BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

I'm going to guess most answers are work/pumping related. Would also love to hear from the SAHM's that eventually supplemented too.

When did you start supplementing? How did you know it was time? Can you do it without affecting your supply?

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

Okay, I totally don't mean this in a snarky way but what do you mean by "how did know know it was time [to supplement]?" Do you feel like your supply is low? I sah, and I have never thought about supplementing.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

I don't really understand either. I have worked since dd was 4mos and she is now 13.5 and still breastfed. I never had to supplement. I pump at work and that's what she gets the next day.

Just know if you supplement your supply probably will decrease because it is all about supply and demand.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

Now *I'm* totally confused why you're both confused... people talk about supplementing all of the time?

I only work part-time and go in to the office two days so I don't think it's work-related (most working Moms I know do NOT seem to meet their baby's needs because the pump isn't as good as the baby and their supply drops).

My DS (6 months) is super fussy in the evenings.. I thought it might be teething (even wrote another thread asking about that) but now I think it's hunger. I've always had a terrible supply and nurse him as much as I can but I'm empty, he's frustrated, and he screams on and off for the two hours before bedtime. I tried giving him a bottle during this time and he was a totally different kid. This works well for us and if I can keep my supply up the rest of the day but just do one bottle of formula at night I'm ok with that but I fear it's a slippery slope to being a breastfeeding failure.

I'm paranoid about my supply (I EPed with DD for 7 months and always had to supplement), and yes I know it's about supply and demand. I've been taking Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle and done all of the increasing supply tricks but I'm worried I'm not producing enough.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

Have you started him on solids? Maybe feed him dinner closer to bedtime and see if that helps? How long do you plan to nurse?

If you start supplementing with formula, your supply will diminish. My dd was and still is (at 13 months) pretty fussy at night time. I nurse her as often and for as long as she wants it. You've come really far by making it to six months, and I'd personally look at ways to increase your supply before supplementing.

How's your diet? Drinking a lot of water? Green juicing helps.

I hope you're able to come up with something that you're comfortable with!

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

We started supplementing at 6 months when I went back to work. One bottle of formula a day. It didn't affect us much, to be honest, because my body adapted and just made as much as DD needed. I had plenty for when she wanted to nurse and didn't produce any between 7-noon (when I pumped at work) and none between 12:30 and 5:00 (when I fed her next). I wasn't willing to pump 2x a day at work so DD got one bottle of BM and one bottle of formula when I was gone for the day. It worked just fine for us and my body did what it needed to do.

I'm sorry if you're having a harder time with it and you feel like you're not making enough. Could you feed DS more frequently throughout the day? Add a session or two to try to build your supply up a little?

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

I BF and supplement due to low supply. It has not effected my supply at all because I supplement right after I nurse. He is still nursing the same number of times a day. It definitely takes more time to do it this way, but I'm very determined to continue breastfeeding. I knew it was time when he was gaining very slowly. He is a very happy baby by nature and was never fussy but the ped didn't like his slow weight gain.

He is almost 6 months now and we have been doing this for about 2 months.

I have two other children and had a very tough time BF those too due to low supply so I was prepared for this.

Let me know if you have any questions. This has been working out well for us. DS has been sleeping through the night 7:30-7 since about 10 weeks.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

A month after I went back to work full time with DD I had to start supplementing. It was too much for me to keep up with and my freezer supply was gone within a month. I supplemented 1 bottle only. At 6 months I cut out another session (pumping at work). She was fully on formula at 8 months.

This time I am staying home for the year, I will see how it goes but with a 3 year old DD I may supplement again. Awesome to the Mommies who can do EBF with more than one LO! But everyone is different and I know for me it was a lot of pressure BUT I am so happy I stuck with it.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

My supply was diminishing and DS lost a few ounces over a months time. Our ped suggested trying to up my supply, when that didn't work we started giving DS one formula bottle a day. This happened when he was around 7 months old.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

I pumped at work (worked part time 4 days a week) and EBF when I was home till I started weaning him at a year. Never needed to supplement as he was growing fine and I could mostly keep up with his demand but on days when my supply was low (especially after getting AF back at 9 months) and I started pumping less then he would take per feeding I would use freezer supply from pumping sessions I did on the weekend/off times. I would usually pump at least once a day on the weekends or during the week after am feeding/evening feeding and use that as a freezer supply/extra back up for when I stopped pumping as much at work (I was only really getting 2-3 oz's after 9 months and he always took 4-5 per bottle. At a year I started replacing my pumping sessions at work with soy milk (dairy intolerant) and when I was home with him I would also give a bottle of soy milk rather then BF him during those times. HTH!

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

Everyone has a different experience, but in retrospect I should have supplemented sooner since I didn't know my supply was low and DS was "starving" - kind of - till I actually did start to give him some formula, around 4 mos. He immediately gained weight and was happier/full. This coincided with me going back to work and not being able to pump and then eventually weaning within a month of that.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

I've been supplementing since he was born. I feel like he's never full on my breastmilk alone, constantly hungry, and the formula seems to keep him fuller longer. Also I was concerned he was gassy from the breastmilk, so I give him formula sometimes to see if he tolerates it better, still not sure. I have a huge stash of frozen breastmilk in my freezer, but hoping to be able to continue to pump even though I have to go back to work this week.

BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

Have you given him solids yet? Maybe he just needs food!

Obviously if you are nursing him and he is still screaming for milk and you are empty, give him a bottle! If you feel you have done all you can to get your supply up and this is it, then I have no suggestion other than to supplement. As a LC told me when I had to supplement in the beginning when DD wasn't latching, the most important thing is that you feed your baby.

Re: BFing Moms... when/how did you know it was time to supplement?

Hoping this doesnt come off as rude, but unless there is a problem with your supply, you never need to supplement.

I was a SAHM with my DD and I EBF. I gave her solids at 6 months, but never supplemented with formula.

If you are working and tired of pumping, or it's too much, then you can supplement whenever you want, but you never have to supplement.

Message edited 10/21/2013 8:00:17 AM.