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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Combination feeding breast and formula

13 replies

LolMc · 10/02/2023 05:40

Hi All!
So my daughter is now 10 weeks old. Has been a bit of a whirlwind since birth as she was Premature and stayed in NICU for 14 days aswell as recently contracting RSV and Pneumonia. I have EBF since coming out of NICU and have loved every minute of it.

I am now struggling with sleep deprivation. My other half had to return to work while our daughter was in NICU and is a lorry driver therefore needs sleep!

I was considering getting my partner to do the last feed 10/10.30pm with a bottle of formula. Im hoping this keeps her fuller for longer!! Just so i can get some sleep so I feel more human! I would then breastfeed for every other feed. Has anyone done this and noticed a difference in sleeping patterns etc? Or am I being selfish for not EBF?
Any advice or personal stories would be greatly appreciated...
X

OP posts:
tilestoclean · 10/02/2023 05:47

You are NOT being selfish! I mix fed my DD from six weeks and it was brilliant. She had no issue switching from bottle to boob and it definitely helped us get her into a routine. I did a mix of expressed milk, formula, and breastfeeding. I remember sheepishly telling my health visitor expecting to be told off! She just looked at me and said "is baby happy?" "Are you happy?" The answer was yes to both!

Nejnej2 · 10/02/2023 06:18

@LolMc
Not selfish at all - a happy Mum and a fed baby is what you need! From talking to friends who've done it, it doesn't necessarily get baby to sleep for longer - but does allow you to have a longer sleep in the evening. I was told to express for the feed that's missed to preserve your supply.
My partner also needs good rest overnight for his job so I definitely get it!

@tilestoclean

Did combi feeding make any difference to your supply? I've got a 9 week old and was hoping to use bottles of expressed milk occasionally alongside breastfeeding, but it looks like his weight gain is poor. I don't really get much when expressing. I've got no problem adding in formula, I just don't want to lose the breastfeeding!

PurBal · 10/02/2023 06:25

It is totally your decision and sounds like combination with formula would work for you. Don’t feel guilty! I would suggest considering a day time feed though as there are hormones in night time breast milk to help baby sleep. That said, many babies are FF and I wouldn’t make it the be all and end all. Good luck!

tilestoclean · 10/02/2023 06:32

Nejnej2 · 10/02/2023 06:18

@LolMc
Not selfish at all - a happy Mum and a fed baby is what you need! From talking to friends who've done it, it doesn't necessarily get baby to sleep for longer - but does allow you to have a longer sleep in the evening. I was told to express for the feed that's missed to preserve your supply.
My partner also needs good rest overnight for his job so I definitely get it!

@tilestoclean

Did combi feeding make any difference to your supply? I've got a 9 week old and was hoping to use bottles of expressed milk occasionally alongside breastfeeding, but it looks like his weight gain is poor. I don't really get much when expressing. I've got no problem adding in formula, I just don't want to lose the breastfeeding!

No supply issues at all. I fed her until I got several bouts of mastitis at the five month mark and the antibiotics made my milk taste funny and she didn't want it anymore 🥺

Twizbe · 10/02/2023 06:47

You're not being selfish at all but sadly it's a myth that formula makes babies sleep longer.

You're still very much in the early sleep deprived weeks. An afternoon nap when baby sleeps can help loads.

As can reducing expectations on yourself. Its fine to have a lazy day at home with baby, resting and sleeping when they do.

If she's never had formula before I'd also try it out in the daytime first. Just in case she either won't take the bottle or it doesn't agree with her. You'll have more energy to cope then.

If all goes well and you'd still like to do it, feel free to swap that feed for a bottle to see if it works for you.

You can choose to either express the feed or not at this stage. Your milk is established so the supply will adjust if it's just one bottle.

Original poster
LolMc · 23/02/2023 08:03

Hi All..
Thank you for your comments.

She won't take the damn bottle!! Don't know whay to do.. sleep deprivation is really taking hold. Any ideas on how to offer the bottle without her kicking off and crying hysterically before me caving in and offering breast. Someone told me get someone else to give her the bottle which my other half tried and failed!

Thank you!!

OP posts:
Twizbe · 23/02/2023 10:03

First off. Next time your partner is off work, he takes baby for a walk and you have a nap.

Next time baby has her nap, you have one too.

Then onto the bottle. Some breastfed babies just won't take them. You can keep trying little and often and not when you're stressed. An oz here and there to see what she does with it.

Partner can also try too.

You can also sack off the bottle all together and look at cup feeding.

Blughbablugh · 23/02/2023 10:16

I combi fed with my second. Didn't make any difference to sleep. He's 19 months old now and still a terrible sleeper. Sorry.

Twizbe · 23/02/2023 10:17

Blughbablugh · 23/02/2023 10:16

I combi fed with my second. Didn't make any difference to sleep. He's 19 months old now and still a terrible sleeper. Sorry.

Same for me really.

Merrow · 23/02/2023 10:19

Bottle refusers are tough work. The only way I found that worked (DP breastfed) was to put DS in the sling and sing to him and sway around while poking him with a bottle. Obviously by "worked" I mean "got some milk into him", rather than any meaningful acceptance of the bottle.

SalviaOfficinalis · 23/02/2023 10:19

Bare in mind that formula tastes very different to breast milk, so she might not recognise it as “milk” at first or like the taste.

It might be worth your partner trying again a few times without you in the room.

Scottishgirl85 · 23/02/2023 10:25

The guilt you are feeling is sadly the result of the enormous pressure woman put on each other and themselves that only breastmilk will do and formula is some sort of poison. Do what makes you happy and healthy, your baby will be perfectly fine. Sleep deprivation is a form of torture for good reason!

mumontherun23 · 23/02/2023 15:26

Not selfish at all. I've combi fed from 6 weeks with second DC, now 8 months in and v happy with this decision. EBF DC 1for 6 months and I was miserable. Best of both worlds. Some said if I introduced one bottle of formula a day it would be a slippery slope to giving up BF but that's not been the case. Have you tired lots of different bottles? Mine will only take MAM ones, took a bit of perseverance....

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