https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:11:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248960 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 09:28:23 +0000 Ellie 1248960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just wanted to add myself to the list of ladies who kept "putting her to the breast" despite my feeling like I wasn't making enough -- only to find out that I really was starving my baby.<br /> This first time I supplemented (at the advice of my LC because my 3.5 week old hadn't gained any weight) was through an SNS tube. After it was over, I couldn't believe how different my baby was - it was very obvious that she had been starving because she stopped crying and actually had a nap and was a pleasant baby for the rest of the day. Up until that point I had pretty much had her attached to my boobs 12 hours a day, thinking it was "just a growth spurt". What got me to question the logic was wondering if it was a growth spurt, how come she isn't growing?<br /> I honestly was a bit angry at all of the "put her to the breast" and "as long as she has wet diapers, she's doing well" rhetoric that I kept hearing. I was mostly angry at myself and my body for not providing enough.</p> <p>I continued to supplement 2-6oz a day until she was about 3.5 months, when she firmly decided that no more formula will be entering her mouth. I'm back, of course, to stressing about my supply levels and in the evening she screams and cries when my boobs are more-or-less empty. It breaks my heart but I keep putting her to the breast.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248952 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 09:16:54 +0000 immabeetoo 1248952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennimac: good! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248919 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 08:51:02 +0000 Aimed 1248919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@char54: I am also so mad for you! That LC should be reported for pressuring and lying to a vulnerable new mother. What a nut!<br /> @Kemma: exactly this! I chose to formula feed and it would have been nice to have someone check in a t the beginning. I know that breast is best but the pressure to ebf regardless of other factors and the demonizing of formula seems nuts to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248833 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 07:52:08 +0000 Bookish 1248833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, I didn't want to supplement, like a lot of other on this thread, but when I went back to work and couldn't keep up with her demand, I didn't really have a choice. I wish I could have stayed home longer to bolster supply and ebf on demand for as long as possible, but it wasn't in the cards. </p> <p>I actually did not really supplement through the growth spurts. I let her feed early and often, and despite her being on the boob what felt like 24/7, it never kicked in a higher demand. </p> <p>Eh, I'm just sensitive about this today since we weaned a couple days ago. I really just wanted to reiterate what others were saying about how I tried my darndest and formula helped! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248824 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 07:43:24 +0000 Charm54 1248824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kemma: yes - this!! I don't know why they can't provide mothers with all of the (unbiased) information and support they need to make a decision in feeding their child. But I digress, lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248798 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 06:52:35 +0000 singingbee 1248798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: we got an almost 5 hour stretch!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248750 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 02:04:48 +0000 sunshine83 1248750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I exclusively breast fed for 9 months and only supplemented at the 9 month mark when I got sick and my milk simply tanked. I worked extremely hard and got it back up. I pumped a ton and drank mothers milk tea. I agree with supply and demand though. I have always heard that supplementing can be the end to breastfeeding and it makes perfect sense. It's crazy for moms at the 6 week mark to begin supplementing because of a growth spurt. Putting the baby to your breast mire often signals your body to make more. They will eat smaller amounts more often until your supply ramps up. I go with...if your baby is happy and content (even if it means they're at the breast a lot) then they're fine. Now if they're screaming all the time and never satisfied than its time to see a lactation consultant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248746 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 01:57:42 +0000 Kemma 1248746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@char54: I reckon that rather than lactation consultants being experts in just breastfeeding, they should be "feeding" consultants and be able to provide advice on formula feeding or EP'ing as well. Support is going to look different to each individual and if a woman needs help with options other than EBF, she should have access to that information. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248737 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 01:45:22 +0000 singingbee 1248737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: well, the first ounce came back up, so we nursed. She cat napped for a bit, then nursed on both sides and still wanted more. I fixed another 2 ounces and she took about 1/2 of it and it stayed down. I made her drink it a lot slower. She did fight her sleep and seemed like she was out hard. So, DH put the moves on me and we woke her up. :( parent fail. He is currently asleep (I want to throw a pillow at him! I wanted to go straight to sleep so I could actually get some sleep :wink: ) we are currently nursing. I'm hoping this will help with sleeping. Tomorrow I am going to try it again and see if it helps. Also, I'm going to tell DH to hold his horses. