HERE’S WHAT TO DO 👇
🍼 Supplementing with formula might fix the number on the scales - but it won’t fix whatever has caused your baby to have slow weight gain in the first place.
It’s also important to judge the feeding not just the number on the scales so you can get to the bottom of WHY your baby is slow to gain weight - is it because there isn’t enough milk available or because baby isn’t able to efficiently take the milk that is available (or sometimes a combination of both!)
⚖️ Most babies will regain birthweight by around 2 weeks of age.
❓ However if baby is feeding efficiently, content and having regular wet and dirty nappies but just happens to be gaining more slowly than this it isn’t necessarily cause for concern and we don’t always need to jump in with supplementing - but rather we work to optimise how baby is feeding
If you’ve been advised to top up with formula consider this first:
✅ Is your baby actually feeding effectively? CHECK OUT MY VIDEO HERE ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR - • How To Tell If Your Ba...
✅ Are you noticing changes in your breasts - feeling fuller before feeds and softer/deflated after feeds
✅ Are you hearing/seeing your baby swallowing during feeds?
☝️ These will help you determine whether the issue is your baby’s latch or your supply
Then - before you think about adding formula consider either…
⭐️ Pumping and offering extra breastmilk instead
⭐️ Optimising HOW baby feeds by offering both breasts at each feed, using breast compressions to increase how much milk baby can take, deepening latch
AND
🌟 if you are giving additional breastmilk or formula try giving it via finger feeding or at breast supplementation - these methods actually help to train your baby’s sucking skills and at breast supplementation also helps to boost milk supply rather than potentially decreasing it as can occur when we supplement with bottles and don’t also pump.
❤️ Follow @alissabrownibclc for breastfeeding tips and expert feeding advice
22 авг 2024
