Mixed feeding - advice please

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I would like to introduce some formula feeds for my five-week old. He's been having a bottle of expressed milk a day, so is successfully taking breast and botlle but I find expressing a real chore and difficult to find the time to do so. Is anyone mixed feeding with success? How was your milk supply affected? Did you express during the mixed feeds to relieve engorgement?

I found expressing first thing in the morning after their first feed gave me the most milk. I also had to buy a good expressor - Medela Swing. The hand held manual ones just didn't work as well for me.

I started doing mixed feeding with my first child and once I started down that road, it was a slippery slope for me, I found myself replacing more and more feeds, just because in my mind I thought it was easier, until she finally preferred the bottle to me as she got the milk quicker etc. Of course my supply started dropping at high speed as well and I was pretty much dried up by 4 months

However if you always do the same feed time everyday, your milk supply will adjust just fine.

I think personally before you go down the formula route, you have a look on the kellymom website for ideas first. As there are ways to increase milk when pumping.

I know I'm only giving this advice because of my bad experience with my first child, so feel free to disregard it, I just wanted to tell you.

Good luck eitherway x

Mixed feeding can work fine and imho can be beneficial if you are finding it a bit too much..it does reduce your supply but it is a personal choice...This is a passionate issue..lots of threads such as this and you'll find anti ff and pro ff and pro bf..it can be informative but if you find some of the replies a bit stressful, have a cuppa and let it wash over you!! good luck and congratulations on your new baby. x

I started giving my 14wk old DD a formula dream feed at about 9wks and my milk supply has just readjusted although by 6am i am certainly ready for her to empty them

my milk supply hasn't been affected (yet - fingers crossed)

We gave DS1 a formula dream feed from 5 weeks until he dropped it of his own accord at 15 weeks. He still woke at 3am throughout (we did it so I could get some sleep, DH did the formula dream feed). I was very lucky, my supply was totally unaffected and I was able to carry on BF the rest of the time as long as I wanted to.

I have mixed fed both my children from birth ( well when I got home from hospital)
With just one formula feed a day I found my milk supply adjusted straight away and continued breast feeding my babies till 6 months when I wanted to give up because I was going back to work.

If I was a bit unconfortable I would just express a bit and I always did the formula feed at the same time of day .

My LO has one FF a day (a midnight dream feed which my DH does). I usually express in the evening before I go to bed otherwise I am really uncomfortable by the next feed. I've had no issues with supply.

All my DD's have had a formula dreamfeed last thing at night. DD3 17 weeks, has had it from 5/6 weeks. My supply has not been affected. I did try to introduce another formula a few weeks ago but that did seem to effect my supply so I did have a bit of a panic and stop, took fenugreek and BF lots to increase supply again as I was not ready to stop BF. I think you need to see how it works for you and take it slowly to allow your supply to adjust.