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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

How to start mix feeding?

9 replies

Tagz269 · 09/09/2015 09:18

My dd is 9 weeks old and is ebf. I have another daughter who is 2.5yrs and feel like I am not spending enough time with her as dd wants to feed quite often at certain times of the day. She tends to feed twice in the night and every 2/3 hours even less in the day. If she has gone for a long period of not feeding I.e when we are out then she will cluster feed following that period. I am happy in myself that I've lasted this long and don't feel like I've let myself down as I will still b'feed however want to introduce a bottle and don't really know how to go about doing this as I don't want my boobs to become engorged and painful.
Can anyone shed any advice on how to do this and how often?
I understand that it can't happen immediately.
Thanks Smile

OP posts:
Sillysausage2 · 09/09/2015 09:19

Following this as I'm in a similar situation. I have expressed and tried giving a bottle though and he will not take it, don't know where to go from here!

BertieBotts · 09/09/2015 09:42

Ok, so as you've said you don't want to suddenly move to mixed feeding as that will play havoc with your supply. What you want to do is pick one time when you want to do a bottle feed and stick to that. All other feeds boob, cluster feeding or not. You probably will find at first that you get engorged when you miss this feed, so you might want to pick a time when she usually has a smallish gap for the first one, and /or express off a small amount by hand to relieve the pressure.

Over time you can add other bottle feeds to your daily routine, to keep supply it's best to still be breastfeeding regularly, so e.g. alternate feeds between breast and bottle rather than trying to substitute two adjacent feeds. It might be worth writing down what you want the routine to look like and then work on replacing one feed at a time starting with the biggest gap. If you keep the bottle feeds regular and use your supply and demand hormones to adapt to change in her needs, rather than adding more bottles to deal with growth spurts etc. then you shouldn't have problems with supply.

It is worth trying some other things to spend more time with your toddler, too - one good idea is to put together a box of things you can do one handed with her snuggling up beside you - books, dvds, colouring, button press type toys, simple board games. This is the feeding box and she can't get it out at other times. The other useful idea is to get hold of a sling you can learn to feed in,which means it's hands free and you're not stuck to the sofa.

Lastly I think it's worth mentioning that at around three months, it's likely you'll experience what feels like a drop in supply. Don't panic! It's normal and just your body adjusting to what your baby needs rather than going by post birth hormones. Your breasts will feel soft and normal between feeds, some women stop leaking, and if you're expressing, output is likely to reduce dramatically. If this happens it's nothing you've done, it's normal, keep feeding through it. It means you've entered the comfortable stage Wink

Good luck!

To sausage : try latex (brown) teats.

NickyEds · 09/09/2015 10:25

My dd is almost 8 weeks and we've introduced a bottle-I always planned to mix feed. I think our situation might be a bit different to yours though as we've introduced a bedtime bottle with a view to doing it permanently. Dd still does her evening cluster but usually falls asleep at around 9ish. A 10ish we go to bed and initially I would still give her a feed but would just sort of break off before she was totally done, hand her to daddy and let him finish the feed with f. It has taken a while to get her to take it- she doesn't like the powdered f, she needs it warm and from Dp not me (absolutely refuses it if I try and give her it). After a couple of nights we just went straight to Daddy- she had 3-4oz and slept for almost 6 hours Shock. My boobs were very full and a bit uncomfortable the first night but after a few nights they're fine now.
I think it would be trickier to arrange if it was at a different feed everyday. I'm hoping that in a few weeks I might be able to miss the occasional daytime feed if I want some time away (so once a week perhaps) without my boobs exploding!

I have a Caboo which has been recommended for feeding in but I just can't manage it! I have an almost 22 month old and it's tricky isn't it? I find at home ok and I'm lucky as dd is a pretty efficient feeder but out and about on my own (so toddler groups and things)is a worry as ds is still too young to be allowed to run free, even at a toddler group he needs me to be up and close by really.

Tagz269 · 09/09/2015 21:48

Thanks for you replies. I'm trying to decide a time where I can give formula, I have given her a bottle (expressed milk) a few times in be past so know she will be able to take the bottle however it will need some getting used to as the flow is different.
I also have a caboo but haven't tried feeding with it yet.
In a way I don't want to give it up as its so easy and cheap! But I will have to in the future definitely as me and my partner are planning a trip away when she's around 6 months therefore I won't be able to feed her.
I may start using the bottle for the last feed and see how long she lasts and hope my boobs don't explode!

OP posts:
FifiFerusha · 10/09/2015 00:11

I started a bedtime bottle on Monday. To hope for a longer sleep, to give me a rest, and for bedtime association. For the first few nights this has been fine without hand expression, however feel a little full tonight as DS has had a sleepy day with frequent small feeds so May hand express a bit off for comfort as they adapt. This is a permanent thing so don't need to express to drain, just let them adapt. So, this would be fine for you. I would replace a feed for one week, and see how it goes and then do another for the next week so it is gradual. I have recently had mastitus so you really don't want to do things too quickly and end up with it. If it isn't something you would do permanently I would express, although I presume you would be as you are going back to work etc. . . But, I always think if one is going to spend time expressing, you may has well just feed them :)

Also my DS has slept for a 6 hour slot so far after introducing an evening bottle which is lovely. . . However, he keeps taking 6 oz and he is only 7 weeks. My theory is too make more than needed and he will refuse ehen full but I am not a pro at bottle feeding and am now wondering if I am overfeeding. I still bf when he awakes in the night and he doesn't feed for long at these points.

Good luck x

NickyEds · 10/09/2015 14:11

Well last night dd didn't cluster as much as usual just had a feed at 7.30. I then left it to Daddy for the bottle and she slept until 5am. I'm an idiot-boobs were like rocks by then! I'm due to meet friends for a drink tomorrow evening so will definitely pump when I get home.

Tagz269 · 12/09/2015 21:12

Still haven't introduced the bottle. I think I'm scared that if I go and go longer without feeding my boobs will kill!!
Dd cluster fed last night and fell asleep at 10.30 and didn't wake till 6am!!!! My boobs were sore! Not as much as usual but still sore Confused

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 12/09/2015 21:46

I don't know whether the caboo is that great for feeding in TBH, it's a bit like a stretchy wrap IIRC? I found I had to loosen mine so much it was too ineffectual.

If your boobs are sore when missing feeds you can express some milk off to relieve the pressure. Just reduce the amount you express over time. You can do it with a pump and save the milk, or by hand and just do it into a towel or over the sink or something.

NickyEds · 13/09/2015 15:00

The Caboo is a stretchy, ring type sling. One of it's selling points is meant to be that you can feed in it but I've found I've had to loosen it too much too, either it's so loose I may as well be holding her or tight enough to feel secure but suffocating her.

I think my boobs are starting to settle into the missed feed a little. I was full this morning but not very uncomfortable. I've still to miss a daytime one though!

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