Can you breast and bottle feed?

[2ducks2ducklings]

As above really. I'm currently ttc number 3. My two children were bottle fed ( though I did try to breastfeed my son but I didn't try until about 4 weeks after he was born so it didn't really happen) but I'm erring more toward breast feeding should I conceive again.
The only thing that puts me off is feeding in public. I know that it shouldn't bother me but it really, really does. I want to know if it is possible (and if anyone manages) to breast feed while at home and formula (or even better, bottle feed expressed milk) whilst out and about?

[Solymar]

Hi, I felt the same and was worried I would become isolated due to this! I introduced a bottle of expressed breastmilk at about ten days. Over the first few weeks I gradually swapped the two afternoon feeds to bottle to allow me to get out and about without worrying about feeding in public. This worked well for us! Good luck xx

[NastyWoman]

Hi there, this is what we are doing with our four month old and have done since day three when the checks found that he'd lost too much weight since birth. It's possible but there's really not much info or guidance. Introducing bottles of formula early on is likely to affect milk supply as milk production responds to demand, so if you can wait a couple of weeks at least before giving the first bottle that's better. Also some people find babies much prefer one or the other and either won't take bottles or go off the breast once they have bottles (we never had this issue though) It's definitely worth reading a bit about how milk supply works and mix feeding generally, I'm certainly not qualified to advise and this has just been my own experience. I've found Kelly mom is good.

Expressing can be hard work and eats into your time, especially with a new baby who just wants to eat all the time anyway but if you are luckier than me and are able to establish a good supply then it could work well for you.

If it's reassuring I have not had any comments or even funny looks from anyone when feeding in public but quite often my attention is on the baby so I wouldn't notice any evil looks coming my way!!

Good luck.

[livelyredjellybean]

I have breast fed my LO and have recently tried her on a bottle of expressed milk. She took it well, I just made sure she went back on the breast after the bottle - which she did. I am like you, not keen on feeding publicly (especially as a feed can take SO long with my faffer of a baby!).

[FlatWhiteToGo]

I'm mostly breastfeeding DS but give one bottle of formula at night. Around this time I also express and store it in the fridge. If I go out I take one of these expressed bottles (plus one of those ready made little bottles of formula just in case he gets really hungry!).

I have found DS is happy to take any form of bottle/teat and is also happy to breastfeed. I was warned off bottle feeding by the midwives who told me he'd "forget" how to breastfeed. After three months this doesn't seem to be the case! I'm grateful we introduced a bottle fairly early on (maybe when he was a week old?) as some of my friends who have exclusively breastfed from the start have found their babies now won't take a bottle at all.

Good luck!

[MrsFlowers82]

Hi! I am currently doing pretty much what you have written about. Mainly breastfeeding but a bottle of formula at night and expressed bottles if out and about. I also don't want to feed in public, mainly as daughter is such a faffer and makes "happy" noises!! 🙈She is now seven weeks and we have been doing this since two weeks. Never had a problem with nipple confusion as the HV would have us believe and supply is good. I just try not to go too long without bf and not to do bottles in the afternoon every day. If it makes you feel better many parents I know said they wish they had introduced a bottle earlier as their babies then wouldn't take one. At the end of the day you should do what is right for you!

[Isittimeforwineyet]

I've mixed feed, so a bottle at night from 4 weeks to 5/6 months and now mix feed 50/50 pretty much at 9 months. If I have another I'll do the same. Feel like I got the best and worst of both worlds. Loads of faff with sterilising and sore nipples but on the flip side had the lovely cuddles of breast feeding and benefits for baby but was able to let his dad etc feed him to give me a break.

Don't worry about feeding in public nobody paid me any attention!

[PonderLand]

I did combi-feeding for exactly that reason initially. My lb was an awful feeder and would squirm, unlatch, scream (reaaaaally loud) and people used to watch me wrestling him to my nipple. It got to the point where I locked myself away and only ventured out for 1/2hour if his feeding allowed it.

Anyway I switched to using ready made formula so that we could go out to groups etc. I found that breast milk filled him for an hour or less but when I used formula I only had to give him one feed and that would last the afternoon out. So I didn't feel too guilty about it as it was only one bottle a day and only if I went out.

However as time went on my milk supply decreased morning & afternoon and my lb got more and more frustrated and eventually just wanted the bottle (its recommended to only introduce a bottle when your milk is established, could be 2/3mths) I didn't wait for this as I was getting quite upset at the situation.

At 4 months I stopped breastfeeding due to baby having cows milk allergy, which is probably why he was so bad at feeding from the beginning.

[lozel]

Yes I mix feed between breast and bottle (usually expressed but occasionally formula) and my DD is fine with either. She naturally latched very well from birth though so I do think it depends on how well they take to the breast as to how easy it is to alternate. It is harder work for them to breast feed and I know mums who've struggled to get babies back on the breast as they want the easier option!

[1frenchfoodie]

It is likely to depend on your baby but I was able to mix bottle and breast. My DD happily took the odd bottle of expressed milk when I wasn't around to feed her for the odd occasion from 2 months on. It was very occasional though - once every few weeks.

Then from 7 months I went back to work and she had expressed BM between 9-5 and breastfed at other times. Tbh she took little from the bottle for the first couple of months and ended up feeding at least twice at night - though may not a problem if you just went to swap the odd feed here and there. I did express a lot (on train to and from work and 2x day at work) which was the only way to keep my supply up.

From 10 months she went only formula 9-7 with breast feeds either side. But I was not able to keep up the expressing and at 11.5 months we are down to just a single BF a day.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

YEs. I mix feed

Breast feed usually night - plus express few times a day and also use formula

Best of both worlds and dd almost 8w is thriving