Will not feeding at night reduce my supply?

[lily_layne]

My LO is just over 4 months old and we BF well with cereal in the morning and evening (recommended by my midwife) and a very occasional bottle of formula.  Lately, she's been STTN (12 hours, no dream feed).  I've heard that night feeds are important for maintaining supply.  Is that only true for the first few weeks or will the lack of night feeds reduce my supply now?  I love BFing, so I don't want a reduced supply forcing me to stop.

[Fiver]

If you've been feeding in the night until recently, you may be ok.  Night feeds are important as that is when prolactin (milk producing hormone) levels are at their highest.  Of course, you may be fortunate and have an oversupply too

Can I ask what the reason is that your MW has recommended giving cereal and what you are giving and for how long now?

[lily_layne]

Up until the last few days DD has been eating once or twice a night.  I usually do have lots of milk and there is definitely plenty of milk by the time she wakes up

My midwife recommended introducing solids because my LO seemed very ready for them (fascinated by watching people eat, sitting up well, accepting a spoon).  She took into account that my LO has reached many developmental milestones early.  She recommended cereal over fruit/veg/meat because DD has eczema and so is more likely to have allergies.  We are going very slow with the introduction of solids.  We've been doing cereal for 3 weeks (rice at first and introduced wheat a few days ago).  We do wheat cereal (3-5 tablespoons mixed with breast milk) in the am and rice cereal (3-5 tablespoons) in the evening.  I have a feeling that she would eat a lot more if I let her - she loves it!  I give her a full feed before and then she usually goes back to the breast for a top-up about 1/2 hour after her cereal (taking more some days than others).

[Fiver]

Obviously not wanting to scare you or contradict your midwife, but you might want to take a look at these documents relating particularly to rice cereal and the connection to allergies http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=awCIiHf4eX2E and http://guggiedaly.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/the-aftermath-of-introducing-rice.html

[lily_layne]

So far she's seeming OK on rice cereal but I really appreciate the information.  What do you recommend instead?

[Erin M]

Fruits and veggies are generally what more folks recommend these days.  Avocados are wonderful first foods, puréed pears, sweet potatoes, bananas, things like that.

[Fiver]

What Erin said

[lily_layne]

Thanks.  I'll slowly start introducing those and phase out the cereal.