Relactating

Hi Danni, you are doing so well! :clap: Can you believe how far you've come in these few short weeks?

My suggestion would be to continue offering the breast before the bottle. Especially for that first morning feed at 4am. You will be at your most relaxed and he will also. Try bfing this one in bed as well and enjoy the sleepy snuggles! (Will be much better as the weather starts to cool down too).

If you offer the bb before the bottle each time it will give your bbs added stimulation and encourage them to produce more milk at these times. This will help reduce the bottle feeds. But again, you are doing very well!

Danni, you've been given some great suggestions here, but I just wanted to reiterate the point of always offering breast before bottle, it's really important. Especially in the night, as your prolactin levels are higher at night (so you make more milk) so those feeds should be the easiest to get rid of the bottle. They certainly were the first feeds for us, and I loved that! No more getting up in the night for bottles, just lying in bed and breastfeeding, more sleep for me :D

You're doing a fabulous job Danni :D

Sorry i haven't replied earlier, busy feeding my hungry boy!

Thanks Marcellus, Lee, Jennifer and Janie! This morning has been better....lots of BB's in there. He woke at 1.20am for a feed instead this morning and silly me just got the bottle ready without even thinking about it :doh: Janie i didn't realise your prolactin levels are higher at night....thats probably why i am busting at the seams by morning. Sounds silly but i actually like the feeling of being so full...at least i know there is enough milk there to feed my big bubba. Nothing worse than having a baby suck and suck....trying to rip your boob off cause he is trying to get as much out as he can. I did make that one mistake this morning, but i can't go back now so moving forward it is and so far this morning he has had-
1.20am bottle back to bed
4.45am woke put in bed with me and bf him off left side, pretty full
8.15am bf from right side, pretty full
9.30am bf off both sides
10.30am bf off both sides
11.00am bf off both sides and then give bottle at 11.30, he had 180mls out of bottle but did puked up a fair bit too.

I put him straight into his cot once i fed him about 11.45am and he layed there and stargazed for a little bit and went to sleep on his own....without even a cry :dance: He has been alot happier today as well, lots of smiles for mummy!

Forgot to add that i have been expressing between feeds normally, instead today i have offered the breast more. Should i maybe instead of expressing just offer the breast alot more and maybe just express a couple of hours after he has gone to bed of a night...then i can just freeze it and keep for times when i need it??

Great job! Really sounds like you may be able to drop the top ups altogether soon...

:

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Forgot to add that i have been expressing between feeds normally, instead today i have offered the breast more. Should i maybe instead of expressing just offer the breast alot more and maybe just express a couple of hours after he has gone to bed of a night...then i can just freeze it and keep for times when i need it??

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Yes! bfing is much better for getting milk out than expressing, so better for stimulating production & much less hassle if you can ditch the expressing. If you want to keep expressing, that might be a better way of doing it. And you can keep it frozen for three months I think (there's a sticky somewhere with info on expressing & storing).

Oh, and glad to hear about the good sleep.

IMO, if your baby is up to it, BFing instead of expressing is definitely the way to go. As others have said, bub will do a better job than the pump, and who's going to say no to all those extra cuddles? ;) I know it's hard work, but it won't be long until it pays off :D

Thanks Marcellus and Janie...i think i just needed to talk and get it all out and for some others to give me some other advice! So much for the LC giving me help, you girls have given me better and more contructive advice than the LC has and did. I now know my plan of attack for this weeks progress, i try not to think in the long term for this relactating bfeeding journey as it just seems so far away to us getting back to bfeeding fulltime....week by week progress is so much better and more manageable. Wish i had blogged my progress now from the beginning cause in a months time i will be able to see just how far i have come.

TIA

:D

Yesterday we dropped another bottle, down to three now :dance: He had breast then bottle at 3am then another one at 10am and the last one at 7pm. All in between was breast, it was on top of each other i must admit but i never actually felt real empty IYKWIM. I kinda felt as though i was starving the poor little trooper at times but i fed very often....sometimes twice in an hour, so at least i was keeping him hydrated!

Today so far he has only had the one bottle at 10am, he slept through to almost 5am this morning and has had 3 feeds between 5-10am, just trying to get him to have a nap now!

:D

Hi ladies just wondering if when bub breastfeeds should i pull him off when he starts just suckling at me like a dummy? I find that he will feed and then he will nod off and just start suckling at me, not actually feeding IYKWIM.

You're going great guns Danni! Hmmmm, I'm not sure about the suckling, probably depends on a few things. The extra stimulation is good (and the cuddles are lovely :)), but you don't want him sitting there all day and then falling asleep for ages, meaning that it's too long before he feeds again. How long is he feeding 'properly' for? If he's already been at the breast for awhile I think it would be fine to pull him off when he's fast asleep.

