Combined Feeding

[Jodi2325]

Hey All,

I am just looking for some advice on what to buy in preparation of combined feeding and for feeding in general please.

So far I have bought an electric steriliser with 4 bottles slow teats 2 sizes 150ml and 260ml.

My aim is to combine breast and bottle feeding. I was wondering whether it was worth buying a prep bottle machine? Or would a bottle warmer be better? Or both? Also what should I buy for on the go and keeping bottles warm?

Is it also worth buying extra bottles and medium teats?

I am a first time mum.

Any advice would be great? x

If your breast feeding then the advice is generally not start combi feeding until the baby is 6 weeks old and your milk supply is established.

I would just wait before you buy anything else. Even during lockdown supermarkets were open and amazon delivered and breast fed babies can be very fussy about which bottles they use. I know many formula feed babies include DD1 who struggled with one brand and needed a different brand of bottle.

For out and about I would use the individual cartons of ready made formula. When a bottle has been made up it can only be used for two hours and only 1 Hour from when the baby starts drinking.

I did mixed feeding and never got a perfect prep machine because I mainly breastfed. But when I look back on it, it was a total ballache making formula, especially after I started weaning and I was trying to make it during mealtimes and was rushing around the kitchen in a flap or trying to make the mealtime last until the formula was ready.

I’m combi feeding my 10 week old and have from day 1. I have a prep machine as I still had it from my first and they are very handy. I breast feed for all feeds except baby has one feed in the evening off dad while I do bath/bed time with the older one and have a bath/hour to myself. We have done this since day one so baby goes between bottle and boob fine. I have chosen not to express milk this time after bad experiences with my first but would recommend a Hakka or similar which is a little silicone pump/milk collector you can put on the other boob while feeding to collect any leaks! Generally the advice is to wait but I have several friends who waited and found 6 weeks plus down the line baby would refuse a bottle. Personally I have found one formula feed a day has not impacted my supply at all and combi feeding works really well for me and my family. I don’t think you need to buy any more bottles or teats slow flow is fine for the first couple of months. Don’t bother with a bottle warmer a jug of hot water does the same thing of if you have a perfect prep machine the milk will be the right temperature. Out and about with my first who was formul fed I just used the little cartons of ready made formula and took a sterilised bottle and baby would usually drink that at room temp. If it was very cold A flask of hot water to stand the bottle in works fine. Boob is lovely and convenient for out and about though!