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248725 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 01:03:32 +0000 Espion 1248725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: I'm also a "not produce enough" person (which I believe happened due to momma and baby reasons), and I finally gave in and supplemented because E wasn't gaining any weight. I still breastfeed at night and rarely during the day. It sounds like you are just going through the normal ups and downs of the breastfeeding journey! I really hope I can EBF my next one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248719 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 00:47:10 +0000 Pepper 1248719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You have a lot of great info here! Just throwing my experience in as well... I EBF for the first 3 months of C's life. He was always pretty low on the growth chart... but then he went a month without gaining anything. I was under a lot of stress with my mom's health issues, which apparently was affecting my supply. I just wasn't making enough. Once I started him with formula, he started gaining again. </p> <p>I ended up totally losing my supply. I don't think it was all because of supplementing, however. I wasn't eating enough, and the stress was just eliminating my supply. I'm a little sad about it because I enjoyed nursing. But, he's happy and healthy, and that's the most important thing to me. </p> <p>I knew he wasn't getting enough by his obvious weight plateau. Also, his wet diapers... I thought that if he had wet diapers, that was good enough. But once I started him on formula, I saw a huge increase in volume from him. I had a gut feeling about it, too... which I think plays a big role. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248709 Thu, 28 Nov 2013 00:38:37 +0000 immabeetoo 1248709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jennimac: has it helped? I hope so!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248662 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 23:45:10 +0000 MamaMagpie 1248662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My supply was good until about the 4-5 week mark and then we hit a plateau. DS would nurse literally constantly and at night, when I was told our bodies produce less, would scream and cry at the breast no matter how many times I switched sides. Eventually our pediatrician suggested giving 2oz of formula after breastfeeding at his bedtime feed. It helped tremendously! I confirmed through several weighed feeds and a week or so of slower weight gain that I had low supply. I started taking fenugreek and nursed constantly during the day and eventually my supply caught up with his demand and we haven't had to supplement in almost three weeks. I don't know what would've happened with my supply if I hadn't supplemented, but I sure am glad I took that option -- my sanity at that point was just as important to the well-being of my son as being EBF. </p> <p>I still struggle with my supply and seem to produce just barely what he needs (he still wants to nurse almost constantly) but we are doing ok. However, I will have to return to work in January and don't know that I'll be able to pump enough to not have to supplement. If that's the case, I know he will be ok. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248553 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 22:24:36 +0000 daniellemybelle 1248553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So many have already articulated what my thoughts are possibly better than I could. I am another that avoided supplementing out the gate because I heard it was supposed to just keep nursing, nursing, nursing. My baby lost 13% in 5 days and was literally starving. Whether it is in the beginning or at 6 weeks, some women cannot keep up with the demand no matter how they try, and for most of us this is heartbreaking! But even if it isn't, I am glad we have options to keep babies fed &amp; mamas happy in this day &amp; age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248470 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 21:35:38 +0000 singingbee 1248470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know that when the babies grunt and cry or nurse a lot, that they are helping build up the supply. We were introducing a bottle of formula at night in the hopes that LO will sleep a little longer than just an hour or hour and a half. Right now I'm really sleep deprived and it's exhausting me to feed her so much. My mentality is happy momma, happy baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1248403 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 21:01:26 +0000 immabeetoo 1248403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This topic makes me sad bc I know some mamas have really been through the wringer and unjustly so, as PPs have shared. I personally needed I hear that my baby wasn't going to starve in a night and that his upset demeanor and hungriness was cuing my body to produce more. I was so over tired and frantic! But in my case that was the truth and I'm glad my LC told me that and I never supplemented out of desperation because we've had a great nursing relationship. But it hurts my heart that others have heard the same thing when they truly had a need to supplement. I'm glad others have shared their stories of using supplementation as a temporary crutch, that its not a death knell to milk supply like some lactivists portray! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247938 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:37:04 +0000 illumina 1247938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@char54: I agree that is completely valid. I'm talking about the cases where Mother's don't realise what is normal when it comes to supply and demand and are led to believe they have to supplement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247932 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:32:14 +0000 Charm54 1247932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: I would agree with this - no one trusted my instincts that she was not getting enough until she lost weight and developed jaundice. If it wasn't for HB teaching me about EPing and supplementing I wouldn't have known it was an option and just done straight formula. