Breastfeeding and Supplementing

Last week I began supplementing some nursing sessions with formula for my 4 mos old. I have low thyroid and my doc is trying to get my levels correct but each time he lowers my meds (was on higher dose for pregnancy) my milk supply drops and my son has a really hard time with it. This second time around I gave in and gave him formula- he drank 4 oz and was SO much happier! Since then I've given a bottle after some feedings and he's drank between 1.5-4 oz (usually more like 2-3). Total of no more than 10-12 oz per 24 hrs. At night we BF only.

So, now I'm trying to figure all of this out. I don't want to give up on nursing - I BF my daughter until 18 mos. But, Sam gets really crabby nursing sometimes and I'm sure my supply isn't completely adequate. He has good weight gain though it did dip after one of my med adjustments, this time it didn't due to the supplementing.

So, to keep from further supply drop, should I limit his bottles to a certain number a day or to certain times of day? He's also up every 3 hrs at night again after going 6 or so before so I'm wondering if he should have a bottle at night... I'd rather nurse him then since he does so well, but it's hard to function with two other kids when I've had such broken up sleep...

I'm not pumping and won't be doing that. I just don't have the time or energy. But I will BF as much and as long as my son will do it!

Are you interested in ideas for increasing your supply or are you only interested in supplementing? I certainly don't want to give you any unwanted suggestions if that's not your preferred direction.

Let me know how the baby's weight was at his check up and we can figure out a supplementing plan for you.  Sorry for the delay in responding. 

Thank you to Chrissy for the great siggy!    

His weight on 8-20 was 13 lbs 2 oz, and at his check up on 8-31 was 13 lbs 14 oz. I'm currently giving him (or rather offering) 8 oz total a day formula always after nursing. He usually takes 2 oz around 10am and close to 4 oz at bedtime. Sometimes he'll take 2 in the mid to late afternoon as well.

He really fights me nursing during the day. He cries and protests when I know he is hungry. I'll squirt milk in his mouth and he gets all excited, starts sucking for a second and then he doesn't want to do it anymore. It's frustrating because there is milk there but it seems he doesn't want to work for it. And yet, his gain seems pretty good at this point so I don't know.

Any help is appreciated. This bottle thing has thrown me off a bit. I feel I don't know when to feed him so I try to BF whenever I think he might be hungry.