Best way to introduce one formula bottle while bf rest of the time?

[Andanotherthing123]

Just found this board - it's fab! I bf first 2 DC but when I have DC3 I want to introduce a bottle of formula a day as DC1 has health problems which can mean hospital stays and I would like the flexibility to stay with him if he does go in.

I've tried expressing and didn't get along with it, so I defo know that's not the route for me.

How and when should I introduce a bottle without putting my baby off bf? Any advice most welcome!

Hi - saw your thread in pregnant so opposed across.

My advice FWIW is ASAP!! I gave DD an expressed bottle from around day five and in day ten stopped after reading that you should wait until six weeks and I think if I recall correctly the HV saying similar.

Fast forward to DD being 6 or 7 weeks and I left her for the first time with DH while I went for dinner to celebrate a firneds's birthday. At 11pm I got a frantic call from DH saying she wouldn't take a bottle. And that was it - bottle refuser until five months. I spent £££s on different types of bottles and teats, tried my milk and different formulas and spent HOURS on this board and others hearing excellent advice but none of it worked for DD.

DD2 is due at Christmas and will be mix fed from week one.

Sorry should have added - she suddenly took a bottle one day when five months. Just like that, after weeks of trying (and I mean really trying - I've seen a thread recently where a poster claimed DCs don't refuse bottles, parents don't try hard enough). From then on I bottle fed only as daren't go back (returned to work shortly afterwards) and that was it with bf. I'm hoping with DD2 I will be able to mix feed (predominantly expressing bottles when on mat leave) and will therefore continue to bf much longer.

I have a 2wk old dd & have always intended to bf at first & then express so dh can help out etc, but I have had mixed advice about when to introduce a bottle. Mw & Hv both said wait at least a month, bf support worker said as soon as u like! She believes babies find it harder to adapt to mixed feeding after 6wks so earlier is better.... Help! Who's advice do I go with???

Hi Yoni, that was my experience with DC1, didn't try bottle early enough, then at 6 weeks baby wouldn't take one, until 6 months when he randomly did. Purple - it seems to be a hard decision, with no guarantees. I'm planning to take advice from here and start before 6 weeks and get DH to give 1 bottle at 10pm so baby knows I feed one way, but dad uses a bottle. Good luck with your decision!