Two Week Old - Yielding, One Breast or Two, Bottle Top Ups

[Tizyh]

Hi to the breast-feeding forum.  I'm sure I will get opportunity to get acquainted with you as I imagine this to be on of the trickiest dilemnas for Mums and I expect questions to come by the day.

I have a boy of 18 days, Roscoe, my second although there is 14 years apart.  I had little breast feeding experience first time around as I got mastitis after only a few weeks and switched to bottles.

I have a few questions which are most pressing, and appreciate any advice:

1) I have done two yields in the last few days from a single breast and am pumping about 1oz with an electric pump over 15mins at which point I seem to be dry - is this a reasonable amount at this time?

2) I have been giving 1oz of formula before bed since about day 3/4 where it seemed that our boy would not settle and this worked a treat in getting him off for a good 3/4 hour sleep before a night breastfeed, followed by a second 3/4 hour sleep.  In the last couple of days, after daytime feeding was getting more frequent and taking up longer and longer each day (up to 7 hours), I started adding 1oz after giving both breasts, concerned I am not producing enough.  We have also started giving 3oz at night as he seemed hungry for it.

The signs that have led me to believe I am not giving him enough milk from breast alone, includes him pulling his head backwards after 15/20m on the breast and pulling the nipple and then squirming.  I have tried burping and then putting back on the same breast but it does appear that he has taken what milk I have in the time.  I repeat with the second breast.  He then still devours the 1oz bottle-feed top-up afterwards.

Also, I am pumping off a little remaining breast-milk to ensure I am completely empty and to try and encourage better milk production for future.  Do other Mum's adopt this technique?  Does anyone else know any other methods to encourage better milk production or it just a case of feed him if he is hungry?  If that is the case then we would feel that the E.A.S.Y routine would be impossible during the day as he just feeds and feeds and never sleeps until bedtime.

The other concern of mine was that  I could literally not have breast-fed him any more than I was and he still seemed hungry and would take the 1oz at night-time very well.
 
I am aware that the advice from many quarters is to keep feeding, but I guess it was a bit out of desperation and we are getting two morning sleeps and a little afternoon napping by adding the formula, where previously he seemed to be awake all day and feeding for most of it.  How do other Mums feel about this and what are your thoughts on this approach?  My partner, Mark, goes back to work 2nd Jan and the thought of sat feeding for 7 hours per day is quite daunting without his support in the background.

I would really appreciate any input on this.  I hope to be able to give back to the forum as I gain experience myself.

Hannah

[Erin M]

Hi Hannah!  Welcome to the bf boards and congrats on your baby!

1) I have done two yields in the last few days from a single breast and am pumping about 1oz with an electric pump over 15mins at which point I seem to be dry - is this a reasonable amount at this time?

First off, what you get when you pump is not a good indicator of supply.  Some ladies. An get lots of milk and others get hardly any.  Have a read of this as it should answer some of your questions.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65905.0

2) I have been giving 1oz of formula before bed since about day 3/4 where it seemed that our boy would not settle and this worked a treat in getting him off for a good 3/4 hour sleep before a night breastfeed, followed by a second 3/4 hour sleep.  In the last couple of days, after daytime feeding was getting more frequent and taking up longer and longer each day (up to 7 hours), I started adding 1oz after giving both breasts, concerned I am not producing enough.  We have also started giving 3oz at night as he seemed hungry for it.

The signs that have led me to believe I am not giving him enough milk from breast alone, includes him pulling his head backwards after 15/20m on the breast and pulling the nipple and then squirming.  I have tried burping and then putting back on the same breast but it does appear that he has taken what milk I have in the time.  I repeat with the second breast.  He then still devours the 1oz bottle-feed top-up afterwards.

Most babies will drink readily from a bottle even when they are full.  Formula takes longer to digest than breastmilk so that's why you're probably getting a bit longer.  There's also a growth spurt around the 2-3 week mark which could be where you're at right now.  He could also be done nursing after 15-20 minutes and that's why he doesn't want to go back on.  The best indicator of supply is if he has enough wet/poopy diapers and if he's lasting between feedings.  At this age, many babies would happily nurse constantly.  He could be tired, rather than hungry and wanting to nurse to sleep - A time is usually quite short at this age.

[/quote]
Also, I am pumping off a little remaining breast-milk to ensure I am completely empty and to try and encourage better milk production for future.  Do other Mum's adopt this technique?  Does anyone else know any other methods to encourage better milk production or it just a case of feed him if he is hungry?  If that is the case then we would feel that the E.A.S.Y routine would be impossible during the day as he just feeds and feeds and never sleeps until bedtime.

This will definitely encourage milk production, be careful you don't encourage it too much as you'll end up with blocked ducts and possibly mastitis.  I'd try to see if he'll sleep instead of nursing.
What do you think?
Hang in there, the beginning is difficult but it gets easier and easier. 

[Tizyh]

Erin, thanks for the welcome and congratulations - much appreciated.

I think we are possibly over-analysing (hard not to) and maybe we are trying to bring in E.A.S.Y too early or are too concerned with routine and trying to make things easy for ourselves by trying to avoid long days of constant breast-feeding.  On the same notion, though, we are of course trying to do the best for our boy and if he seems hungry, we want to satisfy his hunger.  If he is not sleeping in the day, we want to try and help him to sleep.  It's difficult to know what is going on one minute to the next sometimes.

I think we will continue as we are for a few days (visiting family locally for 3 days over Christmas).  I think I am happy with how much I am yielding (bearing in mind our boy's ability to take more than a pump), and as I am offering both breasts each feed and only then topping up from a bottle to help him get some sleep, I am hoping that my milk supply will not be effected.  Point noted however on our boy possibly taking bottle whether he is full from the breast or not.

We are still maintaining the recommended number of feeds per day too, and are now encouraging more daytime sleeps with success, especially the first 2/3 of the day.

I'll write back on how we are getting on soon.

Thanks for your support.

[Erin M]

You sound like you're doing great!  Don't worry too much about EASY just yet.  It will come together, but early days are good for newborn snuggles. 
Post back when you need us!