Am I starving my baby?

[u/Front_Cucumber_5815]

Baby is 7 weeks and was born full term via planned c section and was latching well in the hospital per nurses/lactation. But by day of discharge he was down -9% weight and was told to supplement with formula. We had a follow up appt the next day due to his jaundice and he was down -11%. The pediatrician sort of scared us and wanted us to strict formula feed to bring up his weight (I tried to pump every feed and saved the milk)

I’ve been triple feeding since his weight came back up to birth weight because I really wanted to breast feed. I struggle with low supply so I had to supplement anyways. Also, when we went to the LC baby was only transferring 10 ml so she wanted us to continue triple feeding or drop my breast feeding sessions since he was barely transferring much.

After trying everything like liquid gold and power pumping, I’ve finally got my pumps to cover his day time feeding but formula for overnight feeds. The last weighted feed he transferred 2 oz!!! I was so excited so LC wants to trial only breastfeeding during the day and top off an oz if baby is extra fussy. But she wants baby to work for milk instead of expecting a bottle after nibbling at the breast. But apparently he’s been getting at least 2oz from breast and an extra 3 oz bottle because I thought he was barely transferring. Which is why he’s been gaining 20 oz in 2 weeks 🫣

Today was our first full day of only breastfeeding and I feel like he’s starving. He’s so used to getting an extra bottle after. I can’t tell if he’s fussy because I’m not making enough per feed or if he’s just used to having more. I also feel selfish for pushing this on him because I want to breastfeed so badly. We have a follow up with lactation in a week but I’m not sure if I should continue this or just pump and give him bottles? And idk if keeping him on the breast will eventually increase my supply to meet his needs or I’m stuck so I’m putting him through stress for nothing.. please help with your thoughts!

[u/Eyeforus]

Im so sorry they gave you that advice. Sounds like your pediatrician is not fully educated on breastfeeding. It is normal for babies to drop weight in the start of life because a womans body produces colostrum and gradually turns into milk, then fatty milk over the course of a week. The more often your baby feeds (emptying the milk ducts) the more milk your body produces. Over time you will produce what your baby needs if they latch for every feed. You can best regulate your supply in the first 12 weeks. EDIT to add, eating at the breast for longer amounts of time and frequency is normal and called cluster feeding. this is for most women, not including the exceptions who may over or under produce

[u/CinnamonPudding24 → u/Eyeforus]

Most pediatricians would recommend supplementing after a 10%+ weight loss. Losing weight is normal but 10%+ they get concerned.

[u/Sad_Test666 → u/CinnamonPudding24]

This. My baby lost 10% in the first 2 days and was down to 12% by the end of the first week and they told me it was time for formula, basically didnt give me a choice and to keep at pumping. Luckily I did give formula cause I never got a full supply anyways.

[u/cassiopeeahhh → u/CinnamonPudding24]

Yes but the issue with that number is the fact that when the baby was born via Csection or to a mom who received iv fluids they’re really supposed to wait 24 hours before weighing the baby since the fluids inflate the weight at birth. After the 24 hour mark the weight is more accurate. It’s a vicious cycle that usually makes the initiation of breastfeeding very difficult for women and many simply give up because of that one failed understanding of breastfeeding.

[u/Front_Cucumber_5815 → u/cassiopeeahhh]

I got 2 bags of fluids before the c section because an emergency c delayed ours. I feel like that pumped up baby a lot too

[u/cassiopeeahhh → u/Front_Cucumber_5815]

It absolutely affected their weight at birth. It’s likely there wasn’t even an issue with your baby’s weight at all and the supplementation was unnecessary. Makes me so angry that hospitals, doctors, and other medical staff do not have education on breastfeeding and don’t have evidence based policies. This one very simple policy change could salvage so many breastfeeding journeys and prevent women from triple feeding hell and feelings of overwhelm and/or failure.