EBF to formula/mix feeding at 6 months- tips please!

[MumToBeInJuly2012]

Following on from the thread about the 70 deg water- please share the easy way to FF- I know lots of people find it easy- how?!!

Also I'd like to keep the BFs first am, maybe last pm and overnight. Any advice on this please?

Finally do you have to keep specific BFs or could I also do one through the day but vary it.. Eg 10am some days, 3pm others...

Thanks!

I'm no expert, but I've mixed fed from about 8 weeks. I feed overnight, that's when your milk production is stimulated. Sort of goes like this! BF 7ish, 10ish and then FF about 12. Next feed is boob usually about 2.30 to 3ish and again about 5 or 6ish. Next feed is FF which DH gives her about 8.30 to 9pm and then it's boob again about 11.30pm and usually around 4am. Thinking of doing another bottle maybe first thing, Possibly replacing 10am feed and juggling others around. Pretty flexible on what happens when, depends on what we're doing that day.

This sounds just like I'm looking for, thanks!

So how so you make up the FFs without going mad ?!

I sterilise bottles when I get up, usually after 10am feed in bed, and boil the kettle for a brew for me! I usually boil kettle about half an hour before her feed and put water in bottle to cool ready to add formula. Find it bubbles up if you add formula when water is too hot. Have never tested the temperature just try to judge it and so far not had any problems (touch wood!). If she's kicking off for a feed just do boob instead and make next one a bottle. I have also cooled bottle in tub /pan of cold water if its just that bit too hot and she can't wait!

So the feeding works for us, now how to get her to sleep in her Moses basket, ha!

Should probably add that she's 4 months old not 6. Only just spotted that in your title, but shouldn't make a difference wouldn't have thought.

Thanks this is really helpful. Yeah we're 4 months too but hoping to do this at 6 months. So supply doesn't dip then since you change the BF timings?

Don't seem to have any supply issues, from what i've been told its the night feeds that stimulate supply. Boobs do sometimes go hard and get a bit uncomfortable if she goes too long between feeds and can leak. Breast pads are my friend!

Same here already ! Thanks! How's your 4 month old sleeping...?!

Hmmm, there's a whole other thread! She doesn't nap much during the day, maybe two or three half hours if I'm lucky, unless we're out when she tends to sleep more.

At night she just will not go in the Moses basket. Tried numerous tricks which worked for a short time, but now just sleeps on me, with her head on my boob! HV sort of told me off, but what can you do, got to get some sleep! The next big challenge is trying to get a bedtime routine. Any tips on that would be greatly appreciated!

Hmm well it's probably just luck since none of my during-night things work but we do have a good 630-7 bedtime! We just persevered with bath feed bed and I do now think he associates it with bed! Sometimes he can't keep his eyes open as I'm putting his babygrow on! However he does still cluster feed in evenings, just now he snoozes between them rather than screaming, infinitely better!! The bath thing took maybe 1-2 wk to start taking effect and maybe 4 weeks to bed in....?

So can expect a few sleepless nights then! Having her room decorated and then going to build her cot and try her in that see if that works. Know i should perserve with putting her in moses basket but i give in just to get some sleep. A bottle later on around bath time might help with the cluster feeding, that's one of the reasons why we introduced it, plus daddy gets to feed her too and give me a break!