Hi there - I was hoping you could help me with a dilemma I'm currently having.
I spent the first 3 months at home with my DD exclusively breastfeeding, I have now been back at work for about two months. She is in the nursery for mornings only, and she gets one bottle of expressed milk during that time.
I have been pumping at work, and previously managing to quite easily express enough in one sitting for the next days bottle (5-6oz). Over the last week or so that has dropped massively, and now I'm lucky if I can get 2oz from both sides.
Having read the previous post 'Back to Work' and checked out the kellymom site, I now realise that I must have had a massive oversupply to have been that efficient at pumping. I thought that the reason I can't express so much now was because DD is now nearly 5 months, had gone through a growth spurt, and needed the extra.
What is slightly confusing me is the info on quantities of milk that babies need. If babies need the same amount (25oz) between 1 and 6 months, then why do they have growth spurts??
Regardless, I simply don't have the time at work to be doing the amount of pumping necessary to keep DD on exclusive breastmilk with this reduced output. How I feel about that is not for this post, needless to say I'm not particularly happy.
So my question (that took it's time in coming!) is, seeing as I'll have to introduce formula for at least a couple of feeds a week to make up the shortfall, does anyone have any suggestions for which ones are the most suitable for a generally breastfed baby? Is it a matter of baby's preference, or are some closer in composition / easier to digest etc? Please bear in mind that I'm in the UK, so no American only brand recommendations please!
Thanks for your help, and sorry for the long post!