Is it okay to breast and formula feed at the same time?

Answer 1

It is okay to breastfeed and formula feed, however I have a few things for you to keep in mind:

It's important to understand how breastfeeding works. Baby's suckling stimulates your breasts and tells them to make milk. So, the more bottles your baby gets of something other than breastmilk, the less milk your body will produce. As such, it's best to start by exclusively breastfeeding, establishing your supply over at least 6 weeks, and then slowly introducing formula to replace the breast at some feedings.

Some people suggested using only bottles filled with pumped breastmilk or formula. I disagree. You should consider that nursing a baby is much easier than pumping and feeding from bottles. There's no bottles to wash, no pump parts to clean, and no time spent pumping when you could be cuddling with your baby! I like to tell my friends I nurse because I'm lazy. (Especially at night -- no bottles to warm up means I get more sleep.)

Finally, it helps to know some things about the composition of breastmilk from the breast, breastmilk in a bottle, and formula. First, breastmilk contains a huge amount of important natural ingredients that help baby grow. Breastmilk replacement (aka formula) can be lifesaving when circumstances prevent a mom from nursing her baby, but it is not the same. It's usually made from cow's milk, but needs things removed from it that a baby can't tolerate, which then reduces the nutrients, so those are added back artificially, and then the fat/protien ratio is changed to resemble that needed by humans. So breastmilk should be the preferred option.

Also, breastmilk changes throughout the course of the feeding. It starts out light and watery, to help quench baby's thirst. This is called the foremilk. Over the course of the feeding, it becomes thicker, and changes to the rich hindmilk. The hindmilk helps baby feel full, so he/she is satisfied and stops nursing. In a bottle, breastmilk or formula is all just mixed together, so this benefit is lost. So, the order of preference is:
#1 Breastmilk from nursing
#2 Breastmilk from a bottle
#3 Formula (obviously from a bottle)

I don't know what the reasons are for your question or for wanting to breastfeed and feed formula, but I encourage you to give nursing a try in the hospital and for at least 2 weeks once you're home. It's a great gift you can give your baby and it's shown to improve mom's health too!

I hope you have a wonderful pregnancy and a happy and healthy baby.

Answer 2

The only way you can breastfeed and formula feed simultaneously is to use a supplemental nursing system. Putting a bottle's nipple and a mother's nipple into a baby's mouth may prove to be too difficult for anyone to handle!

OK, so I'm joking here (unless you have low supply and need to increase it-- it's a good method for adoptive breastfeeding or relactation). But seriously, breastfeeding isn't an all-or-nothing deal. Just remember that any formula your child gets, your breasts won't be stimulated and you'll produce less breastmilk. That may be a problem if you have trouble maintaining an adequate milk supply and you could lose your milk before you're ready to quit nursing.

Answer 3

It certainly is. If I had not done both I suppose my daughter would had starved. I did not have a good milk supply to begin with and was only able to breast feed (along with a formula supplement) for 10 weeks. Dont let anyone guilt you into breast feeding if it is not working out for you for what ever reason. What ever breast milk you give you child is great. It is ridiculous for anyone to tell you that your child will not thrive on formula.

Answer 4

Mothers milk is always the best for your baby. But for some reasons, others opt to formula feed their baby. Like when the mother needs to return to work. Whatever reasons you may have, try to breastfeed your baby whenever you can. Ask help from your doctor when choosing the right milk substitute for your baby. Just remember that wether you breast or formula feed your baby, make sure you hold him/her close while looking in his/her eyes while feeding. In this way, your baby will feel your love regardless of how you feed him/her.

Answer 5

Yes its ok. I would try and not do both, like try pumping. I know how it is though. My daughter nursed I swear 24/7. It seemed like she wasn't giving me enough time to make more milk. My husband was having a hard time not being able to help make her happy with her feedings, so about once a day we would give her formula to give me a break. I also tried to pump now and then to store up for those in between feedings. It seemed to help. Daddy loved feeding her too. Sometimes though, only mommy could satisfy her need to nurse. If you have to work, you can pump at work or you will have to formula feed during the day. You have to be careful though, make sure its the right formula for your baby.

Answer 6

yes it is ok, the only concern is if you arent filling bottles up with your breast milk and then feeding it to your baby there is a possibilty the baby could get confused. There are lots of women who do this though some have no choice, for example sometimes if you get a breast reduction before having your baby it could prevent you from producing enough milk in that case doctors will tell you to do bottle and brest feed.

Answer 7

Yes, it is okay to supplement your breast feedings with formula. (although my doctor tried to tell me that if I lived during the pioneer days I wouldn't have had that option....I was concerned that my son wasn't gaining weight and not getting enough from me.....Dr was a jerk!) Just be prepared that your baby may find that it is a whole lot easier to get his/her food from the bottle as it requires much less effort. I did this with my son, and he refused to nurse after a while. With my daughter who is now 7 months... unfortunately I was not able to nurse her for very long due to extenuating circumstances....she has been on formula since she was two months old. Both are thriving!!

Answer 8

Make sure your milk supply is strong, don't try it right away, unless there is a reason. But it can be done -- and there are a lot of formulas out there that have some "elements" of breastmilk. But pumping and freezing is just as good (and CHEAPER) than doing both.

Some moms just don't have a good supply of milk, and think they need to supplement, but often this is because a good pattern hasn't established yet.... if this is the case, call someone from the la leche league... they are a wealth of support. The decision is totally up to you though. I nursed for 2 years (he went on solids at 6 months, with nursing/pumped milk). I know lots of moms who did both, though.

Answer 9

It would be really hard to put your breast and a bottle in the baby's mouth all at the same time! LOL But if you mean at alternate feedings that would be fine.

Answer 10

Yes it is okay I done that to my son. I ween him off the breast by giving him breast milk then formula. I weened him off the breast at 2 months old. It is okay it want hurt him just talk to the doctor so he/she can tell u if he needs regular or soy