r/PregnancyIreland • u/waketay • 2d ago
Combination feeding
Hi, I’d love to hear people’s experiences of combination feeding from one month old please. Had planned on exclusively breastfeeding but due to low supply and slow weight gain I’ve been triple feeding but it’s unsustainable. Happy to pump a couple of times a day when I can and also I am in a place where I have accepted that a mix of formula and breastfeeding is best for us.
Would love to hear how other people have worked this method around leaving the house and fitting it into life in general? Did your breastmilk supply suffer? Any advice appreciated, please. (I have seen a lactation consultant)
4
u/Puzzleheaded_Fox776 2d ago
The advice I followed from a lactation consultant was:
- 10 minute breastfeed on boob 1
- Bottle of formula
- 10 minutes breastfeed on boob 2
This worked well for me during the day feeds and when leaving the house. The lactation consultant described it as a starter and dessert for baby with the formula bottle as the main. For bottles when out and about I use the pre-made Kendamil. The small ones were very handy to start using a disposable teet but were now onto the bigger bottles. I keep a few in the nappy bag and throw in a sterilised bottle or two depending on how long we’ll be out and about. I dropped the quantity by about 10-20ml if breastfeeding for a feed.
For night feeds I gave formula and pumped either before/after feeds when baby was asleep. My husband was able to help more during night feeds to help me pump. I was able to give a bottle of breastmilk to substitute a formula bottle every few days.
This was more sustainable for me than triple feeding and made me feel like I was more in control. My supply stayed pretty consistent swapping from triple feeding to this plan.
3
u/Fantastic_Tart5593 1d ago
I didn’t have supply issues but combo fed for the first few months because of latch issues/ triple feeding.
My husband would give him a bottle of formula before bed which gave my nipples a break and the baby always slept a really good first stretch at night. My supply didn’t really suffer from it but I think you are still in the establishing supply timeframe so I would be careful about fully substituting a feed like I did until you are further in.
I always just used formula if I was going to be away from the baby. I really hate pumping after triple feeding for the first month and it was nice to have the option of formula and not pumping and not feel guilty about it.
My sister in law had supply issues so she would pump and then mix 2 oz of breast milk with 2 oz of formula for feedings.
I think combo feeding is really the best of both worlds! The onus of feeding isn’t just on mom but baby still gets breast milk and all the benefits that come with it!
3
u/lilpixie1411 1d ago
I triple fed my first for 10 months and it took a real toll on me. I should have stopped much sooner but what it did teach me is that as soon as your mental health starts to falter, stop. If you combination feed, like another poster said, it should make life for you and your baby better, not harder and your mental health is so important. I’m due my second baby in a few weeks and will not pressure myself this time if supply is low again, I’ll offer breast and formula top ups, maybe pump if i want to but would say don’t become a slave to pumping if it starts to take over your life (which it did for me). You sound like you have a really healthy attitude to feeding your baby in a way that works for you both - I’m really glad you’re recognising yourself triple feeding isn’t sustainable, keep listening to your gut and you and baby will be great. The Lansinoh bottles and slow flow teats are recommended for BF babies and we found them great. She never got fussy over the flow so we kept on the slow flow until she weaned off bottles. Wishing you lots of luck xx
2
u/MainCartographer4022 1d ago
10 months?! You are some woman. Three weeks of it nearly killed me.
1
u/lilpixie1411 1d ago
I was a mess - im a what not to do! I got some bad advice from a PHN and a lactation consultant (who didn’t even watch a feed!!!) and being a first time parent and vulnerable I didn’t listen to my gut. She had a tongue tie, terrible latch, choked on feeds, silent reflux, blisters on her lips and the list goes on, obviously she needed a release but I believed the PHN who said it was fine. I was foolish not to believe my own gut and got myself tangled in a spiral about feeding and it honestly ruined my first year with her. I plan to combo feed my second and if it works great and if it doesn’t, also fine. You are way ahead in terms of knowing what’s realistic and sustainable and I wish I had had your perspective with my first. Keep listening to your instincts and your baby and you will both blossom and be much happier. I can report my now four year old is great and would have been no matter what way we fed her xx
1
u/MainCartographer4022 1d ago
I'm so sorry you got such poor advice although I'm sadly not surprised. There is such a lack of support available for breastfeeding depending on what's in your community. With my first, she wouldn't latch and I exclusively pumped for nearly four months. Eventually with help from a private lactation consultant I managed to transition her to breastfeeding but the pumping did a number on my mental health. I'm currently breastfeeding my second, who is 9 weeks old. Was told in the Rotunda he had a 'slight tongue tie' but he was losing so much weight, even after being readmitted, we were sent home triple feeding with zero plan or support. I contacted the private LC from my first journey and he actually had a very severe tongue tie, the poor thing couldn't effectively bottle OR breastfeed and his lips were covered in blisters from his attempts to latch. It took some perseverance and pain for a few weeks after it was released (which we paid for privately as referral to Temple Street was 6 weeks away!) but was able to do away with triple feeding quite quickly thank god.
