3 formula feeds with breast milk?

[Flower11111]

Hello everyone just wanted some advice/ experience from other mothers in their choice of how they do combine feeding my son is 4 weeks old and the breast feeding has gone very well for us he latched on well but I've started to notice late afternoon my supply can be a little lower. And it's not easy how demanding he wants the breast. He is a bigger baby abd my gut instinct is telling me a few formulas to bulk up the food is what he needs he's put his birth weight back on so we're happy with his progress with that but I was thinking of doing a morning lunch and dinner formula and breast feed on demand around that? Has anyone else done this? Or what is your routine with combine feeding

I used to do a morning and early eve/late afternoon formula and then breastfeed on demand around that. I had two stepsons who were 5 & 7 living with us full time and I think running around after them and school runs etc plus being wildly anaemic meant my supply was a bit low.

I fed her to sleep and whenever she needed it in the day and we kept going until she was about 2 and a half.

Breast feeding is demand driven so the more you feed, the more you produce (disclaimer: this is the case for most people, there are obviously exceptions). Unfortunately, that means you're often a day or two behind in your production, particularly if your baby is going through a growth spurt.

If you want to add formula, then fire ahead but if it's just because you think you're not producing enough, I'd say give it a week or so and see how it's going. You will find your supply increases, although you usually have a bit less in the evening. It is unlikely, as he is putting on weight, that he needs formula. That said, there is nothing wrong with you deciding you would prefer formula.

I didn't start giving formula to mine until I went back to work (4, 6 and 9 months respectively - it was a long time ago so maternity leave was much shorter) and I always hated the level of organisation required for formula. All that sterilising and making bottles compared to the freedom of breastfeeding was just a pain to me. Obviously lots of others feel differently and prefer the routine and being able to get others to do the feeds.

@daisyjgrey

I used to do a morning and early eve/late afternoon formula and then breastfeed on demand around that. I had two stepsons who were 5 & 7 living with us full time and I think running around after them and school runs etc plus being wildly anaemic meant my supply was a bit low.

I fed her to sleep and whenever she needed it in the day and we kept going until she was about 2 and a half.

Thank you this has been really helpful your plan sounds like something I'd like to try n see how it goes 👶

@OchonAgusOchonOh

Breast feeding is demand driven so the more you feed, the more you produce (disclaimer: this is the case for most people, there are obviously exceptions). Unfortunately, that means you're often a day or two behind in your production, particularly if your baby is going through a growth spurt.

If you want to add formula, then fire ahead but if it's just because you think you're not producing enough, I'd say give it a week or so and see how it's going. You will find your supply increases, although you usually have a bit less in the evening. It is unlikely, as he is putting on weight, that he needs formula. That said, there is nothing wrong with you deciding you would prefer formula.

I didn't start giving formula to mine until I went back to work (4, 6 and 9 months respectively - it was a long time ago so maternity leave was much shorter) and I always hated the level of organisation required for formula. All that sterilising and making bottles compared to the freedom of breastfeeding was just a pain to me. Obviously lots of others feel differently and prefer the routine and being able to get others to do the feeds.

Thank you for That info that's helped me understand it a bit more and yes the sterilising is a bit of a pain! 🙄

I started combination feeding when my DD was 6 weeks old with one formula bottle a day at bedtime then by 4 months she started having one in the morning too (it started with DH being able to do it so I could sleep); for me it was more about how drained I was with the constant breast feeding as my DD was a hungry baby and I never worked out how to lengthen the time she had between feeds. Having said that it’s not unusual for them to feed lots late afternoon, would you describe it as cluster feeding? Babies do that to increase supply as far as I understand.
The only thing I would say about introducing formula is to start off one bottle at a time for a few days at least so your body has a chance to respond to the change in demand otherwise you’ll get engorged.

The other thing I would absolutely recommend is to figure out how to feed lying down and then bring the baby into bed with you at night. It makes such a difference to your sleep as you can feed while sleeping.
It took me two months with ds1 but I did it from day 1 with the other 2.

Just make sure neither of you have had anything to drink and if either of you smoke, it's a total no no.

@OchonAgusOchonOh

The other thing I would absolutely recommend is to figure out how to feed lying down and then bring the baby into bed with you at night. It makes such a difference to your sleep as you can feed while sleeping. It took me two months with ds1 but I did it from day 1 with the other 2.

Just make sure neither of you have had anything to drink and if either of you smoke, it's a total no no.

Wow I would love to be able to do that my partner walked in the room one night on me attempting to feed laying down and think it worked but we both fell asleep abd he freaked out I was smothering him even tho I wasn't but ever since his reaction I've not dare try again how do you manage to do it laying down? You obviously feel confident falling asleep neither of us drink and I don't smoke so that's not a problem

@Flower11111 - there are loads of resources online on co-sleeping so I would have a look at those to reassure him that it is safe.

What I used to do was wear a warm top and then have the blankets down below my waist. It's really important that the baby doesn't lie on a duvet as that is a smothering risk. I always held the baby with my arm around them so I couldn't roll over on them. I'm probably not describing that very well .

You don't go into a deep sleep when they're in the bed with you so they're safe as you are aware of them.

Here's a link on co-sleeping safely and another on the benefits of co-sleeping.

This shows the side lying position I mentioned above.

Just one thing - you mentioned you don't smoke. Co-sleeping if your dh smokes is a no-no too as, even if he's not in bed, there will still be remnants of smoke in the bedding from him.

I fed mine to 9 months, 11 months and 2 years respectively. The co-sleeping was a major factor in doing that. The reason I stopped with each was lack of supply as once I went back to work and reduced feeds, my supply dwindled dramatically. I was working part-time when I had the youngest which is how I kept it up so long for him.

If you choose to combination feed your supply will decrease - as another poster said it works on demand. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding on demand you will be making enough milk for your baby. If you truly weren’t it would be very obvious and would have become apparent earlier. Especially in the first 6 weeks this is when you establish your supply, so the absolute best thing to do is to keep offering the breast frequently, learn about feeding cues and offer whenever they cue. There is always milk in your breasts when you’re breastfeeding, they are never truly empty even if they feel like they are. Drink plenty of water and try having a couple of days in bed with baby having skin to skin - always really helped my supply! I would really avoid formula if you’re doing it to help supply - it will actively harm your supply unless you are pumping every time you would normally be breastfeeding which sort of defeats the point!