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From my understanding (and I've never had to supplement so take with a grain of salt), moms usually need to supplement when the LO isn't getting enough and isn't gaining enough weight. For instance, my sister's new baby was nursing constantly. I, like you, told her "Oh growth spurt, keep nursing, that will signal your body to make more, etc etc." Turns out, she really did have a low supply and needed to supplement with formula. When she did, he started gaining weight well, had way more wet/dirty diapers, and started sleeping better.

I think a lot of moms might THINK that they're not making enough, but the only way to know is through wet/dirty diapers and weight gain on a scale over a period of time. That being said, a lot of mamas choose to supplement with formula because it is effing exhausting being woken by a baby who constantly wants to nurse, and feeling like you can't ever put the baby down because it always wants to nurse, and so a supplemental bottle of formula can provide a break, physical, mental and emotional. I don't see anything wrong with that at all!

As for your question re: weighed feeds, that's exactly why doing it over a 24-48 hours period is MUCH more accurate than one session.

Agree with everything @hilsy85: said too. I know I was VERY tempted to use formula during some growth spurts, not because I didn't think I was making enough, per se, but because I thought it might keep her full longer, but in the long run, I was worried about supplementing affecting my supply-- like you said, her being hungry more and nursing more told my body to make more. I viewed it as suffering in the short term for the good of the long term. However, I do think I may have been a little over the top with it-- like, one bottle of formula isn't going to make or break anything, I was just worried about a slippery slope.

Oh, and to answer your question, I guess-- I don't know how you know you have a low supply! I just went on the assumption that I didn't and would know if I did. She always has a LOT of dirty diapers though

I've always perceived supplementing as the slippery slope to more and more formula feeding, something that I didn't personally want to do, so I've never supplemented. I think if you want to EBF long term, you can't give in to the temptation to give a bottle during growth spurts, because then your body doesn't get the proper signals to make more milk.

Of course there are cases where baby truly needs the supplement, but I think those are actually less frequent than it being a perception that mom isn't making enough milk.

@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.

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.

@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!

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.

@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.

@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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

@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 ) 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.

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.

@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

@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!
@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.

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.
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?
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.

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....