Combined breast and bottle feeding

[oversomerainbow]

Hi all. Awaiting arrival of DD and have questions about combined feeding! I've read everything I can get my hands on but I've read conflicting advice about this in particular.

I'm hoping to breastfeed the majority of the time, but I also want to pump and bottle feed sometimes. I have an electric pump and have been able to express some colostrum by hand already. I would be ok with topping up with formula if necessary but would ideally like to avoid this if possible.

This is the general advice I've been able to find:

• Don't bottle feed at all during the first couple of weeks to avoid nipple confusion
• Pump from the other breast while baby is feeding during the first couple of weeks, as baby won't need both breasts
• Introduce a daily bottle of breast milk around 4 weeks
• Keep pumping daily to ensure supply stays up

Do you agree/disagree with the points above? Is there anything I'm missing? I'm also reading opposite advice about the bedtime feed - some sources say make sure to breastfeed as baby's sucking will ensure supply stays up, but others have suggested this should be your bottle feed?

Can anyone share their experiences and advice? Thank you!

@K1999 Oh I didn't think about the poos! 🤣

I tried a bottle at 5 weeks after successful breastfeeding and DD wouldn't go near it. I would probably try early on (say 2/3 weeks) if it's really important to you. I chose to wait again with DC2 as I wasn't that fussed and it was more important to me that breastfeeding went well, plus I really couldn't be bothered to pump that early on. DC2 was willing to have a bottle but never actually drank much.

If you are pumping, I would aim to do it in the morning when supply is high and don't pump too much early on. I had a hakaa which is basically a cup which suctions on and collects the milk that leaks from the other breast whilst feeding. It's a bit of a faff but could be an option early on before you start using the pump. They are about £10.

With my first I waited until 6 weeks or so to introduce a bottle and he never, ever, ever took it. We tried and tried and I have a box full of every type of bottle teat in the world it feels like. Nothing we tried and all the tips PP have mentioned absolutely failed and he was born underweight and fed heavily for a long time. I didn't get a proper break till he was over a year old (and not more than two hours sleep till he was about 10 months). My husband was more than willing to do a night feed or take the baby so I could have a break but he never really could. I had to delay my return to work as he was still feeding a lot. I'm expecting number 2 now and will introduce a bottle much earlier (maybe 2 weeks?). If it's really important that your baby is able to take a bottle I would weigh that against the possibility (in my experience much rarer) that they get nipple confusion and really think about what would be the worse outcome for you and baby personally. I used to pump from both sides after my baby had fed and would get better volume in the morning. It all went to waste anyway.
In his first year if anyone would ask me advice for new Mums or anything I'd brokenly say 'try a bottle early if it's important to you', just my experience! However I had no problem with supply and my DS had no trouble latching or weight concerns or anything. It might get more complex if so. The advice is to pump if baby is having a bottle so you don't always get a 'break' but it gives you the option if ever needed to have someone else be able to feed them.

So glad i found this thread! I am looking at combi as having my own business and will be aiming to go back at 8-10 weeks all being well. OH is going to be a stay at home dad while i work 2-3 days so need baba to take a bottle in some form!
Reading this has made me realise i know nothing about some of the terminology tho and as a FTM i need to start reading up!
I’m only 27 weeks but want to be prepared!

If you’re going to express and freeze, read up on excess lipase and scalding milk. I didn’t find out until too late that my milk tastes awful after it’s defrosted 😭 all that pumping for nothing. Do a test batch before freezing loads.