Combination feeding from birth?

[Jenniferkaytie]

Hi I'm a first time mom, due 20th December.

I want to breastfeed but I start a Saturday course at University on the 14th January 2019 so about 3/4 weeks after my due date.

What would be best? Expressing and bottle feeding straight away? Or combi feed? Because obviously he's still going to need feeding between 8-7pm on a Saturday when I'm not there!

With combi I know you should wait until BF is established at about 6 weeks, but obviously that isn't going to work here but I still want to do what is best. I've spoken to some people that have had no issue with combi from birth, but also understand that this is not the norm and that it is incredibly difficult.

Any advice and tips from someone that has had to do the same?

crikey that's a brave thing to be contemplating! What if you go two weeks over!?

How easy it will be will entirely depend on your baby I'm afraid. Some babies happily swap between the two others will completely refuse bottles.

In all honesty the biggest risk to your supply at that age will be from being away from them for extended periods of time during the 'establishing breast feeding' period. You will need to express regularly during the time you are away from the baby to maintain your supply.

Oh I know, it's to qualify as a legal executive. I've done the law degree but need to qualify within 7 years of that and by the time I finish this course and do the 3 years of qualifying employment, that brings me to 5, giving me a little breathing room in case anything happens and I can't complete 3 consecutive years immediately for whatever reason e.g. not finding a job that fits. The timing was not great I'll be honest!

My last period was 24th Feb giving me a due date of 1st December and I have measured consistently in line with that date but because I had a negative blood test at the doctors when I was in fact pregnant, they were only willing to move the date by so much. I can't wrap my head around it to be honest but because of that, I'm hopeful that he's born closer to my due date that the measurements and the scans are suggesting rather than the due date my midwife has given, hopefully allowing me a little more time with baby before I have to go to uni again 😐