Can I have your experiences of combined feeding?
Due to weight gain issues getting to birth weight, my son and I were put onto a plan where he had his usual breast feed, followed by as much formula as he would take until satisfied and asleep. This worked as he gained weight much quicker. He gets tired quickly during breastfeeds and falls asleep too quickly, never getting to the good part of the feed.
I have also been expressing in between feeds to give him in a bottle after coming off me but he is still never settled until having the formula (usually only takes around 3oz once he has had breast). The expressing is getting too much and takes forever, I also have a 5 year old and I am not spending enough time with him.
I always planned to exclusively breastfeed as I didn't get that chance with my first due to latch issues. My second (current baby), never settles with just breast and introducing the formula after his breastfeeds has given me such a break as I have been non stop feeding, as in only having maximum 5 minutes of him being off before going back on throughout the day and night! So much that I don't want to go back to exclusively breastfeeding, is this bad of me?
I am close with my BF support group and my journey so far has been a rollercoaster! Low supply, now to over supply and also the starting of mastitis!
With my 5 year old, we bottle fed and our lives felt so much easier! Now that my second is 4 weeks, I have considered going fully formula but get upset at the thought of no more breastfeeds.
I had never heard of combined feeding until now. How can I do this? Am I able to only breast feed in the evening for example and bottle feed the rest? Can you alternate breast one feed, bottle next feed etc.? I'm finding it confusing but I'm at the point now where if combined doesn't suit or work at this point in time (I can't bare waiting any longer for him to be older), it will be just formula and no more breast.