Is there a way to make breastmilk more filling like formula...maybe things I can eat? It seems like she wants to nurse 24/7 and can never get full but if I supplement just an ounce of formula 1 or 2 times a day she will sleep a few hours. I know my supply is there because I can hand express easily. She is 5 days old...
Newborns metabolize breast milk faster and that's why they seem to constantly nurse. Formula takes longer for them to digest because their digestive system isn't 100% yet and won't be for a while.It may be a pain to nurse on demand 24/7 but it's better for your supply to let her nurse because it will calm down in just a couple short weeks.
I read on a blog from Pinterest that if you start pumping right after your feedings for 10-15 minutes a few times a day it will help increase your volume of milk.
if you cosleep, try learning to nurse while laying on your side. we both sleep through the night because when she starts to fuss I just wake up, pop a boob in her mouth and we both go back to sleep. or you could research dream feeding. I've heard good things about that.
I don't believe there really is a way to do that, the only way to make it "fuller" is just to make sure they're getting the hind milk. so maybe hand express or pump out the foremilk? both hindmilk and foremilk are just as nutritious, so if your baby never got hind milk and only got foremilk there are no health concerns with that at all. hindmilk/foremilk imbalance is basically a myth proven wrong. but hindmilk just has more fatty supplements because they were stuck to the wall of the milk duct and take a minute or two to loosen up and mix with the milk. so maybe of you pump out all foremilk then start nursing when you see the thicker hindmilk and that's all they fill up on then that might help. although breastfed babies to generally eat more often than formula babies so your milk is probably just fine, and your baby is just eating more frequently than you expected them too. you literally nurse almost nonstop for the first 3-4 months.
I think you should be patient! She will have to nurse often now, but will regulate in the weeks to come.
First of all she's still young so she's telling your body how much milk it needs to make plus she could be going through a growth spurt. Secondly breastmilk naturally digests faster than formula because breastmilk has so many nutrients baby needs