can i combine formula with boob feeding?

[loujay584]

My baby is one week old.

And she started cluster feeding the other day... Basically feeding solidly on and off with no snoozes for 8 hrs. Bearly slept since labour which i know is the norm, but been so exhausted and worn out. Husbands felt helpless.

So decided to introduce formula last night... And she seems satisfied. She also had a suckle on my boobs this morning after a little formula and again is quite content.

Feel guilty, was adiment that breast was best but cant cope with demand. Shes 8lb 15oz hungry little girl.

So heres the question... Is it ok to carry on giving her formula from bottle... Then give her the boob still?

I cant express breast milk... Its pityful.

Xx

 

[Celesse]

Some people successfully combination feed. But for a lot of women giving formula this early it upsets the supply, upsets babies suckling, is completely unnecessary and leads to formula full time.

Feeding what seems like solidly is normal. She needs to do that to increase your supply. A baby will usually drain a bottle of formula after being breastfed because boobs and bottles work differently from a suckling point of view and NOT because she is still hungry.

Best advice it to completely ditch the bottles. If you are tired try lying down to nurse. Get OH to watch you so you get get some sleep and confidently learn to co-sleep. This constant feeding stage doesn't last forever.

Expect a breastfed baby to feed a LOT, want to be on the breast a LOT, sleep at the breast and generally be around the breast most of the time. But it doesn't last, its completely normal newborn behavior and if she is gaining weight and having wet and dirty nappies then she is getting enough.

 

[missk1989]

I agree with pp that introducing formula will upset your supply but i know it is exhausting. I sometimes spent days in bed just with baby attached watching tv and drifting off whenever lo did. If your Oh is feeling like a spare part then maybe he could taekover changing and bathing. My partner took care of me in the early days so i could take care of lo. He made my meals and kept me comfortable. Maybe your OH could take this role.

 

[supertabby]

Completely echo the above posters - it's exhausting at first but this is normal. The cluster feeding tends to come in phases so after a few days cluster feeding it should calm down but then you'll get another phase later on. Introducing a bottle and formula this early is very likely to affect your supply and baby's latch - it's more often than not a slippery slope to 100% formula. Formula is not poison and if that's where you end up that's fine, but if you're determined to bf I would hold off bottles for a few weeks.

Re expressing - most women don't get much (or even anything) the first few times they express, especially in the first week after birth. However if you keep trying you will probably get more over time, it does vary from woman to woman though as to how much expressing produces and it's always less than direct breastfeeding. You'll get the best results with an electronic pump.

 

[Jayneypops]

Just wanted to add my experience so far. LO is 9 days old and I went through my first cluster feed at 4 days. I felt like I was going to collapse from exhaustion and was VERY tearful. I also had to use nipple ahields as was cracked and bleeding.Then on day 5 it stopped then day 7 was another cluster feed day. Literally about 10 hours all evening and through the night swapping boobs and feeding. I lay down in the end to nurse and as a pp said, hubby stayed awake to watch to make sure she was ok.
It is SO hard I know how you feel but I really hold on to the knowledge that it WILL get easier. Ive started catching up on sleep in the mornings while dh looks after our 2 year okd and lo sleeps between naps but from ne t week dh is back at work so that will be out the window.

If you stick with it, it will get easier as your supply increases your lo can take more each feed. Im pretty sure that formula does reduce your supply.
I FF dd1 and am hoping to continue bf this time but havnt considered combining to be honest. My advice would be dont if you can ride out these clusters.

 

[Kelskiii]

I have combi fed LO since a week old due to milk not coming in properly till 3weeks old & large weight loss/poor weight gain (LO born 7.4lb now 8.4lb at 10weeks).

LO gets 1-2 formula feeds per day generally at night taking no more than 200ml a day. If I hadn't of done this LO would have been very ill. We still cluster feed a lot LO likes to be attached to me all evening, we feed on demand pretty much on & off boob constantly all day! Happy to do this to encourage my milk supply.

If you do add formula it's best to pump at this time to tell your body LO requires more milk. Good luck with whatever you chose. I know my breastfeeding consultant/health visitor were a lot of help during the early weeks. It may be worth chatting to one.

 

[Perplexed]

My aunts combi fed their Los. They didn't pump when the babies got formula and it didn't affect supply. I think for the first few weeks baby needs to stimulate the nipples whenever they need to in order to regulate your supply. That's what I was told at least. It is exhausting I know. I felt like I got no rest at all. I also never get much when I express.

If you keep baby's cot next to you and everything you need next to you it would help. Not having to leave your bed to feed baby makes a huge difference. I'm too scared to bedshare or nurse laying down but I'm sure it makes an even bigger difference to the people that can.

Oh can maybe feed you a few bites and hold your water bottle while you drink, make you meals, make you comfortable, place the tv near you so you can watch while you feed.

I've been told if you ever offer formula to express. Even if you don't actually get anything but to tell your breasts to keep producing milk. Maybe in a while you'll realize that you can get some milk when you express and it'll get easier.

Good luck!