Mixed Feeding - Experiences

[xTinkerbell]

Looking for some people to share their experiences of mixed feeding if poss?

I formula fed DS but have decided to give bf a go this time with DD. She’s currently 12 days old. Lost 10.1% of her birthweight and was getting topped up with expressed milk or sometimes formula if I didn’t have enough expressed but she’s lost interest now and is mainly feeding from the breast with a very occasional top up but I’m trying to just continue to offer breast until I’m sure she’s full. She still wasn’t at birthweight when weighed on day 9 but has gained weight so we’re getting there. My hope is if she gets to birthweight I can continue to exclusively breast feed until at least 6 weeks.

Anyway, ultimately I want to introduce bottles and will probably not breast feed for longer than 6 months (just personal choice) but I want to do some mixed feeding before that. When did people start introducing bottles? I know DD has had some bottles but it’s really been 0.5-1oz and like I say, rarely now. Is waiting till after 6 weeks okay or should I mixed feed with bottles of EBM now?

This is such a minefield and I’m struggling to find much information

I am also a first time mother, and mixed fed from very early on, as I knew I couldn't face exclusively breastfeeding. What I have ended up doing, is a trial and error/ as hoc strategy, but it has worked for me.

My DS is six weeks now, and I ignored all the warnings about nipple confusion etc and started giving him a few bottles of formula at some point late in the first week.

6 weeks on, and my milk supply is still ok, and DS has no issues switching between the two. However, I use nipple shields as I have very flat nipples, so I don't know whether using the shields has made it easier for DS to easily switch back and forth between bottle and breast, or if it has no influence on the ease of combi feeding.

I am also taking fenugreek capsules as there's some limited evidence that it helps maintain milk supply. I also have a breast pump, and if I know I am going a long time between breastfeeds I will do a quick pump, as removing milk is supposed to encourage your body to make more milk and keep your supply up.

I did it from the very start due to some difficulties breastfeeding initially, so didn’t wait until 6 weeks. At first I gave expressed milk in bottles alongside breastfeeding and then after 6 months I’d got sick of pumping so much and found I wasn’t pumping quite enough for a full feed and switched the one bottle a day to formula. I was warned about nipple confusion from giving a bottle from the start but never found it to be a problem. We made sure we did paced bottle feeding etc. Ask your local infant feeding team for some tailored advice if you have one!

we mixed fed from pretty much day 1 - had several days of struggling with bf in hospital - horrific pain and was in a bad place, baby lost 8% weight in first few days - ended up leaving hosp with a feeding plan of bf, followed by formula top ups which worked well for us (mentally was a lifesaver). like a previous poster i use nipple shields as well for flat nipples and baby had no problem with using them and bottles, then we introduced a dummyin the mix too and hes had not bother. BUT, 15 weeks or so, flatly refused bf now so our journey has come to an end. ive never had much luck expressing but used to also give expressed as well as formula and he had no bother with either in a bottle. I was always worried about nipple confusion after everything we read, but didnt find that a problem...unless thats the cause of the issues bf now but i dont think it was...prob more a supply issue.
it took us a while even with formula toget his weight up and hes had regular weigh ins and hovers on2nd centile. good luck with whatever u do!!

I was planning to do it from the very start but decided to give bf a go and quite happy at the moment. She has taken the occasional bottle but she’s not hugely interested and the top ups are driving me a bit mad. I’d probably rather switch a full feed cause I feel like with a top up she barely takes any.

Anyway, quite enjoying bf and don’t mind doing it exclusively but just don’t think I want to do it long term.

We started giving DS one bottle of expressed BM a day at I think about 2-3 weeks ish. Gradually I decided I wanted to move onto mixing in formula feeds around the 6 week mark, I find pumping inconvenient and EBF was getting relentless for me, although it was on paper going really well and he was stacking on the weight. Like a PP I don't know if using nipple shields might have helped DS switch between boob and bottle, he happily takes either now.

Hi, I'm currently EBF but really want to introduce bottles of either expressed or formula with my 10 week old, as I'm struggling with everything so much now. I haven't had any luck in getting him to take a bottle yet. Also use nipple sheilds so thought it would be easier. @Latecomer131 @mooloop @leftitlate37 what bottles/teats did you use please?

@Frazzled37 I use the Mam bottles and teats, we tried Tommy Tippee but didn't get on with those. Good luck, EBF to 10 weeks is seriously impressive, I couldn't have managed it!

@mooloop thank you, I've not tried the mam ones yet! We've not got on with Tommee Tippee ones either. I was hoping to have done some bottle feeding by now to be honest! He now seems to be going off the breast too so desperate to get him to take a bottle!

I would wait until 6 weeks for your supply to be fully established. Also with all the faff of sterilising etc. I would wait until you actually need a bottle.

My advice would be keep a bottle going every now and then. I EBF initially but destroyed nipples a few days in. I expressed and bottle fed little one for first few weeks. Once boobs heeled just fed from boob for months

5 months I wanted to bottle.feed and she would NOT take the bottle. Took aaaaages to sort out! Had to trick her into it haha. Then she'd only take it from me which was beside the point of introducing the bottle really!

So my advice is keep a bottle going every now and then!

There's a newish book about mixed feeding called mixed up, that is supposed to be helpful with questions about when to start and how much to give etc.

The main thing you might want to be aware of is how breastmilk supply and demand works so that you can protect that supply for as long as you want to use it.

I mixed fed my 2nd child from day 1 as my milk took 4 days to come in and he was screaming the house down. His dad fed him and I slept the 2nd night.

From that day he was bottle fed by dad between 9pm and 2am and I bf in between. It worked brilliantly as it meant I could go to bed and get a good 5/6 hours sleep
I always expressed between 8/9pm to keep up the supply and not be gorged by 11pm

He never had a problem going to bottles at 5/6 months

Hey @Frazzled37! Congrats on ebf this far, that's amazing. The midwives made it sound like I was the only person on earth who used nipple shields .....!!! Pfffft!
We also used mam bottles and teats, never tried anything different and he's been fine. Size 1 teats and not changed from those either.
He was getting ready made formula when topping up when in hosp for the first week and those teats were totally different again. Probs too short a time for them to get him too confused but either way, he's been fine with a variety. Good luck!!

@Frazzled37, sorry for being late to see your question, I haven't logged on to MN for a good few days.

I am using mam nipple shields (in the larger size, size 2 as I have fairly flat nipples) and for the bottles, I am using "NUK First Choice Plus Latex Teat".