What is the best way to combine breastfeeding and bottle feeding? Can it be done without me drying up?

Question

I wasnt sure if I was going to be able to breastfeed this baby but thought I would give it a shot. I think it is getting too hard on me. There is alot of pressure on us moms saying 'every woman can and should soley breastfeed' but for me it was getting to be too much.

By three weeks old my baby was wanting to nurse every hour and never seemed content anymore. It was getting to the point that I was so irritable I was exploding on my teenage son. Two night ago I had chest pain and had to call the ambulence...they figured it was an anxiety attack. Great. Im depressed that my fiance and I are no longer together...now Im getting anxiety...:(

Anyway my friend came over and bought some formula...I have been giving my baby some bottles about 4 oz (one bottle) per day AND MY BABY SEEMS MORE CONTENT AFTER FORMULA. A different baby! No more endless fussing. And Im so relaxed and happy.

Is it possible to combine (on a long term basis) breastfeeding & bottle feeding

Answer 1

I live in Japan, and I'd say the majority of Japanese babies are brought up on a combination of breast and bottle. Maybe the baby doesn't get a lot of the breast, but it still creates a bond and a nice sense of calm for the baby, so I think you should continue that as long as you can. The first 100 days are the hardest, I think, and there are "growth spurts" when the baby is more demanding. Those demanding periods increase your breast milk supply.

If you are very worried, you can get an electric breast pump, and feed your baby bottled breast milk. That way, you can get it on your schedule, and not have to worry about drying up.

I'd give the baby a bottle when particularly fussy, and right before bedtime so I could get more sleep.

Make sure you are taking care of yourself, getting enough healthy food and calories, and getting as much sleep as you can.

You sound like you've got a lot of troubles right now, so don't add guilt to it. Breast feed as much as you can, and don't worry about a bottle or two of formula. You can catch up later. I think it's probably a temporary growth spurt, though, and if you just duke it out, you'll be OK again.

OH -- the important thing is that your baby continues to gain weight like s/he should. If the baby is not gaining weight on schedule, definitely talk to your doctor about supplemental formula.

Good luck! It's a tough time, I know.

Answer 2

There is a lot of pressure on mothers to breastfeed. Yes, we all know it is better than formula, but not at the expense of your own well being. If it is making you unhappy and you are having to feed every hour, then this can't be at all good for you or your baby.

You can combine bottle and breast feeding. I don't believe there is such a thing as "nipple confusion" - my children never had any problems when I fed them expressed milk from a bottle. Your baby is more content as it is getting a full tummy after formula feeding, which did not seem to be the case after breastfeeding. However, the more formula you feed him/her, the more your own milk supply will drop.

If you want to carry on breast feeding, arrange to see a breastfeeding counsellor, as it sounds like the baby is not latching on properly and is not staying awake long enough to get a full feed. It might be an idea to express milk as well to keep your own supply up.

I hope everything works out for you. It's hard work, I know, but these times do eventually end!

Answer 3

I can so understand you getting tired and worn out!

The extra nursing that your baby was doing at about 3 weeks was do, most likely, to the growth spurt that all infants go through. They go through another around 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months.

Since breast milk is produced based on the amount of nursing the child does, the infant will be nursing like mad for the first couple days or so until the breast "catches up" with production. After that, the child still nurses a lot because of the growth spurt, but it doesn't last too long.

That is just the scientific reasoning behind what you are going through.

Your emotional health is also important.

If giving the occasional bottle helps you, then do so. However, you might want to consider pumping breastmilk for your supplimenting. You can find relatively cheap manual pumps that work well for the occasional pumping mother. You can freeze your milk in the freezer for quite a while.

Don't listen to the previous poster who said that your child is no longer receiving benefits from your breastmilk. Your child, and you, will continue to receive benefits from nursing until you stop.

