in breast-feeding and formula feeding support

is it too late?

on saturday i will be three weeks postpartum with my second child. with my first, i formula fed. i decided the same with this one, however i am having regrets about not breastfeeding. i didn’t feel this way with my first but am with my second. i thought maybe i could start combi feeding, but having never breastfed before i don’t know what to do at all, i dont know how to get him to latch, i dont know how to increase milk supply (which will need increasing due to being a delayed start) i dont even know if its possible to start breastfeeding this late. i wish i decided early on so i could’ve got the support from the hospital. i still want to use formula because i believe this really helps us at night and helps with my partner to support feeds, but would like to breastfeed during the day. any advice or support? or am i just stupid and i missed my chance?

Show your support

Have you tried pumping?

@Paula no not yet, i don’t have one but did see some on offer in asda if you think it’s worth picking one up? my boobs are still leaking and i did hand express my boobs slightly last week when they were suffering from very painful engorgement x

It is never too late❤️

Put baby on breast and see whether he suckles + pump and should increase supply.

Contact your midwife or health visitor and ask for feeding support. Get on to it right away and start pumping asap if you have to wait for support. You’ll need a hospital grade pump to get things going - you can rent short term from Medella website. In the mean time, try lots of skin to skin, try latching baby on lots of times throughout the day. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work at first. Talk to your baby and gently explain what you are trying to do. Try practising the latch after a feed when baby is more content. And lots and lots of skin to skin! Spend all day in bed with baby, (without your shirt on) if you can! You’ll need support to do this but if it’s something you want, go for it and give it everything you’ve got ❤️

Try the breast feeding network they have been so helpful for support for me, they will help with all of the above, they have a 24/7 chat line on Facebook and website too. Few things to try: Trying using a warm/ hot flannel on breast when expressing Regularly Massaging breast will help with production and engorgement too

find a lactation consultant

Definitely feed/pump at nighttime as that’s when milk making hormone are produced. Formula at night will decrease milk supply. I was told this by lactation specialists.

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