Do you offer one or both breasts at a feed? If he falls asleep on the first breast, but stirs when you pull him off, you could always change his nappy and then offer him the second one.

Janie it depends on how full i am whether i offer both sides. First thing in the morning i offer one side to fully drain it and that is normally enough for him to go back to sleep for a few more hours. Then the next few feeds upto 10am i normally offer both on and off until 10am before i will give the bottle. He sleeps from around 11-2pm then around 2.30pm he will breast feed on and off till 5pm when he has another bottle and then his last bottle at 8pm and is in bed by 8.30pm. I offer the breast before all bottles and the bottles are really only a top up although they are quite a large top up!

I was in another thread before and we were talking about large bubs and how much they drink, anyway another member said her paed told her because her bub was in the high weight percentile it would be difficult to keep a good supply up....is this correct?? I just thought that you produce what your bubs needs are. Any feedback would be good!

TIA

Danni, your bbs will supply enough milk, regardless of how big your baby is (after all, some mums successfully bf twins - that's twice the amount!!). It is only about how often you are bfing him. You are right to bf him before every bottle feed. The other thing to do to increase your supply for those bfs that you are topping him up with formula is to pump after you bottle feed him. You can then use this amount to supplement what he is getting in the bottle and will build up your own supply at the same time. Another alternative is rather than topping him up with a bottle feed, wait 1/2 hr to an hour after the bf (that you would normally top up after) and offer him the bb again. You will have 'refilled' somewhat in that time.

I really applaud your efforts here, Danni, what a great effort you've made to get this far! :clap:

Hi Danniim
Well done on managing to get your supply up this far. It takes alot of dedication to relactate, or bring your supply back up. I have had issues with supply going up and down since DS was born, I even gave in and bought a tin of formula.
Recently one thing that has "amazingly" worked is activite. You can get it from your supermarket where the milo is. Its not expensive, I started off having a glass morning and night then only once daily and now not at all. After 2 days I had milk pouring out of me.
In regards to actual feeding, maybe try to express during the 10-2 break 1-2 times, and if your not up to much in the evenings, I would be expressing every hour until you go to bed, esp if he sleeps till 5ish. Generally 10 mins each side is enough.
I agree with Jennifer13, your BB's should produce enough milk to support the child, no matter how big they are.
Have you tried hand expressing? I find it easier, a little messier but not as much cleaning up, just make sure you have a cloth that you can wipe your hands on, and change hands and BB often until your not getting much out. Like everyone has said, its not about how much you get out be how long your stimulated for.

Sounds great Danni! Well done on your hard work.

Jennifer i thought so! I don't know why these ppl give out this advise.

I might try the activite, should i make it with just milk or is it the activite that does the trick??

I will also try and express at least once during the 10-2pm and also express of a night.

Thanks everyone

:D

I tried some activite this morning and nearly made me gag! i have read in another thread some success and others it has nothing for them. I think because i am on the Motilium anyway it probably wouldn't make a huge difference.

I haven't been counting how many breastfeeds i am doing atm but it would be between the 8-12 feeds. I did notice this afternoon i fed Jaxon a few times then a couple hours later i was feeling somewhat fuller so my supply is definatley starting to adjust some what. I also can hear more slurping going on while he feeds!

You girls have been so amazing, i don't think i would have made it this far without your help.

Talk soon

I've just come accross this, and just wanted to say what a great job i think you've done! :dance:

Danni, knowing how and when to drop comps can be really hard. You first need to be sure that he's getting plenty, so checking nappies and weight gain. You've done a fantastic job at building your supply up, so the next step is to work out reducing the bottles, if that's what you want. It can be really good to work with an LC, or an ABA counsellor when reducing comps, as the extra reassurance is fantastic.

Danni - rather than dropping bottles wholesale, maybe try slowly reducing the amount you put in them. If you reduce every bottle by 20ml that means that the increased BM need is spread over the day rather than in one hit where the bottle used to be. and if after a few days he seems a happy camper then reduce some more.

Thanks MummaB, it has been hard and it is slowly happening for us.

Janie i was thinking the exact same thing yesterday as he hadn't done a poo in a couple of days, but then today he pooed for me which made me feel better. I am still getting plenty of wet nappies and it isn't dark yellow or anything to indicate dehydration. I was also going to go into the Child Health Clinic on Tuesday to get him weighed. He is a baby that definately lets you know when he is hungry and i feed him quite often in between feeds, maybe hourly although today was a little more spaced rather than being ontop of each other. He only ended up having two bottle today as well, one at 10am and the other one at 6.30pm, he really wanted to go to bed at 7.30pm so i just breastfed him and he didn't want a bottle so i left it at that, although he might wake up a little more through the night as he has missed one of his bottles.

