Mixed feeders...advice please!

[Halfpint76]

Hi I mostly breastfeed my nearly 5 month DS2 but he also gets a bottle of formula at the last feed, usually around 11pm ish. I'm thinking of introducing a second bottle as he is a little under weight for his length and I just feel he is now needing that bit extra, however, I don't think he is completely ready for solids yet. I feed him on demand during the day usually about 4 breast feeds between 6am and 7pm from both sides (usually) though not always.

I just wondered when the best time of day would be to introduce the second bottle. My health visitor suggested the late afternoon feed (2pm) but I'm thinking the bedtime feed would be best as we are always at home then and saves faffing about with bottles when we're out and about. I'm just trying to weigh up the pros and cons of which feed to replace. What do you think, baring in mind that he will probably start solids in the next few weeks?

That would be a long time without any feeding so i'd be worried about supply in that scenario. Not sure how it works replacing feeds though, if I ever do it I express too to compensate

Sounds like he breastfeeds very infrequently - I would just breastfeed him more.

From 4 months, we did formula at bedtime and 10ish. I breastfed the rest of time, no issues with supply. It did make things easier at bedtime, as DH and I could share the feeds, as could GPs etc visiting. As DD got older, she dropped all the bottle and night feeds and we ended up BFing till 15 months

When you start weaning he should still take the same amount of milk so it doesn't matter when you give him a bottle. Also he might not want one at certain times. Try at night if it doesn't work try morning. You can always use ready made cartons if you are out or lazy in the mornings. (Like I was)

I Ff bedtime and a dream feed. It worked fine.

I have mixed fed DD from birth. Could you try a top-up at the first few feeds/whichever ones are at home? Ie offer a bottle after boob? That way you might find the best time for him to take more food.
I don't think 4/5 feeds a day is low, my DD is 5mo, awake 7-7 (on a good day) and has 4-5 feeds, but in chunks, not each bottle all at once fussy bugger

Also, bottles out and about are easy: sterilise at home, fill with boiled water, take powder pre-measured in container (sterilised), combine when ready to feed. Now he's no longer newborn, it can be room temp, no need to heat it.

I leave a bottle of water and measured powder on my table by the rocking chair each night so it's always ready to go.

The powder has to go into very hot water though Humpty, to kill any bacteria in the powder.

I would agree with your health visitor, a mid-afternoon bottle would be a good idea. An evening bottle will likely mess with your supply, especially if your baby sleeps through.

Maybe you can buy the cartons to take with you to minimise faff.

For my mix fed baby I did them around 'meal' times at that age and then when we weaned it was easy to gradually replace the formula with the food and still bf all the other times.

Thanks for the advice everyone. He's been waking early (about 5am) so today I fed him myself as usual then gave him a top up of formula at about 8:30am which he guzzled down, then breastfeeds for the rest of the day until his last (bottle) feed tonight. I'll see how we get on with that. Hopefully it won't mess too much with my supply doing it this way.