Combination feeding advice please

[spendalittlelivealot]

DD is almost 5 weeks and Im considering introducing a bottle of formula. I really dont know how to go about this or which feed to start giving formula at. I she likely to take a bottle at all? Any advice much appreciated as ive only bf before apart from when my ds had to go onto special formula

I think most people on here would suggest not offering formula at all as it reduces supply etc etc but I personally offer upto 2 bottles of formula throughout the day as I find bf very difficult and time consuming and DS2 does not always have a good latch. I sometimes offer a bottle mid afternoon as this allows me to spend some time with DS1 without a baby at the breast and dp gives DS2 a bottle in the evening so I can get DS1 off to bed and then have some time to myself. I only offer very small bottles (about 3-4oz) and dont always offer them as sometimes DS2 seems satisfed with bf. I only offer if DS2 is still fussing for food after a good bf session.

A lot of mums I know make the last feed of the day a bottle.

I dont want to recommend what i do as ultimately I would prefer to bf exlusively. This is just what currently works for me at the moment.I would honestly say that if you are lucky enough not to have any problems bf, then don't offer a bottle.

as tryharder says, supplementing with formula can impact on your supply. can I ask why you want to do it?

it will also have an impact on the virgin gut, which is one of the key reasons for exclusive breastfeeding.

Im going back to work in a few months and want to make sure that I can give dd a bottle as she'll still be on several feeds a day. If my first baby was anything to go by I wont be able to get back to wrk if she wont take a bottle as I was still bfeeding until she was 15 months!

Hi Spendalittlelivealot. Presumably if you expressed the bottle of milk in question it wouldnt affect your supply and it would get your dd used to a bottle in time for you to return to work. I have to say through that neither of my children had any problem taking a bottle while also being able to bf so maybe you'll be fine. I've heard that the Dr Brown bottles are supposed to be good for bf babies but don\t know why or in what way as have never used them. Good luck.

hi spendalittle - if your main reason for introducing formula is that you want your daughter to drink from a bottle then i'd try expressing first, and maybe only offer a bottle once or twice per week so you know she will take it, as missing feeds and introducing formula can really affect your supply and could cause bf to come to an end earlier than you would want.

FWIW, I mix feed. I introduced a bottle of mixed EBM/formula at night when DS was about 2 weeks old - number of reasons which I won't bore you with here. It was the one thing that kept me breastfeeding the rest of the time - I know I would have given up if I hadn't had that respite. However, it definitely did affect my breastmilk supply (e.g. was quickly unable to express enough for that bottle so it became a full formula feed) and it took a long time to get my supply properly established (around 8-10 weeks) and I still have worries about it now. I had to resist really hard (with help from MN) not to introduce another ff per day. if I had done that at 8-9 weeks when I was thinking about it, I very much doubt I would be bf at all now. DS is now 21 weeks and I am still bf, with just that one bottle of formula per day. It has worked out for me but it has been hard and I wouldn't go down this route with a second DC unless I really really had no choice.