Combination BF/FF

Hi Ladies,

I am planning to do a combination of Breast Feeding and Formula Feeding - we have a handful of reasons why this will work best for us until we transition to full time FF when I go back to work.

Wondernig if anyone has done this and what information you can provide. I've read a bunch online but there's nothing like personal experience.

ie: How did you determin when to BF and when to FF

How do you monitor intake (ie: did you pump so you can measure/offset the FF)?

etc, etc....

Anything you can share is appreciated! TIA!

Combination BF/FF

I didn't ff but I think you need to ebf until your milk comes in which could be about a week. With breast feeding it's all about supply and demand. Your body will only make what it needs, what is taken out of the body. So if you start with formula before your milk comes in, the milk may not fully come in and you'll have supply issues.

This is just what I've gathered please correct me if I am wrong. This is just my understanding.

Re: Combination BF/FF

I used a little formula in the beginning to supplement because I though DD wasn't getting enough milk, but I Iearned that could actually lower your supply. The more time LO spends time feeding, the better your supply.

I would EBF for the first few weeks (4-6) just to establish supply and then take it from there. Have you considered pumping? That's a good way to provide the baby with milk when you are away from them. It will also help to keep your supply up.

Re: Combination BF/FF

i bf and ff
i do agree that it is about supply and demand, so i would suggest (if you dont want to EBF in the beginning) that you pump every time your LO takes a bottle so help your body know its time for more milk.

personally, i found the middle of the night and early morning feedings easiest to bf bc you didnt have to worry about making a bottle while half asleep. i would try to not to 2 consecutive bottle feedings.
i would save the ff for when your DH is around...this way he has time with the baby and also allowing you to pump.

Combination BF/FF

Thank you for posting this. I've been meaning to post something similar.

Re: Combination BF/FF

Thank you! This is really helpful!

Combination BF/FF

Don't mix formula & BM together b/c formula spoils a lot faster then BM. So you would have to dump bottle after an hour if baby does not finish. Dumping that liquid gold is soooooo wrong lol.

Re: Combination BF/FF

I did both. Looking back doing both really was the demise of ebf but if the goal is to provide some breastmilk before going back to work than it is totally doable.

Personally I didnt feel I could pump at work. Im a rn and work in the hospital. My job is extremely demanding and busy. It stressed me thinking I would need to take 20 min breaks to pump when sometimes I cant even eat.

I pumped, nursed, and supplied formula for the first 12 weeks while on maternity. I would generally nurse 1st feeding in the am. Sometimes I would pump and then feed him because I am crazy and wanted to know how many ozs he was drinking. Bedtime feeding was usually formula.
Everyday was different but I tried to supply the most breastmilk I could.

Re: Combination BF/FF

At the beginning I gave both breastmilk & formula. I wasn't pumping enough then to meet his demand, so I supplemented with formula a few bottles a day. As time went on I pumped more & more so my supply increased & have been able to give only breastmilk now & I can't remember the last time he had formula. So supplementing in the beginning actually helped me to keep going with the pumping. However, I only do pumped milk, no actual bf-ing. For me, going back to work helped me to get on a more regular schedule with the pumping, thereby increasing my supply. When I was home with him all day on maternity leave, I never felt like I had time to pump.

Combination BF/FF

This was my plan with DS. To BF and FF. He was a NICU baby and so we had issues with nursing from the get go, and this only got worse once he got dependent on the bottle. I nursed and FF for one month but my supply went down and down and down, and I had to stop BF. I was devastated. So my advice would be very similar to these ladies - EBF for a few weeks so your supply comes in, then tailor it to your needs. Good luck!