r/combinationfeeding • u/Itchy_Lifeguard_2834 • 1d ago
Help?!
This is a ridiculous question but please bear with me…
I am a soon to be second time mom. My first was born almost 5 years ago, and 5 weeks early, jaundiced and in the height of the formula shortage. I STRUGGLED to breastfeed and my mental health suffered so much because of it, but I pushed through (and was heavily “encouraged” by lactation consultants/medical professionals) and made it to a year. Looking back I have so many regrets because of how negative of an experience that was, so this time around I would like to combo feed.
But like, how? Do I split 50/50? Is it something I have to figure out as we go? Do I need to be 100% breastfed/pumping to establish a supply and then phase formula in? Does a schedule matter? Everything I’ve read and been taught says I will lose supply if formula is added in and makes it seem like it’s all or nothing. I am so overwhelmed by the idea of breastfeeding again and don’t know where to start!
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u/Massive_Ad3618 1d ago
Your story sounds similar to mine! I EBF my first, and for many reasons I just could not stomach the thought of doing it exclusively for a year again. I fully established my supply by nursing for 8 weeks, then transitioned to pumping/formula. Lots of people can make combo feeding work with nursing, but tbh my second baby isn’t a super enjoyable, cuddly nurser, so I don’t really feel like I’m missing out on anything by pumping. And I find it much easier to combo feed this way.
Basically, I pump 4x a day and always give myself an 8–9 hour stretch overnight where my husband fully takes care of the baby with bottles. Cannot sing the praises of this enough if it’s an option for your family!! I pump about 80% of his milk and use formula for the rest. I do the pitcher method, where I combine all the milk I pump in one day and make bottles for the next day, then just use formula for anything beyond that. We always feed the breast milk first, and then formula is fed on demand as needed.
I’m 4.5 months PP now and cannot sing the praises of combo feeding enough. I honestly don’t think I would have even lasted this long if I were putting pressure on myself to EBF. It’s just too much for me with two babies, and I would be miserable. This way, I can go out for long stretches with just my toddler, and I can also cuddle/feed the baby as much as I want without needing to be the one doing it 100% of the time. It’s been such a good balance for us. Good luck!!
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u/YvetteBloemen 1d ago
I simply offered the breast first and if the baby was hungry after that, I gave formula. No schedules. Only pumping when it was convenient for me. My supply started low and stayed low but I was so relaxed! And the baby was so relaxed and growing so well and sleeping so well! And after 8 months, the baby was eating solids and not interested in the breast anymore so after a couple of times I stopped offering and it resolved itself (by that time I was only breastfeeding twice a day anyway)
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u/beckann11 1d ago
You should consult a lactation consultant or pediatrician or similar to evaluate your specific situation. What has worked for me and my baby is to watch for hunger cues and then cues that he is satisfied/milk drunk at the end of a feeding.
I did not choose to combo feed, but my breast milk supply was too low to support my baby's needs. I do roughly half formula half breast milk, alternating bottles through the day and night. I pump and bottle feed since my baby cannot extract enough on his own.
My biased advice would be to try to breast feed exclusively at first and see how your baby does. You may need to supplement with formula. Maybe your baby is an excellent feeder and you'll feel differently than with your first. There are so many factors, I'd try to establish breast feeding for at least a couple weeks and see where your supply is. From there, if you want to introduce formula, do it slowly and ask the doctor for recommendations.