Breastfeed & Formula

I am going to try and giev the baby both breast milk and formula. Does anyone else do this? If so, do you have any advise?

TIA
Lisa

Re: Breastfeed & Formula

You should not use formula for the first 6 weeks. Your body needs time to establish a strong, steady breastmilk supply. Also, you should try to hold off on introducing a bottle until 4-6 weeks to help your baby establish proper latching technique.

Be prepared for the baby to like the bm better than formula since it is typically, naturally sweeter tasting than formula. Also, you may have to try different formulas before finding one that works.

This can work and does work for many working moms, but know that you will still need to pump in order to maintain your supply while working.

Can I ask why you want feed both? Are you worried you won't be able to make enough?

Re: Breastfeed & Formula

Re: Breastfeed & Formula

You may be able to pump enough milk and not use any formula. I pumped full time for a year and Molly only had formula her first 4 weeks due to my low supply issues.
Your baby might not need any formula. I can help you with your pumping when you go back to work. You have to pump anyway so if you can pump enough bm there is no reason for formula.

Re: Breastfeed & Formula

Michele's advice is good, but I didn't go that route. Katherine was given 1 bottle of formula a night from day one in the hospital; at that point she was nursing about 8-10x a day. We continued on that way at home and we never had any problems. I did not like pumping at all, so eventually I weaned to formula about 1/2 the day which would have worked great for me if I were a SAHM. When I went back to work, I tried nursing 2x a day and giving formula the rest of the day. That only worked for about a week; I think the milk dried up by that point--she was 14 weeks and I was OK with that. Anyway, that's my story!

Re: Breastfeed & Formula

my dr. recommended starting the bottle right away to avoid nipple confusion. That is what I did and have had no problems (every baby is different though!)

I also had an amazing milk supply - I made more than she can drink or I could pump - there were many days I was VERY engorged even with pumping and feeding the baby all day.

Everyone is different - it depends on your baby, your milk supply, etc... so go with your gut and talk to your dr. about it.

Good luck.

Re: Breastfeed & Formula

personally, I had no problems with nipple confusion, just a lot of worry in the beginning for nothing. BUT...the amount of money you will save and the benefits to your baby of giving pumped breastmilk rather than alternating with formula are tremendous - even if you spend $300 on a pump, you will come out ahead in the end. Just say to yourself that you are going to pump and breastfeed and worry about what happens if you need more when it happens, but I bet it won't!