How to combine feed

[babyblabber]

So BF history is DS had a bottle a day from day 3 (he was 11lbs and I was badly advised that I couldn't sustain him). Feeding was very tough & I never felt like a pro. Gave the bottle (formula) when I needed a break. In retrospect I had too much supply, leaked everywhere, very engorged, mastitis etc. I was back to work at 7 weeks but managed to keep up night time feeding for til 3 months. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

DD fed every 2 hours during the day for 4 months. Took a bottle at 3 weeks and then refused them until
I quit breastfeeding cold turkey at 4 months as I was going back to work. It was very stressful not being able to leave her at all and trying desperately to get her to take a bottle. I had hoped to keep up night feeds but it just didn't work as she just couldn't switch easily from breast to bottle.

No.3 due in January and I have no idea how long I will be able to take off work (self employed). I can't have another bottle refuser as I may have to leave for a day/half a day here & there when baby is very young. So I was thinking of introducing one bottle a day from very early on, sometime in week one. Unlike with DS I plan to give it at the same time every day & it'll be formula, hate pumping and won't have time with 2 others & work (although I'll have to pump if I've to work and not feed all day or my boobs will explode!)

Any thoughts? Will my supply be affected badly by this? I can't see a way around it as I have to make sure this one is ok with a bottle. Would love to hear from others who've succeeded in combination feeding!

I'd wait until your supply is established before introducing a bottle, maybe 4-6 weeks?

It could affect supply, but one bottle is less likely to. I would pick a time of day in the day - eg mid afternoon - so as to avoid dropping any of the important night/evening feeds so early.

I introduced a bottle on day 2 with DC1 as he had jaundice and tge paeds wanted to measure how much his milk intake was. I expressed and found it easy so carried in once we were home. He had 1 bottle per day of expressed milk until 6 months when i switched to formula.

DS2 i intoduced a bottle of formula every day from 2 weeks. BF until 6 months again but this time could not deal with expressing every day. My milk supply was definitely less than with DS1 but more than sufficient. I think it is key to try and leep the bottle feed at around the same time/same feed number every day (eg the 3rd feed of every day will be a bottle iyswim). If you need to introduce a bottle early because of your circumstances then you just need to get in with it really, it is entirely possible to mix feed from the outset but you need to be consistent i think.

Hollie no way would I wait 4-6 weeks after my experience with DD refusing the bottle, she was only 3 weeks and I feel I'd already missed the boat! Anyway I could be in work after week 3-4 so not an option.

Ginnels you're 2nd experience sounds like what I was planning so great to hear it worked out. I'm thinking keeping it at same time is key, exactly what I didn't do with DS!

I started with DS1 at 3 weeks (he's now 9 weeks). He's ebf but we wanted to have the option of him taking a bottle too. We really had to persevere though. Took weeks of trying different things and practically every bottle on the market. The two bottles that worked best for us were NUK with a latex teat and the wide necked Dr Browns. And having the milk really quite warm (we use the microwave) made a big difference. We have friends who's babies never took the bottle after taking HV advice and leaving until 6 weeks. We make sure he has a bottke every day or 2 to keep familiar with it even though I'm around to feed him.

Yeah I went through so many bottles to find one DD would take! DS never had a problem (he had a soother too!) so am thinking the earlier the better for introducing the one bottle.

To be honest I don't think timing is that much of an issue - some babies will take a bottle fine at 6 months, some can have bottles from day 1 and still reject them later.