Success stories of bottle to breast?

Hi!

I currently have a 7 (nearly 8) week old baby girl.

While pregnant I was adamant on breastfeeding and didn’t plan on using formula at all.

My baby came 5 weeks early and even though she didn’t need nicu we had to spend a couple days being monitored. She had jaundice and her glucose levels were low and the nurses on the ward would not let me breastfeed as she needed to be fed quickly and have minimal time out of the blue light, because of this we haven’t been able to breastfeed, she has just point blank refused the boob.

In the beginning I was pumping and was getting a really good amount and had a big supply. For some reason, I slowly stopped pumping as was having to top up on formula anyway and now she’s only on formula. I’m still desperately wanting to breastfeed so I went to a clinic last week and some suggestions were made to try and get her latched however, I don’t have a supply anymore so even though she now latches, she’s not getting anything so starts getting agitated with my boob, hitting it away and just screams for food.

Has anyone had success of bringing back their milk supply by just pumping alone and then going on to breastfeed? I really really want to do it but I’m worried I’m trying for nothing. I have a hospital grade pump and I admit even though it’s not every 3 hours I’m trying to pump as much as I can including power pumping! I’m hoping it’s possible to BF and not a lost cause.

Sorry for the long one. TIA for any advice 💖

Read more on Peanut

The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.

Learn more about our guidelines.

Add a comment

I don’t know much about this but I wanted to offer empathy. Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding has a chapter on relactation. I hope you achieve your goals.

Hi! My baby is almost 3 months and although I gave up , I got my milk supply back, the latch is near perfect for us, and im an oversupplier now. It was a rough journey because i genuinely gave up for a few weeks because i was hurting so badly and scared too.

Now, I know I took a more extreme measure but I was willing to do any and everything to get an oversupply so when someone is watching my baby, she'll still get the benefits of breastmilk.

here's my list of products i used on a daily /switched between for a month straight :
Liquid IV , Powerade/Body armour (i like powerade more but body armor is great too), eating frequently like soup, instant oatmeal!, power pumping in the morning/ pumping between feeds, mother milk tea, and stop constantly checking for how much im pumping out by covering the bottle part with socks.

My key takeaways from my experience were drink a lot of electrolytes, eat frequently, drink lots of water, and pump as frequently as possible

Also, I want to add other things that helped me personally: prayer, watching oversuppliers on tiktok (i was jealous but it was encouraging to see it IS possible for me too), looking at baby photos when im pumping, and being determined & doing whatever it takes to get it back.

While you are getting your supply back, remember that you CAN do this. I believe in you! Use your feelings and intuition to guide you🩷

The milk will come back. It happened to me well different story to yourself. but I stopped regretted and starting trying to get back around 6 weeks old but I had to keep pumping they say 8 times but sometimes I only managed 6-7. One pump should be during night. And when I had little bit back I tried on breast. Cause he didn't want it at first when nothing there. But I got it back I still had to give formula as there wasn't fully enough there. But it can be done. If it something you really want to do, worth a go. I'm so glad I tried cause I would of regretted it so much if I never tried again. You just have to be patient milk won't come back straight away took me couple weeks. Hope this helps. Sorry what happend to you in hospital

in our community

When does it get better?

I was crying on the phone with the perinatal mental health team today and the lovely lady, bless her, kept assuring me that it gets better. I kept telling her I hope so because people have been saying that since having my LO and it just feels like it keeps getting worse. She assured me it gets better....

Sleeping bag

8 week old in sleeping bag for first time as big enough! Do you feed your child in the night whilst in the sleeping bag or taken them out, feed then transfer back to sleeping bag before putting down?

Rant/WWYD

My sister (youngest, 24) has two kids, 4 & 1, and i (oldest, 30) just have my one who’s 6mo old right now, so i ask her for advice or call her to vent about things sometimes. Well im tired of her turning around and telling my other family members that I’m “losing my sh*t.” Literally have not lost my sh*t nor have i ever freaked out to her about my baby, i just call her to talk and tell her what stage my baby is in or talk through how im feeling, but she chooses to tell people that im like a complete nutcase or something which worries me that my family is going to start being judgmental about me as a mother or looking at me funny like I’m some fragile ticking time bomb.

What would you do in this situation? I’m already pretty much decided that I’ll stop telling her anything about my struggles, but I’m almost at the point where i feel like it should be confronted because she, of all people, should understand what I’m going through.

Not drinking

I’m going crazy. Baby born at 2.26kg. Slow to put on weight. This last week hasn’t put on any. Been trying to feed him at night and he’s not interested at all. Fast asleep. During day he will have 5 minute gulps and that’s it. He don’t cry for milk. I’ve got to keep offering to him. I try to offer it every hour but I don’t know what I’m doing. HV said nutrition comes after 5 minutes so I should pump first and then give him. I find it so hard. I tried to pump one boob nothing came. The other abit came. Tried giving him express he’s not interested in that too. Sometimes he will go for a longer a feed but not long at all. He’s 4 months and is currently 5.46kg. I have no family or friend support here and wish I had a cook, cleaner and nanny to help with everything so I can concentrate on the little one. I don’t know what’s wrong with him but I’m loosing it. It doesn’t help that my also stressed generally about my relationship and life circumstances. Any advice that will work. Any comfort you can give. I’m fed up. Is this regression - not feeding. He’s fast fast asleep. I’ve been trying to push the nipple in but that mouth is closed shut. I took some clothes off. Changed his nappy but he’s still asleep. Please help

Leaky nappy help

What nappies are you using to stop leaks?? We use pampers ultra dry size 5, and for the past few nights he has lashed through and we’ve had to completely change him during the night. Last night he leashed through twice!! He sleeps on his front and stays leaks through at the top of his leg where the tabs connect. Didn’t know whether to size up, he has a bit of a belly on him but he’s smack in middle of weight guidance so shouldn’t need too

My little one is struggling with sleep

Hey! I'm in need of some advice please girls! My little boy is 20 months turns 21 months in 2 half weeks. He use to sleep through the night now he is waking up every single night in the early morning, I've had to transition him to a toodler bed as he kept climbing out his cot. Just need some advice on what I can do to help him get back in to a sleep pattern?