i have to supplement breastfeeding with formula. how do I do this?...?

Question

Should I mix breast milk with formula? feed him forrmula and breast in same feed but different bottle? or should I breastfeed one feed, then next with formula? please help!!! I have never had an inaquate milk supply before and had to use formula. how are you suppose to do it? baby's dr said to use formula buy he didn't say whether to mix it or anything..

baby was spitting up alot and seeming hunngry after feeds so I asked baby's dr. he said enfamil.. but he didn't say which one. so I'm using "enfimil a.r." for baby's who spit up alot

Answer 1

It depends. It is healthiest for the baby to get completely separate feedings of human milk and formula. But if you want to continue nursing, then *frequent* breastfeeding is what is best. So...if you don't mind if baby weans entirely onto the bottle, then give a bottle feeding or two in the evening (but never 2 in a row). If you really want to nurse, then nurse (not bottle feed pumped milk!!) at least once every 2 hours (timed from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next) during the day and once every 3 hours at night, then offer formula afterwards if baby is still hungry. This will allow you to increase your milk supply while keeping baby fed. You will soon see that you need less and less formula.

Answer 2

Get a second opinion, possibly from a lactation consultant. By adding formula, you could jeapordize your breastfeeding. The more you use formula, the less breastmilk you will make.

Try pumping between feedings to up your production.

If you must give formula, you can mix the liquid formula (prepare it with water) with breastmilk (it won't hurt the baby) but the disadvantage is that the formula has to be thrown out if not used and breastmilk alone doesn't.

If you are already bottle feeding breast milk, you can use the same bottles for formula. Just wash them like normal. If these are the first bottles, do some research into nipples to find one that won't cause nipple confusion (especially if your baby is still pretty young).

I would suggest breastfeeding first and if your baby is still acting hungry, then add a bottle of formula. Or, if you are using a bottle while you work, substitute one feeding with formula and use that breastmilk for the next feeding.

If you suppliment, try and do it for a short time while concentrating on building up your supply--rent a pump, take a weekend to nurse like crazy, up your water supply. If you are taking birth control with estrogen, or any sort of decongestent/antihystimine, these can dry up your supply. Switch to a progesterone only pill and live with being stuffy. :) Also, try and get some support from La Leche Legue or a breastfeeding support group.

Seriously, do you trust your pediatrician and is it a serious enough crisis to require adding formula? Remember, height/weight charts are based on formula fed babies. Even a drop in weight or inadiquate weight gain can be addressed by additional feedings (I did that for a week when my daughter was a week old, it was a pain but it passed).

Good luck! If you need any support, email me!

Answer 3

It's not an unusual problem, so please don't be worried about it. You breast feed first, then supplement with the formula. You want the breast to be emptied each time, because that will stimulate lactation and help to increase production. But you also want to make sure the baby has had enough nutrition, so you give the formula -- like a dessert!
Hopefully, this will help re stimulate your milk supply and the baby won't need to have a supplemental formula.
Good luck!

Answer 4

If you mix milk formula and breast milk, you'll end up loosing your breast milk supply. For breast feeding your baby will start demanding more as he/she grows. Every three weeks (more or less) your baby will be breastfeeding every two hours and seem not to get enough. This demand will make your breast produce more milk. Ask a nurse at a hospital, they are usually better trained by the Leche League. Don't do this by yourself if in such doubts. Your babys nutrition at this stage is super important, and breast milk is the best for him.

Answer 5

no breast feed the baby...then and only then determine if the baby needs more now. If so make a four oz bottle and feed that to the baby.

Always start with brest milk...I had to suppliment my daughter for a month to allow my body to catch up with her demand...now we are okay. I just breast feed her exactly three hours apart to make myself produce more milk. Also try eating a little more often and Drink LOTS LOTS LOTS of water. I only had to suppliment my daughter for like three weeks by doing this.

I breast feed every three hours, eat more frequent meals and drank lot of water. Good luck.

My dr also suggested a non alcohol beer to help me produce but i just went with what my lactaion specalist told me.

***since the baby is spitting up breast milk I would request that they be seen by a pediatricgastrointerologist-baby/kid digestive system specialist

Big word...they run test on digestive system and can tell you if it is reflux or something more.

You actually have the right to see a spedialist if you feel somthing is wrong.

Answer 6

I always had plenty of milk in the morning so I would feed the baby all morning with my breast milk and then as the day went on my milk supply would start to run out and then I would just give him a bottle. Sometimes I would use the bottle as a top up and then on occasions my milk suply would increase.

Answer 7

You can mix it if you choose to do so, there's no harm in that! I wouldn't use seperate bottles for the same feeding, that's too much work!

Or you can alternate between formula and breastmilk every other feeding. Either way, it's really up to you! It just depends on what works best for your baby. I mix breastmilk with the formula, because my son will spit up less that way.

Which ever way you feel more comfortable with is what you should go for.

Best wishes!

Answer 8

What I did was breast feed until they are empty and if the baby is still hungry give them formula. You could try breast feeding everytime and if the baby is still fussy and hungry give formula or you could try every other feeding give formula. I would rather breast feed everytime though so your body will make more milk.

Answer 9

If your milk supply is low - Drink a beer! - no kidding! Just don't drink it just before you go to sleep for the night or you will be very uncomfortable if baby doesn't wake up to feed. If you don't drink alcohol - or don't like beer - you can get brewers yeast pills from the pharmacy or health food store and that will do the trick. I did this with all four of my kids and it worked like a charm. Hey, look at what cows eat - all the same grains that go into beer and look at what they produce!

Answer 10

Before supplementing, try different position with the baby. Remember that your nipple should be way into your baby's mouth for a good suck. Try using a footstool to prop up your feet. If you're on WIC, see if they have a breastfeeding peer counselor for position tips. You can ask your health provider if they know a peer counselor as well. Remember that Dr's aren't always the expert because they don't teach breastfeeding support in med school.