Anyone successfully introduced a bottle of expressed milk before 6 weeks?

[Jayneypops]

Hi,

Our LO is 2 weeks and breastfeeding is going well now weve mastered latching! I have a fast let down so am expressing a little before each feed just to help relieve some pressure so shes no longer gagging and coughing.

My DH said this morning that if its all getting too much with the BF that we can switch to FF at any time so he can help out too. Im not keen on the idea of switching especially after persisting with bf over the past 2 weeks, but am considering making up 1 or 2 bottles a day of expressed milk to enable me to spend a bit more time with dd1 (grandparents help me out during the day so could feed dd2) and during the night I might then get a break too.

My bf support worker said from 4-6 weeks is best once bf is established; has anyone combined bf with expressing before this?

 

[halullat]

I introduced formula at first due to jaundice but then after a while I would pump and sometimes give a bottle, he wouldn't latch onto my left side at either and I ended up getting mastitis so had to make sure I was regularly pumping. What I can't remember though is whether I would always try bfing prior to topping up with a bottle, although that being said I was too nervous to bf in public or in front of family/friends so would use a bottle then without trying to bf. My LO is 6 weeks old now and I don't seem to have supply issues but do worry that it will have affected it. Sorry that was a complete ramble x

 

[Jayneypops]

Thanks hun did you find there was a particular time of day that was best to express? And did you use a pump? I habe a medela swing electric pump but have heard a lot of ladies find they get more milk by using a manual pump or hand expressing?
Im thinking of expressing in the morning after LOs first feed (from the other boob) and am hoping to get enough for a nightime feed.....

 

[pcsoph2890]

I've been told from.a breast feeding support worker depends on when you want to give the bottle as the milk differs from day to night. Night time bm has sleep hormones in so better to give that bottle at night rather than during the day.
You could perhaps express once in morning and once at night (8pm ish) and give them separately depending on your circumstances.

My little girl is happy with both bottle or breast so very lucky.

I have a Tommy tippee electric pump and I find that suits me fine and I get a good amount from it!!!

 

[MommyJogger]

I went back to work with #1 at 6 weeks, so I started pumping very early and we introduced 1 bottle per day around 4 weeks.
I second the advice of your support worker to wait a little later if you have the freedom to wait and I would really advise against introducing a bottle at night this early on unless you're really desperate for some extra sleep and it's going to be a 1 or 2-time event.
Nursing and drinking from a bottle are two very distinct sets of skills for a baby's mouth to master. They can generally master both, but because it's very important to really master the skill of bf straight from the breast (because if they disimprove, it can be very painful to mom), it's best to give them at least 4-6 weeks for the muscle movement to become second nature. It's instinctual, yes, but if they're put in a situation where to eat suddenly requires something very different, it's easy for them to get confused and for their latch to suffer again even when it seems that their latch is great now.
The other reason (beyond the difference between daytime and nighttime breast milk) is that when breastfeeding is being established, your prolactin levels are highest at night and night nursing assists your body in recognizing the high levels of prolactin (which tell your body that it needs to become capable of making copious amounts of milk) and then in laying down more prolactin receptors in response. The more prolactin receptors your body lays down, the more responsive your body is going to be when a growth spurt tells it to make more milk and the higher capacity for milk production your body is going to have as time goes on, baby gets bigger, and has a higher demand for calories, fluid, and nutrients. By replacing a night feed with a bottle feed (without pumping at the time the bottle is given), you're telling your body that it has plenty of milk, so it can slow production because it doesn't need the milk that will currently be in storage in your breasts when the bottle is offered. And since your body is most responsive to these messages at night time, skipping a night feed is more impactful than skipping a day feed.
Have you considered investing in a wrap or a ring sling to nurse on-the-go so you can nurse and spend time with your first baby at the same time? If you look for a babywearing group around your area, they probably have a carrier library where they can help you try different styles and see which you find it easiest to nurse in.

 

[halullat]

I generally pumped my left breast virtually every time he fed from the right to get rid of and stop re-developing mastitis. I had used a manual pump originally but it really hurt my thumbs (so puny!) so bought a medela mini pump and that worked great for me, it seemed to draw out plenty of milk and nice and quickly too, I found that I could generally get out the amount recommended by the midwives for his weight and age pretty easily with an electric one x