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247931 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:32:02 +0000 loveisstrange 1247931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@char54: @locavore_mama: I have to say that my LC is the one person in my BFing journey that I feel wholly at peace with. She was fantastic and was the one who encouraged me to finally let go when she could tell it was taking and emotional and mental toll on me. My main beefs is with the ward nurses and midwives in the hospital after I had C and again when I was admitted with my infection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247928 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:29:40 +0000 loveisstrange 1247928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: I think guidance can turn quickly into forcing. The midwives guidance to keep going nearly pushed me off the edge. It's a very thin line. I think a lot of the issue is that medical professions don't trust women's instincts anymore, therefore women have no confidence in their own instincts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247927 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:28:55 +0000 Charm54 1247927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: some moms don't want to keep ebfing 24/7 through growth spurts and welcome the opportunity to supplement, even if it means their supply never catches up and I think that's a valid reason too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247918 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:24:51 +0000 Charm54 1247918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: me too. I don't trust a word my LC says. She took me in a back room and demanded I tell her how I was going to feed my child when I got home and "no one was watching"...when I said I would likely combo feed she started telling me bugs were found in formula blah blah blah. Instead of trying to tell me how to safely prepare it she just tried any scare tactic she could think of. She calls every 2 weeks to "check up" on me and I don't answer the phone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247897 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:13:24 +0000 illumina 1247897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: @Foodnerd81: I just had to Google "vilifying"! That was not my intention... I just wonder if there is enough guidance as to what constitutes needing to supplement and whether supply/demand will regulate soon enough. I read alot about Mums choosing to supplement because it will fill them up before bedtime so they don't wake so much... and I wonder if that is the best thing to do... firstly because waking through the night many times is completely normal for weeks and secondly because supply won't catch up even at the point the baby is capable of sttn... so therefore will always need to supplement to a certain extent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247886 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:07:23 +0000 regberadaisy 1247886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@char54: that makes me so mad for you!!!!!<br /> To this day I still hold a grudge against my LC. I have told my DH when we deliver our second I will refuse to see her if she comes in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247878 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:02:57 +0000 Foodnerd81 1247878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: I don't think anyone is trying to vilify formula on this thread- at least I'm definitely not! I just think a lot of people turn to it because they think they need to, not because they actually need to or want to. So for me, unless I had evidence telling me otherwise I assumed I didn't need to supplement, but if I had needed to I would have of course! </p> <p>That's also why I don't have a problem receiving formula samples. If I wasn't producing enough I wanted it in the house just in case. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247858 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:58:44 +0000 Charm54 1247858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My story is very similar to @locavore_mama and @loveisstrange</p> <p>"Just keep putting her to the breast, your supply will keep up, she's getting lots" was a message I heard so.many.times</p> <p>She was nursing for an hour every 2 hours and still screaming for more. She lost a scary amount of weight, was dehydrated and become very jaundiced, spending a week in the NICU. Supplementing was something I literally BEGGED the nurses to let me do while in the hospital but no one would give me an ounce of formula ("just keep putting her to the breast!") until her medical condition deteriorated so much that the doctor ordered it. </p> <p>Maybe for some moms supplementing isn't necessary and put baby to the breast is good advice, but low supply happens and I am forever grateful that formula exists for my daughter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247845 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:49:00 +0000 swedishfish 1247845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: if you're concerned about your LO getting enough milk buy a baby scale. We weigh R a few days a week for peace of mind because she lost too much weight in the beginning. </p> <p>I work out of my home so I have to supplement because I don't pump enough. I'm moving toward weaning by Christmas at 6 months old. Formula is not evil and I'll be happy to have my body back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247797 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:34:01 +0000 loveisstrange 1247797@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@illumina: I was one of those people. I got pushed and pushed and pushed to "just keep breastfeeding". Meanwhile, her weight plummeted, she started to get jaundiced and I was starving her without even knowing, like @locavore_mama: said as well. The mentality to just keep going because "breast is best" caused me a lot of grief and guilt.</p> <p>I was a case of legitimate failed lactogenesis. I had retained tissue that nearly put me into septic shock and inhibited the flow of the hormones that cause lactation. I, very literally, didn't produce any milk.</p> <p>I think that vilifying formula and supplementing only serves to harm women like me and our babies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247783 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:27:43 +0000 illumina 1247783@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: Interesting study. When S was brand new I didn't even realise people supplemented for that reason, or it was possible not to produce enough milk :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/supplementing-1#post-1247711 Wed, 27 Nov 2013 14:51:09 +0000 loveisstrange 1247711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is all I have to say about this.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2013/05/105831/early-formula-use-helps-some-mothers-breastfeed-longer" rel="nofollow">http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2013/05/105831/early-formula-use-helps-some-mothers-breastfeed-longer</a> </p>