Mixed Feeding..?

ChristmasBaba · Feb 15, 2011 8:04AM

Hey, has anyone done this successfully? I have been doing well bfing and baby is putting on weight etc. However, the evenings are becoming worse. For about a week I've had a horrible cold that I cant get rid of and the cluster feeding (last night from 4pm to 10pm) have really got to me. Last night I was in tears as I just needed some rest. I thought about getting Darcey a formula feed at about 9pm or after her bath at 7.30pm to see if this settles her better?

I havent been eating well and I think this is the reason as it could be making my milk weaker? So, really what I'm trying to ask is would it harm her giving a formula feed in the evenings until I feel stronger? Can anyone advise? x

earwig1971 · Feb 11, 2011 3:12PM

hiya...I don't really have an answer for you, but didn't want to read and run. I have seen plenty of people mix-feed and it has worked very well for them...they have done it by substituting one feed at a time, and gradually bottle feeding at night but continuing to breast feed in the day. It certainly won't harm her in the slightest. I plan to mix feed next month with Mia, in preparation for returning to work.

Like you, I was also in tears last night through tiredness with Mia's feeding...I felt so trapped and started to resent her, which made me cry even more with the guilt!! She cluster fed for the 3rd night running from 7pm to 11pm then cried til midnight and then fed constantly til 1.30am, at which point I was begging my oh to do something, and we did consider formula for her scheduled 4am feed. Luckily, as my oh had taken Mia downstairs between 1am and 4am to allow me to sleep (he's my hero right now!) I was able to face the feed as normal. The nights are just bloody awful, though, arent they ... I dread them at the moment

Try Darcey with a 9pm formula feed..you need the break! x

OJMummy · Feb 11, 2011 3:46PM

i struggled with breastfeeding at night from day 1, and so from about day 8 or 9 i decided to express and give expressed milk in a bottle at night (also meant hubby could help out). we didnt have a problem with lo taking the bottle (I also use a dummy with him) and going back to the breast. Just remember if you skip a feed that your body will think you dont need as much milk. to overcome this you need to express, or accept that you may not produce as much milk.

i gradually gave formula instead of breast milk, and have stopped breastfeeding all together now. there is no harm what so ever in giving formula. it is wonderful that your baby has been getting breast milk (a lot of babys dont get any), and great that you want to continue. But there is nothing wrong with using formula, and (as my friend put it) a happy mum equals a happy baby. you have to do what is best for you as well as bubs.

jules22 · Feb 15, 2011 8:04AM

with my first I mixed fed from when my son was a week old - the 10pm feed was a bottle; sometimes expressed, usually formula and all was fine. I gradually increased this to more bottles to make the night feeds quicker over time. All went fine but we did migrate to full formula by 4 months - largely for convenience and I thikn my supply gradually reduced.

last week I was struggling with lack of sleep with No.2 as I think he haad a growth spurt and also had colic so gave in and gave him a bottle of formula in the night. He is back to full breastmilk again and has been fine but we have a few more cartons of aptamil as backup in case needed again but its certainly done no harm to him breastfeeding!

Look at it this way, you cannot look after baby if you are not well yourself, if you can keep some breastfeeding going (even if expressed) then this is great but you have to look after yourself also. There is no harm in mixed feeding, many people do it and dont forget baby got the really good stuff in the first week.

Mixed Feeding..?

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