Mixed Feeding: Questions and Tips...

[MissRatty]

Our LO is ten weeks old, and on the second centile, and due to previous weight and latch issues have been giving either ebm or formula top ups, and on occasion OH will give a formula feed if no ebm is available and I'm not about.

Anyway, at the moment, and since about 2 weeks, this mixed feeding has been erratic, giving top ups if LO seems unsatisfied, OH will have LO all night on some nights and me all night on others, and generally whether LO gets formula or a boob or ebm is inconsistent.

I do have concerns about my supply, but express when I get a chance if LO hasn't been on the boob or hasn't emptied it.

Is there a 'way' to do mixed feeding? What do others do, and do you have any hints and tips? What were your reasons for mixed feeding (if you are willing to share that info!). We chose just to try and make sure LO was satisfied, so that OH could help with feeds, and to hopefully bulk LO up, but his weght gain is still slow as we don't want to force him to eat, but it is nice with ebm and ff knowing how many ounces he's had.

This isn't a query to invite a breast vs bottle vs formula etc. debate, just a query about how others do it and what works well in your experiences...

I do worry about an ad-hoc style in feeding, and have noticed that when LO is on the boob he'll do little and often feeds, whereas on the bottle he'll guzzle and go for longer (ebm and formula).

Many thanks in advance...

[Sunflower1985]

We've always mixed. At first jaundice and 10% weight loss, then 10 weeks of bad latch pain so supply was affected.

In the end we settled into this pattern:
3 'meals' of 5oz formula a day given by a supplemental nursing system, with bf before each top-up and in between as demanded and then during the night.

Ds is 6mo now so we're weaning and plan to substitute ff for food gradually. He's a rubbish sleeper and wakes frequently to feed, and has tummy cramps. But he may have been like this as a ebf or eff baby. Who knows.

Hope you can find a way that suits you and your lo.

[MistletoeBUTNOwine]

Our DS is 3 weeks and been mixed feeding since 5 days due to undiagnosed tongue tie, ATM he's having about 3 formula feeds a day after bf, bf in the night. Fx seems to be working well for now!

[cpic]

my ds is 20 weeks and a total milk monster. since he was three weeks we gave a bottle of formula at ten thirty pm. since he was 12weeks we also give one atsix thirty pm after his bath. he is bf the rest of the time and often feeds a lot on the boob between bottles even though he takes 11oz. ten thirty bottle now a dreamfeed he may take up to 8oz. If you want to supplement each feed with ff I would suggest bfing first and offer both sides then see if he wants a top up ff. be guided by the baby; if they don't want any more they pull a face and squirm away from bottle. hth xx