Supplementing with formula at night?

Question

Hi ladies, so I've been breastfeeding and have recently had my husband and mother start taking one or two night time feedings so I can get a stretch of a few hours of sleep at night. On nights I don't have enough breastmilk pumped they have been supplementing with formula. Do you have any experiences with breastfeeding all day and most of the night besides one or two feedings where you aren't pumping or nursing? Has that made your milk decrease or has it affected your body in any way? also will this make my period come back sooner in your experience? Our pediatrician said it's fine to supplement with formula but wanted to see if you had any thoughts based on experience. Thanks!

Answer

Yes, your milk will decrease a bit. However, this can be remedied by adding in an extra pumping session or two before bed or immediately when you wake up. Wouldn't hurt to drink a mother's milk tea, either. Your supply doesn't full establish until about 3 months so it's really important to atleast try and get what you can.

I have had to supplement my first two. There is nothing wrong with that. It is a decision you make for yourself to make sure you and baby survive the first few months. I personally found it easier to just breastfeed at night and supplement a feeding or two during the day.

Do not let anyone make you feel bad about your decision to add in formula. It is there for a reason and sometimes life just calls for it. 
Some things you can do to help, though: find a couple days where you can do a "pumping boot camp" to help bring up your supply. There are many methods to this, so look it up and find what will work for you. You can use a Milk producing tea or foods to try and help keep supply up. Offer an extra few minutes feeding and/or pump after feeding to stimulate more production.

As baby gets a little older, night feedings become less as baby can eat more and your sleep will become a bit more normal.

Answer

If someone does a bottle with my little one I usually pump to make up for that missed feeding so I don't loose my supply even if I have to wake up for 15-20 minutes.

Answer

If you don't have enough milk to last through the night then you need to breast feed or pump more until you're able to produce enough for your baby. If you supplement, your body will think it's making enough when it's not.

Answer

It will make your milk decrease because you are signalling that it doesn't need to produce as much.

Answer

Don't supplement with formula. Your supply will decrease. Your body just has to get used to pumping or feeding that often and it will create more milk as long as you tell it it needs to.

Supplementing with formula at night?

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