Answer 4

Many mothers supplement breast feeding with formula feeding. Some babies may have nipple confusion but often they have an easier time switching back and forth than most people believe. If you do seem to have any problems getting your baby to latch on, you can always express your breast milk and feed with a bottle. Here is a link to an awesome website for Moms. You can find all kinds of support, encouragement, and Moms in the know there. There is even a bulletin board for breast feeding Moms and they will be happy to help you figure this out! There are also relationship boards where you can get support for what you are going through with your break-up. I hope that things get better! Good Luck!
http://www.babycenter.com/homeper/?_requestid=432026

Answer 5

I have been supplementing from day one! My daughter is 14 weeks now. I went through the same thing you are going through! My baby wanted to feed all the time. It was hard on me and stressful. I would give her at least 1-2 bottles a day just to make sure she was getting what she needed. I thought her wanting to nurse every hour meant something was wrong and that I was overfeeding her. I talked to the pediatrician and asked her how often I should feed her and she told me "On demand!" I nearly fell out of the chair! Yea right I thought to myself. lol Believe it or not when I got home I tried gave it to her "On demand!" as much as I could. She is growning. The little one have to exert alot of strenght and effort to feed off your breast. It takes them a long time when they are that young. If you give them a bottle the flow is easier and it takes less effort so they seemed to be satisfied quicker. Your baby will eventually build stamia and strenght to suck more effieciently. Trust me that it will get easier!!!

I am back to work now and my baby eats formula while at daycare. When she is with me I breastfeed her. Your breast production will adjust to accomadate her eating less but they should not dry up. I hardly have to pump. Toward the end of the day I do get full but by that time I have my daughter. It it is to much then I express it. If you want to maintain your current flow then get a good electic breast pump. I am getting one this weekend so that I can store milk for the daycare. I need to save money. I have been doing it for almost 4 months so it should not be a problem for you. My baby did not have nipple confusion. As long as something went into her mouth she was happy and from your post I do not think your baby will have a problem. Reduce the stress girl. The more happier you are then the more happier your baby will be and you can enjoy the baby more. Good luck.

Answer 6

The only way to continue is to pump your milk and give it to Baby in a bottle. It is true that babies suckle differently on breast than bottles. I changed my mind after starting to nurse my first child. I have nursed 2 since. I am not one of those that you have to breastfeed your child. Do what is best for you. Another reason your child is not satisfied is maybe the stress was causing your baby to stress and not relax enough to eat. Like I said before, do what is best for the both of you. You are the one that has to live with the baby. Good luck in your choice!

Answer 7

I think you are following good instincts. I've known mothers that got too over-tired and stressed, and you know what? It effect their breastmilk negatively. If you notice that the formula made your baby happier, you're probably right.

I would say just formula feed at night, and breastfeed during the day. it's no different than if your baby were already sleeping through the night... your breasts will adjust to the schedule. plus formula helps baby sleep longer, so it will probably help your baby get on a better sleep schedule.

I started switching back and forth between bottle and breast at 4 weeks with NO TROUBLE at all. go with dr. browns bottle.

Answer 8

I had to combine breastfeeding & bottlefeeding because of working. If you're willing to use a breast pump (there are many types now, just choose the one best for YOU) you can continue to breastfeed for as long as you feel capable. You pour your milk from the pump into a bottle. Sometimes this will stimulate the breast to producing an ample supply of milk to satisfy the baby. Then when you feel strong enough let the baby nurse and the bonding of mother and baby continuse.

Answer 9

No. Because the sucking motion the baby uses on the bottle is different than the sucking motion used when breastfeeding. Doesn't matter what brand of bottle and/or nipple you buy. Going back and forth between the two will only confuse the baby and will probably create more problems since it sounds like breastfeeding wasn't working anyway. Just stick to formula from now on and take care of your mental state. good luck

Answer 10

It is fine and good for you that you will continue to breastfeed along with the bottle. It might be hard but your body will adjust to the new schedule of nursing. My son was like that and my ped said to just bottle feed. But I wish that I didn't listen. My sis-in-law breastfeeds and supplements as she feels the need (or if she goes somewhere). Take care of yourself and good luck. It sounds as if you are doing everything right.