My daughter breastfeeds most of the time, but did introduce a bottle to her baby just for one feeding a day?

Question

so when she has to leave him a short time, someone else can feed him. He takes to bottle just fine, but he breastfeeds quite often and is a big baby so eats quite a bit, she is finding is hard to pump enough breast milk for the bottle. Is it possible to substitute formula just for the one bottle feeding, or at least mix the two?

Answer 1

Well, without knowing the age of her baby, it's hard to say exactly whether this is fine or not. Giving a bottle can do several things: interfere with her milk supply and cause nipple confusion. If he's over a mth old, then the issues with these are much less and I dont think she should feel bad about offering breastmilk in a bottle. The question of whether to give formula or not... well, that is different. I admit, I was too lazy to pump for the occasional bottle, and turned to formula. However, I read after the fact that even 1 bottle of formula a day can change the natural pH balance of the baby's tummy, causing all sorts of nasty things to happen. I cant find the article again unfortunately, I'm not sure if it was printed or online even... but I found an article giving two very different answers to this question and have pasted the link below (second link). One gives a complete green light for offering the occasional bottle of formula, the other refers to the 'just one bottle' phenomenon that we are tempted with.
See the article below discussing 'a rude awakening for the millions of Americans who have bought into the myth that infant formula is a perfectly safe breast milk substitute'. It's not right to think that formula is fine, and doesnt have health consequences on our children. However, a small amt of formula given occasionally should be Ok. Millions of us grew up on formula, I did and I'm a reasonably healthy adult, I dont want to sound too harsh. We all run our busy lives and do the best we can, but in an ideal world there would be no such thing as formula. I would say for your daughter, that perhaps 1 bottle a day is too much. A bottle offered 3 or 4 times a week would still let her have breaks, and she wouldnt need to introduce formula.
If she wants to keep with the bottle each day, have her mix the two together but dont mix too much formula in because if there is any remaining it has to be tossed (where an unfinished bottle of breastmilk alone can be stored in the fridge for an additional few hrs). Nothing worse than seeing EBM thrown down the drain! It will make the formula easier for her son to drink if it has more the familiar taste of mom's milk.

Answer 2

It's normal to have to pump more than once to get enough to fill a bottle. Baby will always be more efficient than the pump.

Is she using a good, double electric pump?

She should also make sure she is using a slow-flow nipple on the bottle. Bottlefeeding is a totally different skill and the milk just drips out and baby has to work to STOP the flow of milk, which can make it look like they are really chugging it down.

If she finds that there isn't enough expressed milk, I'd suggest offering it first and THEN if baby is still hungry, offer a supplemental bottle of formula to "top off." Mixing it isn't a good idea because if baby doesn't drink all of it, prescious mother's milk could be wasted!

Check out the links below for some more ideas and also for a milk calculator to get an idea how much to put in his bottles.

Answer 3

Combining breastmilk and formula is a bad plan. The formula interferes with the absoption of vitamins from breastmilk, it can cause allergies, and it all around a bad plan just for mom's convenience. (Honestly my babe is 8 months old and I don't want to spend time away from him, I occaisionally go for walks without him, that's it).

She can try fenugreek, oatmeal, or mother's milk tea to increase her supply. Plus the more she pumps the more she will make. So she should try pumping after every (daytime) feeding for awhile, a completely empty breast triggers milk supply to increase, so does pumping even when nothing is coming out.

Is it really your daughter that wants time away, or do you / her husband thinking giving the baby a bottle is the only way to bond with the baby, or that your daughter MUST take breaks. Because that is just silly.

If it is your daughters desire to get away she would be the one asking and she would go to La Leche League or a lactation consultant for advice. I would think.

Answer 4

I don't see any problem with switching... except sometimes the baby will end up preferring one over the other. You may have a hard time getting her to accept milk from the bottle if she is used to feeding from your breast, or she may find she likes the bottle better and may have a hard time returning to breast feeding.

(My wife and I have 3 children... not that I have personal experience from a baby feeding from my own breasts. ;)

Answer 5

You can mix breastmilk and formula if she is unable to pump enough. Your daughter is doing a wonderful thing by breastfeeding her baby and you should support her all the way. She can get more for the baby by pumping after her baby nurses along wiht her one a day pump. Let her know that she is doing a great job. She needs to hear that.

Answer 6

you do no longer in all threat could practice your toddler to apply a bottle or your breast they certainly understand the thank you to suck after there born. Why do you prefer to purely breastfeed in simple terms at night? in case you propose on using breastmilk you nonetheless will could pump. so as which ability you're able to pump positioned your breastmilk in a bottle, feed toddler and then sparkling the bottle...Why pass with the aid of all that paintings once you are able to in simple terms yet toddler on your boob and not project abut something. additionally little possible suck extra milk out than a breast pump (which motives clogged milk ducts in the journey that your breast isn't emptying exact in the beginning up. that's a distinctive tale in case you're able to pass returned to paintings yet often you have 6-8 weeks in the previous hand. in the journey that your nonetheless gung ho on doing this then confirm you attempt to locate a bottle that terrific resebles a breast and once you feed her attempt to feed her like she is on your boob (tickle her cheek or lips and whilst she has a great mouth positioned bottle...b/c in case you in simple terms enable her suck the bottle she would be able to get lazy on the boob and actual make your nipples sore. good success! I actual have formulation fed and that i could say in simple terms breastfeeding is soo plenty much less complicated no bottles no mess! additionally the pascifier is easy in simple terms stick it in lol (it particularly is whether or no longer the toddler will take it. some toddlers do in comparison to them) and not all toddlers prefer them. some suck on there hands or thumbs for soothing.

Answer 7

Switching to the bottle will not harm the baby at all. If you like just alternate between the bottle and the breast. It will give your daughter's breast a break from breastfeeding.

Answer 8

that is ok. the only thing that can be bad is that if the baby perfers the formula then she might refrain from nursing.

Answer 9

there is nothing wrong with doing the mixture thing. your grandchild will be JUST FINE! They make baby formulas because they have the nutrients that the baby needs. It is not a big deal if the baby eats both.

Answer 10

you should consult a doctor. they make non manual breast pumps that are easier to use. good luck.