Combination feeding /expressing

[Ameybee]

Merry christmas ladies!

DS 13 wks has just started taking bottles, he was unsettled and not gaining weight v quick at all so we decided formula top ups would be good. We started yesterday, & so far so good longest stretch so far in night.
So my question is how do you successfully combination feed? We've been doing alternate breast bottle at mo & I feed in night but my boobs constantly feel like rocks! I expressed a bit yest (2oz off each side) and I've been giving him bottles part ebm part formula. I would really like to continue giving him some breast milk if I can, any ideas on routine? And stopping my huge sore boobs waking me up at night?
Thank u xxx

[PoppyWearer]

Merry Christmas!

If you have been bfing all the time until yesterday, you will have some engorgement until your supply corrects itself to adjust to the new routine.

I successfully mix-fed my DS2 to 15mo. We normally just gave him one bottle of ff a day, last bottle before bedtime. Worked really well for us.

Bottles work well at the end of the day when your supply is lower anyway. Also goodie you want the odd evening out.

You will likely have loads of breastmilk in the early hours and for the morning feeds, so I would do those as breast feeds.

Good luck!

[VisualiseAHorse]

I would pick one feed a day for his formula feed. Once I got BF properly established, and wanted to give baby a bottle a day, I chose the evening one. He'd have boob about 5pm, then a bottle around 6.30pm, bed at 7pm. This worked well for us, as I often had no milk in the evening, and that bottle meant I could do a good feed or dreamfeed at 11pm. Plus, OH could give him the bottle when he'd finished work so I could sit and have a cup of tea! I still BF if he wanted to at night though.

[Ameybee]

Thanks for the replies, might start with evening feed then maybe replace 2 Feeds per 24 hours. At least if he will take bottle regularly I can express & nip out if I need to. Xx

[Ameybee]

Thanks everyone. At the moment we are bottle feeding most of daytime and I'm doing an evening/night feeds, however I'm not always feeling like I have much milk. If I do a regular (say bedtime feed) will I have lots of milk at that particular time of day? As this morning I barely had any but this afternoon I seem to have lots?!? Don't want to lose my milk if I don't have to as I'd love to so one or more feeds, but I'm worried it will be unfair on DS if I don't have enough when he does want to feed. Thanks

[Ontesterhooks]

Hi I am also trying to decide which feed to choose for ff advised to top up as weight loss and jaundice so had been adding an oz formula after daytime feeds but jaundice going and good weight gain last 2 days so now just bf during day but tempted to get dh to do one bottle either at 7 or 10pm just not sure which yet !