EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

I'm EBF and pumping once a day if I can. I've been storing that in the freezer for growth spurts and when I go back to work in 6 weeks.

My ped said I should start giving a bottle 1x a day so DS gets used to a bottle. I'd love to give that bottle during one of the overnight feedings so I can get some sleep. How do I do this? Should I just give formula? Should I pump more often for the overnight feed? If I sleep through the feeding will my supply drop?

Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated!

EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

I SAH so I don't have experience with going back to work and I'm sure others can give you BTDT advice. However, if it were me I wouldn't stress about giving a bottle once a day. I would give one here or there to make sure DS will take one. Other than that, I would think why use up what you have store while you're still home? I know it's hard to keep up your supply when pumping and/or supplementing so if you can continue to EBF and pump once a day that's probably your best bet. Then again, if you prefer to supplement then go for it. Maybe add a pumping session right before you go to bed though. Personally, I hate pumping and would rather get up at night then pump everyday. GL

Re: EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

How old is your LO? If less than 4wks old, I'd hold off on the bottle for now because he/she may have nipple confusion.
If more than 4wks old, I'd pump first thing in the morning, then nurse the baby for his/her first feeding because your baby is more efficient at emptying your breast than the pump is. Then I'd give the baby that milk in a bottle for the middle of the night feedings.
I know you want to rest in the middle of the night, but you may need to wake to pump at that time anyway to keep up (or even build up) your supply - I found it to be easier to just nurse the baby instead of pumping and then preparing a bottle (even if DH or someone else was giving that bottle).

My oldest DC had no nipple confusion until 3 days before I went back to work -- then decided he hated bottles and only wanted me.
I did EP for DC#2 and he only had bottles from 10wks on -- never had any problems at all, nipples, pacifiers, etc.
DC#3 was horribly confused. I gave a pacifier at week 1 and he wouldn't latch back on to me -- it was very sad to re-teach him how to nurse.

Good news, though --- all three babies STTN around week 8 --- it'll be here before you know it!!

EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

I would try to add in a pumping session, maybe when LO is napping. As the PP said, it will probably be easier to just nurse overnight. I know I was always too tired to go and warm up a bottle and it was just easier to nurse. Also make sure you have someone else give the baby a bottle once in awhile so he gets used to having others feed him. Good luck!

Re: EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

I'm going through this now but DD2 is 5 months old. I'm going back to work in one month. This is what worked for DD1 and what we're trying to do with DD2:

Start giving one bottle a day, but have someone else give it. If DC smells or feels mommy they will want mommy, not a bottle. I don't think it matters what's IN the bottle (at least not with my girls)...just the fact of boobie vs. bottle. If you can add a pumpjng session in each day and have a BM bottle for DH to give DC each night that's great! If you decide to give one formula bottle a day...that's great too! The problem I have is actually getting DD2 to take the bottle regardless of what's inside.

I do agree it's easier to nurse in the middle of the night. Have DH (if possible) give the last feeding of the day with the bottle.

Like pp said...as long as DC is older than 4 weeks old, I would start sooner rather than later with introducing a bottle. I'm having a rough time now at 5 months trying to introduce it.

Re: EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

DS is 6 wks old. So it sounds like I better get started on that bottle! I agree, if I have to pump in the middle of the night, it's probably easier just to nurse then. I will try to add another pumping session in the evening and see if
DH can give him that one an I can head to bed early. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and advice!

Re: EBF and I'm exhausted! Advice please

Just a warning, DS never took a bottle from me, but had no problem taking one from DH or a sitter. He's one Friday, and still BFing from me when home, now taking milk in sippy while I'm at work.