Weekends different from week days

[@llli*madeleine]

Hi there,

My DD is now 8 months old and I've been mix feeding since back at work four months ago. She used to have 1 bottle formula and 2 bottles EBM (I never could get more that 2 bottles expressed during the day). A week ago I decided to stop expressing at work as she was happy with the formula and it all became too much of a mission to do. Anyway - so she now has 3 bottles formula during the day and I breastfeed in the evenings, and morning (and whenever she wakes up at night).
On the weekend though - the last one was the first - I breastfed as normal. I didn't even consider my supply until my Mom asked me on Sunday eve if I have enough milk... Babba was fussing quite a bit and bit me out of the blue. (I switched breasts and continued fine, although she woke up more during the night to feed.)

My question is this..... Have i messed things up by stopping to express, should I start again? Should I give her, her bottles during the week-end as well so that she has a routine??? Am I confusing my breasts terribly and will it ultimately effect my supply??

Thanks,

[@llli*mommy2lilah]

Do you think you can try pumping at least once a day during the week? I stopped pumping with both of my girls at around a year and was able to nurse them on the weekends and not pump during the day. However, they were both eating other foods too in addition to nursing. I'm thinking that your supply has probably taken a huge hit by not pumping at all during the week. Of course, your baby could have been fussy about something else. It's hard to know!

You don't have to give your baby bottles on the weekend unless your supply takes such a huge hit that she can't get what she needs from you.

[@llli*zaynethepain]

I think nursing on demand on the weekends and at night without bottles will be the best thing for your supply. Giving more bottles on weekends will just tell your body to make even less. Personally, I would add in at least one pumping session during the day, just for the stimulation even if it's not enough for a full bottle. How long is your workday? And how many times a day does she nurse?

[@llli*madeleine]

Hi,

On the weekend she nurses 3 or 4 times a day... We don't have a schedule, on demand really. She is eating purees as well - 3 meals a day.
I usually leave home about 7am and back at 4:30pm.... So I at least get two good feeds in before she goes to sleep and 1 in the morning before leaving for work.

The reason i stopped pumping at work is that my supply dropped quite a bit (normal from what i gather from some of the other posts i read). I have a manual pump and struggle to get 2 bottles of 120ml. Sometimes only managing 1 in 2 sessions or 3 sessions. It might also be due to having had a hectic couple of weeks at work.

I'm thinking that maybe continuing the pumping during the week will be the best for us...

[@llli*mommal]

Manual pumps are generally the bottom of the barrel when it comes to removing milk and maintaining supply. Would it be possible for you to upgrade to a better pump- I'm thinking a good double electric like the Medela Pump in Style of Hygeia Enjoye- at this point?

[@llli*garsmum]

At 8 months it seems like babies should still be nursing about 8 times per day (or more if you cosleep and dream feed). But everyone is different. I know that with my LO he is too busy and distracted to tell me he is hungry anymore (almost 10 months) so I just offer every 2.5-3 hours or so on weekends and during the work week once upon wake up, once before leaving and right when I get home, sometimes with another short feed before bed (but really short now). He takes 3 four oz bottles during our daily seperation. I think pump weaning is more effective after one year but you don't have to unless you are dying too Maybe there were other reasons your supply was taking a dip? For me that happened when I wasn't pumping enough or nursing enough.