help - please - bf/ff

[hsollis]

For various reasons, I'm torn - I've started back at work and therefore decided to stop bf as I can't express very much in between feeds.

Therefore, today was the first day that I haven't bf at all and I'm pretty bummed and missing it. So, now, I'm not sure what I want to do and I'd like to go to a combo if possible...

Questions:

1) are my breasts supposed to get hard and hurt?
2) what do I do about it, express or nothing?
3) is it possible to only bf say in the morning and evening and ff other times - like during the day and only try expressing once during the day?
4) my LO doesn't seem to have any trouble with either as we've always given her a bottle when we went out etc...

I live in the Netherlands but am American and I find it hard to talk to the place we're supposed to here due to the language trouble as well as the fact that the answer is you should still bf....

THANKS!!

 

[Jemima]

I will be interested to read any replies as I am thinking the same for when I start back at work. x

 

[jenstar]

For various reasons, I'm torn - I've started back at work and therefore decided to stop bf as I can't express very much in between feeds.

Therefore, today was the first day that I haven't bf at all and I'm pretty bummed and missing it. So, now, I'm not sure what I want to do and I'd like to go to a combo if possible...

Questions:

1) are my breasts supposed to get hard and hurt?
2) what do I do about it, express or nothing?
3) is it possible to only bf say in the morning and evening and ff other times - like during the day and only try expressing once during the day?4) my LO doesn't seem to have any trouble with either as we've always given her a bottle when we went out etc...

I live in the Netherlands but am American and I find it hard to talk to the place we're supposed to here due to the language trouble as well as the fact that the answer is you should still bf....

THANKS!!

I do this- my baby gets a bottle of formula for the second morning feed and also usually a later afternoon feed. The reason it turned out like this is slightly different as these were the times I was having to pump to stimulate my supply and I gave up pumping after a few months.

Re the other q's- not sure but I would imagine if you expressed then that would stimulate your breasts so they would make more milk and then you'll be back to square one...? Is it sore if you just leave it?

 

[Jemima]

Hsollis, how are you getting on today? x

 

[carries]

We were having problems breast feeding and combination fed for a while. The advice I got was that you should have no problem combination feeding and your breasts will regulate to what your baby needs. If at all possible, swap a breast feed for a formula feed gradually, ssay one a day to prevent engorgement (the hardness and pain you say you are experiencing). Dont express as this will just tell your body to carry on producing.

The engorgment will eventually die down (it can take a few days thogh) and your body will produce just the right amount. This is what I am planning on doing when I go back to work so Oscar will have two feeds from me and the rest will be formula. Good luck!

 

[bluebell]

I've just started this today I gave Jay one ff at about 2:30 instead of bf him. I'm not going back to work until he's 9 months old but I'd like to wean him off bf really slowly and also he could do with gaining some more weight. He took to the bottle really well today but I'll have to see how he gets on

xx

 

[Vickie]

If you don't express/bf your milk will eventually start to dry up from what I've read (I've exclusively FF so probably not the best person to answer your questions)

 

[hsollis]

Thanks all!

Last night I breast fed LO during the night when she woke up and then again for the first feed. I didn't bf today though as for some reason I have got a huge rash - cheeks, inner arms, neck, back and wait for it - top of my feet. It looks like a heat rash but I didn't dare bf her today because of it....I have also doused myself in the calamine lotion...

I'm hoping it is just a reaction to something and not anything serious. I used to have welts and rashes all the time before I was pregnant but then nothing the whole time I was pregnant...

My mum thinks it could be also my nerves and stress even though I seemed to have a good 1st day back on Monday at work that I was worrying without thinking I was about the baby. It could also be our cat - he's been peeing all over the house in the past couple of weeks and hubby thinks it might have been on my sheets last night.

I didn't cuddle/hold LO today either as much but just coo, coo'd with her in her chair and playpen just to be safe....

Who knows... if it isn't gone by tomorrow afternoon, I'm calling the doctor. LO is in day care tomorrow...

Luckily, she took the formula bottles well today and she's at day care tomorrow so we'll see how it continues. My breasts are not firm today either so and don't see to be producing as much so my body may solve my dilemna for me....

It's just sometimes you just don't know if you're doing things right...

Thank you everyone because you've at least helped me get things off my chest and provided experiences so I don't feel so alone!!!

Hugs to you all!!

 

[chrisymills08]

your breast will get sore when you miss feeds at first but this will settle down just continue feeding at the time of the day you want to feed and your body should follow only producing morning and night, i got told the best time to express was first thing in morning off hv, and i find i produce more milk then, hope this advice helps.