Combi feeding from birth

[Penny2020]

I had intended only to breastfeed but due to a tongue tie and challenges latching we ended up having to do a day or two of bottle feeding. I was so worried it would mean she’d never BF again but she’s learned to latch again (most of the time) but has still taken a bottle on a few occasions when she just couldn’t latch and we worried she’s miss a feed.

As she’s so happy going from one to the other I’m wondering if we just carry on like this, with combi feeding (she’s only 7 days old), so maybe BF most of the time with just a bottle or two a day. It would be great for my partner to be involved, help my excruciatingly sore nipples and suit our life style longer term.

Anyone any experience of combi feeding from this age. I know midwives and BF experts are dead against it...but IRL what is people’s experience?

There's a new book out about combi feeding called Mixed Up which is worth a read. It's got info about how to protect BF and also amounts to give, when/how to introduce bottles etc.

I would say if you want to keep BF it's important to get support around the issues with BF and not expect them to get better by themselves, but it's definitely not a death knell for BF to give a bottle once or twice a day. We did with DS2 although for different reasons. I am thinking about whether to do it with DS3 due this summer (if we don't have to I mean).

Beware this is an emotive topic on mumsnet.

You do what's right for you and sod anyone else lovely.
I combi fed my first. It was brilliant. And not expensive or that much faff like they say.

My second I planned to combi feed but he's ended up EBF. I'm not that chuffed to be honest. I'm going to wait till 6 months and then the breast is going. Because that is what I want to do. And that's OK.
Xx

I'd reiterate that you keep to what you feel good doing. I did both ebf and combi and reflection made me realise I did what was best for us as a family not berating myself for not bf - and both my children are older and fabulous with. I detrimental effects - congrats on the new arrival! 🥰

My oldest had one bottle a day. It didn't cause any problems with breastfeeding. I wish I'd combi fed middle and youngest - I could have got some rest and I suspect I'd have been a nicer mother as a result.

BF experts are dead against a lot of things that when you BF you will probably end up doing anyway, so don’t worry too much about that 😀.

You’ll probably need some you time at some point, it’s only a good thing that DC can switch between breast and bottle just fine.

It’s not as dramatic as la lèche lègue and the likes will have you believe, world won’t cave in if you enjoy DP giving a bottle to DC, your boobs will adjust to the demand so if it’s once a day or twice a day or whatever then it should adjust in time.

Have a look at some of the paces bottle feeding videos on YouTube; it was the only way DP could give a bottle with DC hating my tits after. We used a slow flow teat aswell so he had to put the work in like at the breast.

Paced**

Oops sorry,

without*

I did it due to tongue tie and it was fine- worked great actually. I hated expressing but it helped keep up my feed and by about 8 weeks we had fully changed to full BF until 6ish months. We kept 1 bottle a day as that helped my sanity and others do the evening feed. If I have another I'll try and do the same as it worked well for us as a family

Currently combi feeding my 5 week old. He has taken to both really well.

I had always planned to combi feed from about 4 weeks so I could start to leave my baby for a few hours with my mother or husband if I needed to however at 2 weeks baby struggled to regain his birth weight despite cluster feeding so midwife advised adding a bottle of 30-60 ml of formula a day until he was gaining weight ... We have continued with this and so far no issues.

Do what ever is best for you and your family.

The midwives were really against me wanting to alternate boob and bottle. I don't remember the reasons. Does anyone know why they see this as an issue?

As a result of this pressure, I switched to exclusive breastfeeding and DD quickly forgot how to drink from the bottle (or decided she no longer wanted to!). She is 9 months old now and still refuses to drink from a bottle, which means I do every single night feed and I can't be away from her very long. Getting slightly better now with weaning but it's been pretty exhausting.

My friend who stuck to her guns and kept alternating bottle and boob always looks a lot more well-rested and saner than I do.

@Wheredoesagoannago

The midwives were really against me wanting to alternate boob and bottle. I don't remember the reasons. Does anyone know why they see this as an issue?

As a result of this pressure, I switched to exclusive breastfeeding and DD quickly forgot how to drink from the bottle (or decided she no longer wanted to!). She is 9 months old now and still refuses to drink from a bottle, which means I do every single night feed and I can't be away from her very long. Getting slightly better now with weaning but it's been pretty exhausting.

My friend who stuck to her guns and kept alternating bottle and boob always looks a lot more well-rested and saner than I do.

Mine were really supportive! Perhaps as the ultimate aim was to establish BF but they were really keen as were the feeding support team, to do whatever I needed to feed, keep healthy, and keep sane!

Thank you so much everyone. It’s really helpful to hear some personal experiences and get some support. I think we’ll definitely continue with one bottle a day for a few weeks and see how we get on. She’s happy as Larry at the moment and didn’t lose too much birth weight, so if everything is going good why change.
Thanks all!!

It's a bit outdated to discourage it, basically it's a backlash thing.

For centuries BF works great and then formula comes along and is given as the latest/greatest thing. Pushes out/demonises successful BF in a lot of cases. Some of these myths and practices still pervade today.

BF advocates have had to do a lot of work undoing the myths the formula companies have made. In the process of this, many have accidentally become a bit black and white about the issue so "don't just automatically give a bottle because it's not necessary" becomes "it's a really bad idea to give a bottle because it will ruin breastfeeding" and "be cautious about nipple shields because they can reduce the demand felt by your body" becomes "nipple shields are terrible and destroy supply/demand" etc etc. We've all come across this kind of thing.

In reality it's all a lot more nuanced. Most people will never need to give formula, and they should be supported not to, if that is their goal. OTOH, if it is your goal, you should be supported to do that in a way which isn't harmful to your breastfeeding goals. The problem is that a lot of BF supporters (not all) have been taught all about how damaging formula can be, and not a lot about how to manage and balance that with the way breastfeeding works so that it's not detrimental to breastmilk supply.

I did 1 bottle from 3 weeks and started adding more from around 8 weeks. Now at 4m my baby only has 2-3 BF a day and my supply seems to have adapted perfectly.

@Penny2020 I did exactly this because once DD had started on the formula due to tongue tie and jaundice problems at day 4, my supply was a bit shite and it was hard to stop. I gave her at least one formula feed a day and then it was more and more until I stopped BF at 4 months. Don't let anyone tell you what is best for your baby, you do what's best for your little bundle. If she isn't feeding so well from you, then don't beat yourself up for reaching for the formula. Hope whatever you decide works well for her x

I am sooooo for combi feeding. It’s the best of both worlds - baby gets the good stuff and you get to have a break and not shoulder all the responsibility of feeding.

I pumped for Dd, but wouldn’t have given it a second thought to give formula if I couldn’t. Having a bath while someone fed her was a blessing.