Can I introduce a bottle of formula now?

[SassyPants87]

DS is 5 weeks old and is EBF. I want to introduce a bedtime bottle of formula so DH can do a feed. I’ve tried pumping and I hate it so much and hardly get anything. Also I’m vegan and I want to make sure DS is exposed to dairy and his tummy gets used to it as I won’t be bringing him up as vegan. Is 5 weeks too early and will it mess up my supply? Would love to hear from people that have brought in an occasion FF bottles early on whilst also still successfully breastfeeding

If you don't introduce a bottle now they may never take one. Don't leave it a second longer.

@Northernsoullover this is also what I’m worried about!

It’ll be fine

I should add that I supplemented with a formula feed from the word go and it was fine. Both my supply and baby!

Do it.

For the first few days when you introduce you might want to express while you partner does the feed. Not heaps just to relieve some pressure. Then over time reduce that til you don't need to. You can pop any milk you express in the freezer (small frozen milk iceblocks make excellent teething soothers).

It's a good time to introduce a bottle.

Both off mine had bottles of ebm or formula so DH could do a night feed or I could leave them with a GP or aunty for a few hours.

Don't worry about the dairy - babe will get that when you start weaning. Formula isn't dairy anymore than breast milk.

My friend who successfully bf twins introduced a nighttime bottle of formula at 6 weeks with no issues.

I supplemented with small bottles of ready made formula virtually from day 1. Continued to bf with no supply issues (also no supply issues when she went to nursery at 10 months and I didn’t express after the first few days when it got a bit uncomfortable at lunchtime).

Just to note, I panic-pumped in the early weeks thinking it would strengthen my supply and I’d have this fantastic store of ebf in the fridge & freezer, and I got feck all out, maybe 20 mls on a good day, so gave up pretty sharpish. However we’re still going strong at 2.5 years (though I do need to regain ownership of my boobs back soon), DD was 80-90% bf in the first 6 months, pre-weaning, and happily piled on the weight so 🤷🏻‍♀️

You might wake up a bit engorged to begin with so I would suggest to keep some night feeds going which are good for supply. All the best with it xx