Successful introducing bottle/mixed feeding

[Buglife]

I’m due DS2 in July, and want to be able to express and introduce a bottle successfully so both my DH and I can share care more and I can spend some alone time with DS1. I have family help and DH has 8 weeks paternity and we’ve agreed we’d hate it if it ended up default me with baby/him with DS1 and also I’d like my DM to be able to look after the baby sometimes while I can do school run and take DS1 out afterwards etc. DH is very willing to help with night feeds while on paternity. I read so much on here about people who’ve never managed to introduce a bottle and it scares me frankly! I want to majority BF but surely its possible to give a bottle or so occasionally? Any advice when best to start or just people telling me that they’ve done it successfully to stop me worrying I’ll be the only source of food for a year?!

With DD I introduced a bottle after 2 weeks. She took anything but definitely fed best with the MAM bottles. We establish bf before introducing a bottle and have had no problems since. Initially we did one bottle a day, and increased that steadily as she got older (although it was formula for us, rather than EBM). It's definitely possible to do it!

With DS I introduced an occasional bottle (of ebm) from 3 w. That worked perfectly until the lady who was often minding him had to quit, and DH was very busy. So no bottles from 3-5 mo at which point we had difficulty re-introducing them (urgent at that point as I had to return to work). So keep it going!

Thanks! I had thought that earlier would probably be better. Loads of people recommend MAM bottles so I’ll get some of those and a breast pump. I got rid of all my baby stuff from DS1, I had two pumps! I’m not adverse to the occasional bottle being formula either.

I wouldn't have had any issue with a bottle of formula either but I had loads of milk and had to pump some excess anyway.
When I say 'occasional' it was probably a bottle most days.

Sounds like a plan for DH to give a bottle or two every day (or most days!) DS fed pretty much every two hours for 4 months, and his 4 month growth spurt (from under 50th centipede to almost 90th) meant I was basically sat on a sofa with him the whole of December 2014! Not something I feel I can do with another child and school runs to do. And DH Just loves the newborn phase, he is really looking forward to having two months off and I want him to be able to have the baby to himself occasionally.

We did a bottle a day, given by DH. Initially we had to supplement with formula due to low supply etc but I could’ve gone to ebf by about 3 weeks. I chose to keep the one bottle a day and now at 6 months I’m starting the weaning process with a second formula bottle a day.

My advice is start as soon as possible, within the first week. Initially we did top ups, then it moved to an evening feed when she was cluster feeding for hours anyway. Mostly so I could get a break. Eventually we settled on the one specific feed (around 10pm) and my body adjusted. I could leave her for any feed though, as long as it was just one

I would suggest it’s less about when you introduce it (we waited 6 weeks I think), but how consistent you are with giving it. DD took a bottle without much fuss initially, but I got a bit lazy about expressing so she didn’t have one for a while and the next time we tried her she was having none of it. It ended up a really stressy experience and we all got upset which made it worse. Six months later I am back at work and she is now taking the bottle again, thankfully. We gradually worked up to it via various methods, but above all being consistent and making sure she gets it every day.

I think its also useful to have someone else give the bottle to start. DD was fussy with me giving her the bottle because she could smell milk on me. I think DH also really liked the time with her.

I think mixed feeding is great and it is sad that it is not recommended more - I had no problems with it, so long ago that I can't possibly remember what sort of bottle; I used the ready made formula in cartons so it was just so easy if I didn't want to breast feed for whatever reason - and obviously meant DH could share the feeding. Good luck. Agree with others - start early.