Kmn i always offer the full 200mls that is recommended on the formula tin and he has been having about 150mls most bottles for the last week i would say. I have been quite gentle in my approach to dropping bottles hence why i was stuck there for quite a few weeks on still the four bottles. I see what you mean and in a sense that is what i have been incorporating into the journey. I find that if i drop a bottle after a few weeks and then within a few days he is adapted and quite happy with it, i guess either way my supply just adjusts to his needs and some days he seems to be on there constantly and others days it might be 1.5-2hrly.

All these ideas are great as it keeps me thinking of other ways to approach this.

:D

Quick update

My supply is definately on the up. I can now pretty much express 20-25mls out of each side now :dance: I have only been expressing twice a day atm and popping him on the breast at all other times, i am just happy to see an improvement!

Yay Danni! :clap: Keep up the good work.

Went to the CHC yesterday and weighed in Jaxon just to see how he is going......he has gone from the 75th percentile to the 90th in a couple short weeks! She told me to drop the 10am feed as he doesn't really need it...trialing it today.
Yesterday he had only 100ml at 10am a full 200mls at 6.30pm and another 90mls at 9.30pm when he decided to wake after being in bed. The rest was just breastfeeds. My BB's were busting by 2.30am when he woke for a feed, i really feel as though we are on the downhill slide to fulling relactating now....i can now see all the hardwork i have done in recent weeks paying off :dance:

We had a shocker of a day yesterday....he wouldn't sleep! We are down to 2 bottles now and maybe it is him getting used to more BB'S than bottles. He did sleep through to 5am this morning though!
I don't think he was over hungry as i tried to put him down for a sleep even after his 3pm bottle and he wouldn't co-operate.

Well done Danni!!! Nearly there... He's going to have unsettled days for many reasons, with the way he's doing in other areas I wouldn't be attributing it to bfing over anything else.

You have achieved this all so quickly, what a star you are!!

Yeah, maybe just a bad day. You're doing great

You are doing great!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like it's going so well :D I agree with the others, he will have bad days regardless of how he's fed......just see it as an excuse to put him back on the boob LOL (as if you ever need one ;)).

We have had an aweful few days....no i shouldn't say that, it has been very trying to say the least! He has become overly clingy just wants to be cuddled constantly and i just don't get a break until he goes to bed at night....thank god he is sleeping well until 3-5am in the morning.
He won't sleep during the day atm, unless he is in my bed and i bfeed him to sleep during the day, i have been feeding him at his first feed in the morning at say 3-5am then he will go back to sleep for 3ish hours and then it is hourly feeding until i lay down with him for a nap where he will go 2-3hly and then it is back to hourly again till his 3pm bottle and then maybe two hours till another breastfeed or two or three and then a bottle to go to bed with around 7-8pm....hope that makes sense!
I have started to resort to doing a little house work of an evening, just impossible during the day with him so clingy. I know it is only a stage he is going through but gee i forgot how hard they are when dealing with it!
Would he maybe be going through a growth spurt atm as well, he is nearly 3 months?? I am perservering with the two bottles a day still, i hope it gets easier soon again. I don't think he is over hungry as he cries even after a bottle, if i pick him up he settles. If i breastfeed him he normally falls asleep on the breast and then soon as i put him down he wakes and is horrified i took him off the breast :rolleyes:

Cutting down to two bottles has been the hardest one yet, i don't think we were fully ready in certain ways but as the nurse said he doesn't really need it as he is sooooo chumpy! We will just keep going and i am sure it will get easier ;)

I expressed last night before bed aound 10.30pm and i just wasn't full enough for my little man this morning when he woke at 2.30am.
I haven't been expressing since he has been on the two bottles a day, but he took 110mls of formula at 6am this morning. He had been really restless since when he woke at 2.30am so i decided to make up a bottle.
Should i just not worry about expressing atm?? When he is awake....alot atm he is feeding probably every hour....gee i hope my BB's catch up to his needs very soon!

You will need to read my last post to get the full read on what has been happening.

Cluster feeding is a pretty common thing - my DS liked to feed hourly from 6pm to midnight at this age. Just remember that there may be lots of reasons other than lack of milk for him to be restless - so try cuddles and music and a walk before reaching for the bottle. Also - sucking on an almost-empty boob soothes some babies, so don't be in a hurry to take him off, let him do that himself. If you can feed him with you both lying down then you may get to doze as well!

