Hey ladies,

Looking for some advice really, hope someone can help.

Cailey is almost 6 weeks old and was mix fed from birth, she then went onto formula since about 4 weeks old. I have now decided to try to exclusivley breastfeed her, well except her last bottle of the night.
Has anyone else decided to go back to breast after the bottle?

My health visitor says this is possible as long as she feeds feeds feeds! I have been doing this for 2 days now and not sure if my milk is coming back or not.... I still have to top her up with formula. Should I stop giving her the formula altogether?

I am going to be speaking to a breastfeeding advisor today to see what she would recommend. Im thinking of hiring a hospital grade pump for a month or 2 to see if we can get it going with that too.... and also has anyone heard of Fenugreek? What are peoples experiences?

xxxx

hiya hun,
i havent experience of this, but when i felt i had poor milk supply with dd1, i took fenugreek capsules (from holland and barrett) and i took domperidone tablets which help you produce more prolactin and so you make more milk. you need these on prescription from your doc. these will prob help, but yes the best way is to let baby suckle as often as poss! also the hospital grade pump will be a good idea.
good luck! xx

my son was born 6weeks early in May they put him on to feed straight away and I thought great I can do it!!
unfortunately he had lots of problems sue to being early and the midwives just ended up giving him formula, we were in hospital 10 days and only towards the end of our stay was I encouraged to express as I had loads of milk come in and I did deep down know want to feed myself.
The night before we came home I gently picked George out of his incubator and sneakily tried to breastfeed and he latched on great but it felt naughty so I put him back.
The next day I told a midwife I wanted to feed him and she just said does what ever u want but he is on formula now!!!
Since the day we left hospital I have breastfed, and slowly but surely over a month we cut out the formula totally, he has had none since June, in the end he did it for us really because we got him down to just 1 bottle of it before bed but he was really violently sick off it 3 days running so I just stopped it.it was like he was telling me too.
Its been hard, yes its not easy establishing feeding yourself and I would totally recommend finding a breastfeeding group near you( its not how u think, no hippies' or sitting in a circle with your tits out lol ) no one tells u how demanding breastfeeding is and just how much they suck, suck and suck at first to get your supply going, but its temporary once it gets going you are fine.
I did have days when I cried so so much as it was such hard work I wanted to give up, but today my little prem baby is 18.5 weeks old and weighs 14lb 11oz,is so happy, sleeps like a dream and has just filled my life with joy.
Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I have ever started but the best thing I have ever done, when I look at him and think, blimey I grew you and now im feeding you and watching you grow!!
I too am in total awe of the female body and totally and utterly proud of myself, im not the breastfeeding police I know it's not for everyone but its been the best move for me and George.
I did say I would feed him for 3 months now im saying 6months to 1year as why would I stop now Iv come this far, my husband says just stop before he starts asking for bitty lol.
U got for it girl its empowering and if you cant for some reason, either you or the baby cant/wont don't beat yourself up, us mummy's have enough to worry about.
Re fenugreek, its fab yes, as is eating proper porridge oats for breakfast (YUM) but there is nothing as good as your baby for upping your supply,nurse/express after a feed ALOT, the more u stimulate the better,i even got up to express in the middle of the night exhasting but worth it, i save my expressed milk and Daddy gives a bottle of it at night before bed,as i want him to still be used to both the bottle and the breast, the only problems i got with fenugreek was a smelled of maple syrup,not awfull but then i like it lol, and the worst one was it made George grumpy and windy as hell so i stopped it, but if i do ever feel my supply is down i do take the odd few just for good measure.
X good luck.

hey, thanks for the reply!
did the fenugreek make u smell like maple syrup? lol
im a bit unsure of taking them, the unknown i suppose, but i will give it a shot!
i have been doing more research today and found also blessed thistle should help?
i have my 6 wks check with the dr on monday so will speak to him about something to get my supply going if we're still not getting anywhere far by then!

xxx

M + K thank you so much for your reply.... what an awful midwife to say that to you!
i didnt know porridge helped your supply.... i love porridge so an excuse to have it every day!!
how did you manage to go about reducing the formula.... i still top her up with it, sometimes 2oz other times she takes 4!
i have spoken to a breast feeding councillor and im going to a breast feeding support group on monday!
i just wish id had the strength after the first couple of weeks to keep it going, i regret giving up!
xxx