeding combo question (sort of long)

[Sylvia]

I've moved to breast milk and formula feeding for now until my milk comes in... It's been a difficult few days, but my milk is starting to come fairly well as of yesterday.

Yesterday we had Claire's fernulum clipped at a specialist, because she was not only having problems taking the breast, but also problems sucking from the bottle. She just couldn't get a good suck, so we could get maybe a few CC's of milk from the breast and then try the formula. All in all she would get maybe 15 CC's of fluid per feeding, which obviously isn't enough.

I can now hand express about 1 oz of breast milk for both breasts. I have tried the pump and it just doesn't work as well as hand expressing right now, since it's such a small amount.

I'm going to see an LC this week, to work on the latching techniques, and how to get Claire to latch properly and stay latched.

But is there any harm to her body mixing both the breast milk and formula? I have heard that is might off set the good bacteria in her body, and I'm wondering if I should introduce any probiotics into her diet? I'm going to ask the doctor about this tomorrow... But any thoughts? positive, negative about mixing the two?

[eenchoo]

I hope you get some help from the LC. The only down side I see with the formula is that the more formula you give the less milk you will make. Once you see the lc try to keep her on the boob as much as possible, she will make your milk come in.:hugs::hugs:Good luck and keep us posted.

[maine06]

I wouldn't add anything to her diet, she's only 5 days old... personally, I would get a LC TODAY and stop the formula. You're not going to increase supply if she's getting formula. And, if you're worried about her belly, here's a great article I tend to refer a lot of people to.
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/bf/supplement.asp

I'm not trying to sound mean or anything, I just really encourage you to get a LC sooner rather than later. It doesn't sound like there's anything you can't work through...

[Irish-Eyes]

The formula will screw your milk supply. Stop that immediately and get to an lc straight away.

[tri-girl]

If you do need to supplement, see if the LC can get you a SNS--the formula comes through a little tube attached to your nipple. You get the nipple stimulation to keep your milk coming in and the baby gets the nutrition she needs. It's a pain in the butt, but it really worked for me. I had to do this in the beginning--the pedi was concerned about dehydration--and my milk came in fine.

[The GG]

my friend is having issues with her lo and latching.. she has a lazy tongue... so after 5 weeks of baby not gaining, she finally went to see an lc. LC has her pumping, bottle feeding and finger feeding (little tube attached to her finger so that she can work on her sucking technique) and the boob at night. So far she is doing great for just 4 days and has gained an ounce..I would go see an LC...I plan on seeing one the second I pop out my little one...

[xaive]

if you have no medical probs i would think about stopping the formula. i would def go see a LC as soon as possible!! it is true that if you FF that your milk does not come in as much as it should.

i have to do both due to a reduction 3.5 years ago, and all my ducts don't work right. any amount of BM is better than none.

but def RUN to a LC!!! your supply will never be enough for soley BF if you keep supplementing. i'm trying to give encougement not reprimand.

[Sylvia]

Thanks ladies... I'm seeing the LC on Friday, and I am still giving her a little formula, but now that I am able to get more while pumping, she is mainly getting breast milk right now.

I have been practicing latching with her before each feeding session, and she is taking in a little bit before that, but then gets lazy and stops sucking. probably because she has been using the bottle... but then I pump what I can - I'm getting about 3 ounces for both breasts during one pumping session... and saving that for the next feeding, so she gets the milk I pump from the previous session on the next one via bottle.

I think we can make some progress on this, but it's just going to be a little work. She actually gained back 4 oz, which is great... and her jaundice is completely gone.

I feel like a horrible mom giving her formula, but at the time... I just couldn't see her lose any more weight. I know babies lose 10% of their body weight after birth, but with the jaundice and little to nothing to eat, it was killing me to see her so hungry, and becoming dehydrated for a few days. So I think I made a decent decision, but maybe not. I guess time will tell.

[tri-girl]

DON'T feel bad for giving formula!!! You are keeping your baby fed and hydrated, which is the most important thing!!!! You are doing great mama!! hang in there :)