As far as expressing is concerned - I would keep doing it if you can. You can always give him what you get out when he wakes up next time, and overall you will make more milk the more often you empty things.

I wouldnt worry about expressing atm. FWIW Byron just had a growth spurt and he was feeding every 2 hours day and night for 5 days. It was hard at first cause i felt empty all the time but it did get better. You are doing a fantastic job with Jaxon.
Also when he had his g/s he was clingy and whingy too :hug:

Thanks girls!
Kmn he is always in bed by 8pm....just what he likes. The past week has been quite tiring as my bb's are getting used to making more milk since i cut out the 10am bottle, this way he is going all night and all day without any bottles until around 3pm when he gets one. I could almost kick myself today for caving in and giving one this morning, although he only had 110mls. I gave him another this arvo at 4pm and he had 150mls...i always make a 200ml bottle as recommended on the can.
I guess i was wondering when i should start to see an improvement in milk production?? I think i was starting to stress as well, thinking i wasn't making enough.
Forgot about the cluster feeding too!

At the moment we lay down together for a day time sleep....only way he will sleep during the day ATM.
How many wet disposible nappies should i have in a day as well? He poops every second day ATM.....CHN said that was fine!

You probably are making more milk - he may have just decided to drink more as well!

He seems to be crying all the time ATM.....is this normal? Unless of cause he is on the breast!

Danni, have you tried carrying him around in a sling or HAB? Go for a walk (if it's not raining where you are) to clear your head.

It's normal for babies to have an unsettled day here and there. Could he be sick? Is anyone else in the family sick?

Could be a growth spurt - he's about the right age for one I think. At around 10-11 weeks DS fed every 1.5hrs during the day and 2-3 hourly overnight for about 3-4 days and then my supply caught up and things settled down again. He always cluster fed from around 4pm to 7pm also....

Aww thanks ladies. I rung the hospital yesterday to see if they have a LC and i went straight up there after getting off the phone, she told me to up my Motilium dosage to two tablets three times per day instead of one tablet three times per day. She seems to think i am doing everything else right although she thinks we need to try and get him away from wanting to snack constantly. The problem is when he feeds he only sucks for maybe 5-10minutes then decides to go to sleep and when i put him down he then wakes up and wants to be fed again :rolleyes: I think it is just going to be perserverence and he will slowly grow out of it. It isn't as though he is underweight or not putting weight on or anything.
I put my dosage of the Motilium upto two tablets from lunch time yesterday and i have already noticed a difference....filling up alot quicker. All in all i was pretty happy with what the LC had to say to me and was even happy for her to say i am pretty much doing every thing right....thanks to all you ladies of cause :D

Nearly forgot, when he had his 4pm bottle yesterday he only consumed 120mls and the same for his bedtime bottle as well, so he only had a total of 240mls of formula yesterday! So he is filling up on my gold juice quite well now isn't he?

Nothing much has changed, he is still wanting to snack heaps during the day but i am telling myself that is fine because he has been sleeping 9hrs overnight!
I reckon i must lose 100mls of milk in my breastpads overnight...quite leaky by the morning.

Sounds like things are continuing to go well, Danni. Is he having any formula bottles now?

He is still having one between 3-5pm and then one to go to bed with about 8pm and always offering the breast first before each bottle feed.

He is being a bit of a bugger atm with day time sleeping...well actually it is non existant! He might sleep if i lay him down in my bed with my boobie in his mouth, where as at night he self settles and puts himself to sleep after his last bottle. I don't know if it is that he isn't full enough to put himself to sleep of what?? My supply is good in the morning but then i don't seem to satisfy him after that...am i just being paranoid?? I feel soft during the day...i do start to fill up and then he feeds again, it kinda feels as though there just isn't enough there during the day IYKWIM, how do i pick up my supply during the day??

Your bbs not feeling 'full' is not an indication of your supply. Most mums don't feel full anymore after the first couple of months (I think for me it was 6-8 weeks). Some settle down more quickly.

As long as you are used to bfing him at a certain time, the milk will be there. Towards the end of the day a baby is more likely to be fussy and more difficult to settle for many reasons, and not usually your milk supply. I remember my DD would cluster feed in the evenings, three times in about 3 hrs and what seemed quick bfs. If I hadn't been told about this at a bfing class, I would have assumed I was not giving her enough milk, but actually, she was just filling herself up before bed. She would then sleep for a lot longer.

Don't worry about whether you have enough during the day - if you feed him, it will be there!