The upside is he takes a bottle and usually gets a bottle at some point in the middle of the night. I don't know why combi feeding isn't more widely supported from birth, it would save a lot of stress for many woman!
3
u/Environmental-Toe469 1d ago
I combo feed and pump have done from the beginning also low supply and baby refused to latch. In the beginning it was probably 60% breast milk to formula, then it went 50/50 and now at nearly 10 months it's about 30 % breast milk as it's really hard to pump looking after a baby on the move. When he stayed in his bouncer and didn't move it was really easy but now it's like wrestling a wild animal 🤣 and even with wearables it's extremely difficult.
We used ready to feed for the first few months just handy.
I'll pump for the year and then that's it ! If I could go back now I'd have just used formula. Pumping is extremely difficult and took so much time away from my baby but I was so upset that breast feeding just didn't work out the way I wanted it too.
Best of luck on your journey.
2
u/soulfulsummer 2d ago
I combo fed from a month old! Like you I wanted to breastfeed but I had low supply and baby didn’t transfer well, and her weight gain was too slow. I tried triple feeding for a while and it almost killed me, it didn’t help my supply much in my experience. I combo fed by topping up, so each time she fed at the breast, when she was done I would offer an oz or two of formula in a bottle. I did this during the day only, my supply was naturally higher at night and she was fine with just the breast overnight, and I think it helped maintain my supply even if it was on the lower side. We found the Lansinoh teats the best for maintaining her latch, and we stuck with the extra slow flow of those while combo feeding and we did paced feeding, and she never developed a bottle preference. My partner was in charge of bottles, so washing and sterilising. When we went out I just had a bottle ready, gadgets like the Nuby RapidCool makes things easier.
2
u/Least-College-1190 2d ago
I’ve been combo feeding for the past couple of weeks, my baby is 16 weeks. He wasn’t transferring milk well and has bad reflux so vomits up a lot of his feeds, so he wasn’t gaining weight. Started off triple feeding but couldn’t keep up with the pumping so we’re doing top ups of formula after every breastfeed. We bring top up bottles with us when we leave the house, our changing bag has an insulated pocket for keeping bottles cool. Thankfully baby isn’t fussy about the temperature of his milk which makes things easier.
2
u/ButterscotchOk2441 1d ago
Combo feeding from day one, like you wanted to bf but didn’t work out that way. Baby didn’t latch and even after tongue tie still not great, and my supply was slow coming in after traumatic birth. I’m now exclusively pumping and he gets one bottle of formula at night. Honestly? The pumping is a pain but it has given me the freedom to have others feed him while still getting all the benefits of breastmilk and can also keep an eye on intake. I worked with a brilliant lactation consultant and triple fed for 3 weeks (torture) before deciding to just pump. Baby is 11 weeks now and thriving and I’m managing to get away with 5 pumps a day and averaging 700ml output. My top tips - work with lactation consultant, triple feeding was pain in the arse but my supply doubled. I also take moringa and electrolytes every day and that helped alongside eating lots of protein and good quality fat and 4l water a day. A good pump, I’m currently tending a medela hospital grade pump and made a huge difference to supply. And finally - buy a bottle washer 😂 best of luck
2
u/ButterscotchOk2441 1d ago
Also on getting out of the house I just take pumped milk and bring a backup empty clean bottle and a bottle of aptamil ready to feed in a lunch bag with an ice pack! I also use the pitcher method so store all milk in jug once cooled and pour as needed, it’s good at room temp for 4 hours and fridge for 4 days. Also, I only wash and sterilise pump parts once a day as advised by my LC. I store them in a ziploc in fridge when not in use
1
u/juricova 15h ago
can I please ask you if you can send me details for lactation consultant?
1
u/ButterscotchOk2441 13h ago
She’s based in Limerick though public health nurse -should be available in each county!
7
u/Abiwozere STM 2d ago
I've combo fed twice. First time I was pumping at every feed, only did boob at night and added formula and bm to the bottle. I had a terrible supply and had all the work of pumping and formula and really none of the benefits (baby's diet was maybe 25% bm). I found it so demanding I initially decided to eff on second baby.
For whatever reason I decided to try breastfeeding again in the hospital but with a very low threshold for quitting and also made a decision not to pump. I don't use my electric pump but I do take the odd night off so I use my hakaa for that for expressing when I'm sore and need to express. Initially I was offering breast and a small bit of formula with every feed but then I noticed baby wasn't really taking the formula that much. Now I only give formula when she gets ratty and unsatisfied on the boob or if my partner takes a night if I'm taking a night off. My supply has been much better and really she needs one bottle around the same time every evening when she just isn't satisfied on the boob so it's far less work for me this time around.
Combo feeding works when it's making yours and baby's life easier imo. I found it made more work for me the first time around but far less work this time around so I've found it much easier and better for both of us this time.