Over the course of the past ten months, my milk supply has fluctuated. There were times when I had so much milk that I thought I was going to explode, and there were times that I worried because there just didn't seem to be enough. I have only had one six ounce bag of milk stored in my freezer for the past few weeks, and thankfully I've been able to pump just enough for Reid's needs during the day while I'm at work.
Well, the pumping was getting to be a little crazy, and I was having to pump 3-4 times a day just to get enough milk for the next day. I've been trying all my usual tricks for increasing supply (herbal supplements, oatmeal, etc.) and it only made a slight difference.
So, yesterday at lunch I picked up some formula. Holy moly, I forgot how expensive that stuff is. $10 for six 8-ounce bottles of liquid formula. I realize the powder is cheaper, but I wanted to be sure we didn't waste a whole can if it didn't work out.
Last night, I offered Reid a bottle of formula at bedtime and he hated it. He takes bottles of breastmilk every day, so it wasn't the bottle that was the problem. I guess he just didn't like the formula. He turned away from it and pawed at my breast. My mom tried to give him the bottle too, but she had the same experience.
Today while I'm at work, she's going to try adding a little formula to a bottle of breastmilk, and that way we can gradually increase the amount of formula (and eventually cow's milk once we start that transition) and decrease the amount of breastmilk. He's doing so well with solids now, too, and he will drink a little water or pedialyte when we offer it, so I am confident his nutritional needs are being met.
Breastfeeding moms: Did your supply start to decrease as your baby got older and started eating more solids? Did you ever have to supplement? I'd love to hear about your experiences!
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