Combi feeder who needs advice

[heyyydayyy]

I have been combi feeding since about 3 weeks. I've noticed that my milk supply has been decreasing, but I'm still able to breastfeed a few times per day. I do like breastfeeding, but I worry that it won't be long before my milk dries up and I won't be able to. I really don't want to give up formula because it really has been a lifesaver for us- my OH can do night feeds, I can top baby off if she doesn't seem full after nursing endlessly, and I can feed her while she's already laying down so I don't have to worry about moving her.

I feel like 3 months (maybe 4 if I'm lucky) will be the end of breastfeeding altogether. I feel guilty like I've let my girl down, because I really wanted to give her breast milk until at least 6 months. I planned on pumping when she has formula to keep my supply up, but I just don't respond to the pump anymore.

Please please please someone tell me I'm not a bad mom!

 

[opeeny]

You are not a bad mom! I have been combo feeding too...my girl was small to begin with and lost weight before gaining and I did the pump thing and cried and felt guilty guilty guilty but you know what... Since I stopped
Pumping and nurse day time only I have been less anxious and enjoying my baby girl
More and that is what counts! You are not a bad mum!!!!!

 

[Peggy O]

I have been considering combi for a few days now. I feel like I am losing my mind exclusively BFing. We have samples of formula (a couple hundred bucks worth!) in the house and I need some sleep!!! I also have frozen breast milk, but I hear babies sleep longer after a formula feed. I don't know. I definitely want to do atleast 6 months of mostly breast feeding but would just using formula at night work out? Anyone trying this? I wish there was a combi feeding forum on here.

 

[heyyydayyy]

I have been considering combi for a few days now. I feel like I am losing my mind exclusively BFing. We have samples of formula (a couple hundred bucks worth!) in the house and I need some sleep!!! I also have frozen breast milk, but I hear babies sleep longer after a formula feed. I don't know. I definitely want to do atleast 6 months of mostly breast feeding but would just using formula at night work out? Anyone trying this? I wish there was a combi feeding forum on here.

For me, formula feeding started when I was so exhausted from bf allllll the time. I also had a ton of samples so one day I said "screw it!" and decided to give LO formula. People will say that the whole "ff babies sleep longer/better" is a myth, but for us it couldn't be more fact. I really do love the ease of formula and how much easier it is to get LO to sleep with it. The reason that my milk supply has decreased is because the ff went from just at night to whenever I didn't feel like sitting down for an hour to bf. If you want to solely use formula at night, I'd go for it! But if you want to maintain a good milk supply until at least 6 months, don't make the same mistake I did and use formula because you just don't feel like breastfeeding.

 

[Peggy O]

Oh thanks....I have no problem Bfing in the daytime. I am just real bitchy at night and I feel AWFUL putting OH and LO through my bad moods trying to bf then. I LOVE it during the day. She eats fast and sleeps well during the day, she is really an easy baby, this is more about my issues. I am an awful sleeper, even before Lo arrived. I am not sure I can tolerate more insomnia. I used to take meds to go to sleep (Xanax) I stopped cold turkey to have her, and shook for 5 days from the withdrawal. I do not want to get to the point where I need medication ever again. I think if OH could do one or two night feeds I would be OK.

 

[opeeny]

So far I am on a schedule I made for myself... Breastfeeding during day like from 5 am on up to evening 6 or 7 and then formula at night... I also top off with formula because she doesn't always breastfeed for a long time and since I had an issue with her weight I top off to make sure... So far milk is okay but not sure if this will last... I hope so!

 

[opeeny]

Also... I agree... Wish there was a combo feeding forum!

 

[cat lover]

Joining you! We do 3 bottles a day now, tbh I give them when LO seems to not be happy at the breast. We started combi feeding as she took 3.5 weeks to regain her birthweight and the HV advised me to. I would ideally like to do some BFing till she is 6months but will probably end up fully FF eventually, if it happens before 6 months so be it. She has realised bottle feeding is easier and will sometimes reject the breast after let down has finished

 

[Peggy O]

OH. MY. GOD.

Hey guys ~

Lily slept for 3 1/2 hours nonstop after 2oz of infant formula (pre mixed kind in a little bottle) last night. It was heaven. OH and I decided we like this idea, and that she will now have 2 oz of that same formula at her midnight-ish feed every night. YAY!!! I don't think one feed missed will decrease my milk...I am also pumping to have enough B-milk to leave her with my mom someday....so I don't think supply will be a problem here. I hope the length of her sleep was formula related, we will try again tonight and see if we get the same results. HOPE SO

Also we did not notice any ill effects in her diaper, or gas issues. I have absolutely NO guilt about doing this. I'll let the BF Nazis have their opinions, lol. Judge away. We will do what works for us...and continue with BF ing too...OH is calling this the best of both worlds. I agree.

 

[StranjeGirl]

I think it just depends. I combi fed and my mild decreased so by 2 months dd would not bf anymore. I never had enough milk to begin with though so I think that was my problem. I tried to pump but would sometimes only get a few drops. My firend combi fed because her supply was low and she did it til she wanted to stop at 3 months (that was her goal) and she was making enough to feed as much as she wanted to. I don't think combi feeding will stop you from producing....you just won't produce enough to EBF, but that isn't your goal right now. I was actually MUCH happier after dd decided not to bf anymore. I was bummed as I wanted to ebf for a year, but I have to say that she was a much happier baby when I stopped and I was a much better mom when I stopped! I think you need to do what is right for both of you and if you have found a good balance between bfing and ffing then that is great!

 

[ZoMo]

I was combi feeding from day 2! I didnt produce anywhere near as much as she wanted and she cried and cried and cried. I had a caesarian and was in hospital for 3 nights, on night 2 they gave me formula (I did ask for it) and we topped up with formula everyday when I just ran out BFing!

I did try and breastfeed for a couple of weeks (with FF top up) but it just didnt seem to work for us.

We then moved on to expressing until I was empty but she still screamed for more so was FF topped up. I wrote down what I expressed and what I had to top up and by week 5 she was wanting ten times the amount I was able to express (despite spending hours and hours expressing round the clock!).

We moved exclusively to formula at 5.5 weeks and havent looked back, she has thrived and I have regained my sanity! I did initially feel guilty and like I had failed her and myself but FF is so easy that I quickly got over that and she is now a bouncing 1 year old!

 

[beautifulpack]

My baby is 5 months and I have been combi feeding since 2 weeks. I exclusively pump and top up with formula...on average she has maybe two bottles of formula a day. I never saw a difference with formula making her sleep longer and believe me I prayed this myth was true! Im jus happy I have an easy baby who doesnt care which milk she gets as long as something is going into her mouth LOL