Minimum number of breast feeds?

Hello again,

Just wondering if anyone can help me, I am wanting to know what is the minimum amount of breast feeds in 24 hours (or expressing) I could have without my milk supply running out? The reason I ask is for the last 4 weeks it has been quite difficult to breast feed during the day, I am not sure what I am dealing with, but bubs is semi refusing, or just taking the bare minimum to see him through. I've had enough as it is too hard dealing with a baby who is hungry but won't feed. During the night he feeds well, so I am wondering if I can feed him by bottle during the day, and breast feed at night (not sure on amount but am thinking once or twice in the night, and once when waking in the morning, so maybe 3 feeds in 24 hours?)?

Would this arrangement dry up my milk, or would my body regulate to accommodate this? I would love to breast feed him exclusively, but at the moment it is too stressful when he won't feed, and I find I am walking around with a bag packed with either EBM or formula, just in case, so it is defeating the whole purpose of the convenience of breast feeding. If I offer him a bottle he will take it, but would rather suck his dummy even when hungry, than feed from the breast. I just don't want to deal with it anymore.

If I fed him 3 feeds in 24 hours, and perhaps expressed on one other occassion during the day, would my milk be okay? Also, I find I can only express about 30ml from each breast, is this dismal? I suppose if it had been longer between feeds perhaps I could get more (say 90ml all up, which I have done).

Not sure. Id advise you to call the ABA or an LC, but in general i was told not to go mre than 6 hours, so thats 4 times.
DS1 only ever fed 6-7 times a day which is still at the lower end.
It doesnt matter how much you can express, do it anyway, its the stimulation thats important.

sounds like bubs is getting enough breast milk, but just all mixed up and taking it during the night rather than the day. not sure how to fix this probloem, someone in here might have an answer for you. i also just wanted to say. go with your babys flow. sometimes it seems like they arent having enough BM but really i have found that they always take what they need.

Emma, ideally you would be emptying your breasts (either feeding or expressing) at least 8 times in 24 hours to maintain a good supply, especially in the first 6 weeks. Do you think there is any way that you could express every 2 hours during the day? I know it is a lot of work, but maintaining your supply will always be easier than building it up again.

the whole thing is stressing me out so much that i am going to give up and put him on formula, i feel like i have persevered for 4 weeks and i am out of patience... just then he was crying and crying hungry, i try to breast feed him and he doesn't want to attach and just cries and cries, so i went and got him a bottle and he drank 120mls.... he is now content... even though the breast milk is better for him, the stress of trying to get him to take a feed, and me yelling at my 3 year old at the same time as the whole act is taking its toll on me, i just feel like its probably not actually in our best interests to continue... we are off on holiday tomorrow and i so wanted to have the ease of breast feeding while on the plane, while we are out on day trips etc, but i have been fooling myself as i know he won't feed and i plan on taking bottles etc anyway so what is the point.

thanks for your support, i just have so much on my plate at the moment with my own health issues and long car trips down to melbourne to see specialists etc, and i am also starting a casual job next week and i don't see anyway i could possibly pump every 2 hours, without going nuts and my 3 year old also suffering. also for the last 4 weeks he has only been feeding for a few minutes, a few times throughout the day, so maybe my supply has diminished anyway...

i wish it could have worked out, as in the beginning it was going so well, but when he got thrush in his mouth everything went terrible and it hasn't improved. his mouth still looks sore, but i can't have him going hungry just because i really wanted to breast feed.... i just think he needs to be fed in the way that causes the least amount of stress for everyone involved.

dont feel bad or guilty. do what you feel is right for you and your family. but if you do want to persist with the breastfeeding, it does get easier with age. :-)