Stopping top-ups without reducing total intake of milk? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Stopping top-ups without reducing total intake of milk?

1861
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 17:50
(Just out of curirosity - is there any issues with keeping him on top-ups? Or on formula top-ups as opposed to breastmilk?) Health-wise, strictly speaking no, but it's just more work for you and will affect your supply, so it'll become increasingly difficult (never impossible) to stop topping up. One way or another, you need to shock your body into producing more - if you think your LO can do it, go cold turkey on teh bottle and pop him on the boob as many times a day as he needs... your supply should adjust to suit within 48h... if not, you can try stimulating, or rather simulating his more frequent feeding by pumping... again, this should only take a few days to adjust. BUT my gut feel on this one is to really play it by ear and probably wait until he's strong enough to cope with the extra effort - it's a tall order and tbh, both he and you are doing, so, so well at the moment!
522
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 15:21
Meant to add: I also don't want my supply to dwindle should he continue to take larger amounts from the bottle... I am SO over expressing!
522
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 15:19
Thanks :) KellsBells - he's a champ huh! I should have probably provided more information... Thanks to all the wonderful advice on here for me last week regarding low weight gain at the last pediatrician appt I was so excited to see his weight gain of 275g this week!!! BFC some of your wonderful tips contributed to that!!! As for the top-ups - he's taking between 5ml (after a massive bf) to 30ml (after a poor breastfeed if he's tired after a long day and not enough deep sleep)... Avg is about 10-15ml each feed. He's still 3+1 weeks off his due date. I guess I'm also concerned about his preference towards the bottle as it's easier (although to date, he's most definitely a boob man). And the hassle of bottles and formula and extra stuff to lug around! Obviously I will consult with the pediatrician when I see him next week... but I want to get him off the top-ups eventually. (Just out of curirosity - is there any issues with keeping him on top-ups? Or on formula top-ups as opposed to breastmilk?)
231
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 13:10
Hi meals. How long till baby is full term? I was not offering DD top ups because I bottlefed her till she managed to latch and drink on her own. She managed to maintain three hour gaps so I assumed she was getting enough. I suggest (just for one feed) not topping up and seeing how long he will go before he gets hungry. But I highly recommend waiting till he is full term (so he is big enough and has the energy to do it, that is my reasoning anyway and it might not be accurate). I did not push DD (31 weeks) into full bfing till she was 4 weeks past full term. At that time she was tough enough (compared to before) to handle it. HTH
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 12:51
This page has some information and a method which you might like to try: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/decrease-formula.html Good luck!
730
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 12:13
I think he's doing so so well that I'd be inclined to say... Go for it, gradually though.
522
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EW GURU
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 11:57
How to?!?! I currently bf my LO and offer formula top-ups following a feed to fill him to the brim and ensure adequete growth (preemie baby)... I've been pumping a few times a day to maintain adequete supply so that I have enough milk to stop top-ups and volume for his requirements - but I want to look at stopping these top-ups soon - Should I.... Offer less top-ups over a period of time to encourage him to take more? Stop top-ups completely and leave him go a few days of potentially extra feeds until he takes enough? Should I wait till he's full-term? :)
 
 

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