Any tips on successful combi feeding?

[Februaryschild2023]

Had a crap time with my first in SCBU, he never latched and I ended up formula feeding plus terrible PND.

I'd like to try breastfeeding again with my baby, due in a few weeks. But I know realistically, my mental health really suffers with poor sleep and I'm not sure I could cope with the mental load of exclusive breast feeding.

Has anyone decided to do combi feeding from the start, and if so, what's the best way to do so? If my partner could give an early evening bottle for example, it would really help me catch up on sleep. I know that officially it's not advised until breastfeeding is established, but I don't want to be in the situation where a bottle is completely refused as that would really panic me (mental health comes first this time).

Any advice from any mums who have managed to do both would be much appreciated!

Hopeful bump

Just what you describe worked for me with DC2. I exclusively bf for maybe 6 weeks and then subbed the 7pm-ish feed with a bottle of formula given by DH. This kept the same till 6 months, when DC started to refuse the breast. I read and knew that combi feeding could shorten the time DC bf for and it probably did but that was fine by me! Bf DC1 with them refusing a bottle till 13 months and, whilst they were fine, I was mentally worn out and swore I wouldn't do that again.

Ah thanks that's really helpful. Was there any issue getting them to take the bottle at six weeks?

I EBF until about 5/6 weeks then substituted morning feed for a bottle which my partner would give. This was great as I would get up in the night to breast feed but then get a bit of a lie in while partner did the early morning sift.

I started off with expressed milk and would express when i got up after my little lay in as would be feeling very full, and that would be feed for next day x

I combi fed my eldest. Full disclosure, I didn't like it much and I EBF my second. I felt like I got more sleep and more rest doing that.

But, tips for combi feeding.

The hardest part is making sure you've got milk in the first place. Read up on the 4th trimester, find your local breastfeeding support group and print off the NCT infant feeding line number now.

When baby is born, whenever they stir put them to breast. Get your partner to do toddler care 100% while they're on leave allowing you to focus on feeding baby and sleeping when they do. Partner takes over all the household chores too. They also make sure you're fed and watered. This is a great way to support you and it allows you to rest when you need.

From day one, get a few of those little pre made formula bottles with a teat. Give baby an oz or so each day. Don't try for a set time at this age, just offer when they are pretty happy. Do boob first though.

Try to do this in the day as well. Breastfeeding at night is much easier.

Be prepared for evening cluster feeds. Both mine just cried and fed every evening between 7pm and 10pm. I just ate before it started and sat watching TV while they fed and cried. Very normal and nothing to worry about.

After about 3 or 4 weeks you can if you want give a full bottle during the day, say around 10am. If you don't feed at that time your supply will regulate to not produce for that feed.

If you want to add a second formula bottle at 3pm you can do this around 5/ 6 weeks.

Try to alternate between breast and bottle feeds so that your supply regulates and you don't risk mastitis.

I think it worked well because i wasn’t there when bottle was offered so DS couldn’t see boob

I combi fed my first although it wasn't what I had intended. He ended up in SCBU being tube fed from birth. I was allowed to express, but with very little success. I spent as much time as I could in the unit and once he was off the tubes and out of the incubator I was able to try to start bf - about 5 days after birth. It was a disaster to start with and I had to keep topping up massively. After about 2 weeks we had got to a stage where I was able to bf for whole feeds, but gave bottle feeds in between. If he still seemed hungry after a breast feed, we topped up. We never really set up an actual routine, just chopped and changed with whichever suited at the time. I know it's not what is advised but it worked for us. I stopped bf at 6 months.
With my second I intended to combi feed too, but she refused a bottle from very early on, an never took a bottle, cup or formula. Bf for 15 months.... not through choice at that stage, but she didn't really take to food either!