Combi feeding

Hi ! So my little boy is 2 weeks old however has dropped 10.7% and we got put onto a feeding plan by our health visitor which is 20 mins on boob, 1oz of expressed breast milk and then 20 mins of pumping every 3hours … issue is my little one is very unsettled doing this … can hardly get him to sleep between feeds he just screams Doing this has also made my supply drop massively! I used to pump 3-4oz and now it takes me 20 mins to even get 1oz ( that’s both breasts !) I really mentally am struggling as I do feel he’s still hungry and I really think we need to start thinking about adding in formula… any advice for how yous done this ? Especially when he’s this little. Thank you x

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I’m almost 4 months pp and I would be very lucky if I got 1oz after bf my girl for 20 mins… I may be wrong but I believe it is very normal what you’re describing don’t be too hard on yourself. Was the 3-4oz after a feed or replacing a feed? x

@Abi it would often replace a feed as he would be in it for close to an hour each time so was only for convenience when we had people over… he was settling so well before we got placed on this plan 🥲 I just mentally cannot cope x

Did you get skilled help from an Infant Feeding Advisor before they lumped you with this triple feeding plan? I had a very similar feeding situation which was torture until I saw a Lactation Consultant to work on our specific feeding issues. I also had to really push my HV to get a referral to NHS feeding support. They seem to love to dish out feeding plans without any proper support 😒

I combi fed three of mine and the struggle is real. Especially when mine stopped feeding for three days when I had sepsis. Here’s what I’ve learnt from four kids. First off breast fed babies do loose weight in the first few weeks. Second. My two that lost a lot of weight like 11th to 7th centile and 50th to 25th respectively it was because they had a cows milk allergy. Third. Health visitors are crap. 2 different ones. One who’s own two were milk allergy wouldn’t say mine were. One said I was making it up I went to the gp. The second one said it was reclux and needed thickened milk. It took a change of health visitor to get a disgnosis I’ve had so many hv over the years and never found one worth their wages in 19 years if babies. If you want to up your milk you can pump some. The more you ask of your body the more it’ll provide. It’s crap but that’s what I had to do when I couldn’t feed die to a fever with sepsis she declined. If you want to bottle feed formula also fine. Fed is best

@Maeve nope not had any skilled help :/

I would highly recommend you push your HV for a referral to skilled help and/or pay for a consultation with a qualified Lactation Consultant. It was the best £60 I spent in those early weeks 💖

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