combination breast and bottle feeding

[talia2]

hi, am new to mumsnet and seaching from some real help off mums who know what i'm going though. Am currently breast feeding my 2nd child who is 8 weeks old and a very big boy, i'm feeling guilty about the amount of time his feeding, which is pretty constant is taking me away from my daughter who's 16 months, I have tryed to get him to ake a bottle but he isnt interested. Then on the other hand I breastfed my daughter for 8 months and feel guilty bout giving up on my son so soon!!!
Any advise anyone, I would really like to try and successfuly combine feed. Any advise would be really appreciated.

[Pannacotta]

I'm also breastfeeding my second, also a big boy of 8 weeks.
I did feel a bit guilty at the start as he does feed a lot and for a long time and DS1 (2.5) got bored/jealous but I have tried to get other people to help look after DS1 and he is in nursery for 1.5 days a week, so he has other things to keep him occupied.
Can you get some extra help for the next few weeks so you can give your baby the time he needs to feed?
I agree giving bottles is not really going to save you much time, he will still feed lots for now and you have to sterilise/make up bottles up. Personally I think breastfeeding is much simpler both at home and out and about (no need to worry about sterlising and warming bottles etc), esp when they feed less often as they get older. DS1 would only take about 5-10 minutes for each feed at about 4 months onwards.
HTH

[talia2]

cheers for advise. I am going to keep trying with a bottle, he seems to want to feed consistently through my little girls bath and bed time, would just be helpful if he'd take a bottle once in a while as this is a time I really enjoy with her. Totaly agree it's easier breastfeed. I really enjoyed feeding my daughter and it's partly because he's so huge that it's hard work ,lots of night feeds, my hv said to supplement him with formula as I wont be able to satisfy him, whats you opinion on this? He's 8 weeks and 14lb 4oz. Thanks again

[bogwobbit]

Talia, I both breast and bottle fed my dd from about 4 weeks - mostly breastfeeding but with one bottle a day. However there was a point when she got to about 3 months old when she started to refuse the bottle.
My advise would be keep persevering if this is what you want to do. Might it be easier if you had someone else who could give your son his bottle. If he is used to you breastfeeding him then he might associate you with the breast and be reluntant to make do with the bottle. This presumably wouldn't be a problem with someone else. One thing we did find worked with dd was walking round while giving her her bottle. It was hell on the old back but it eventually did the trick.
Good luck

[Pannacotta]

Talia, re what your H visitor said on topping up, there is another thread on exactly the same thing in this topic
(to top up? or not against hv advice... )
here it is
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1364&threadid=352424&stamp=070709185826
Loads of advice on that about topping up with formula. HTH

[fannyannie]

hi - hope I can be of some assitance - DS3 is 6 weeks old and has been mixfed for about 3 weeks now. Variety of reasons really - but that's not the point.

To start with he would ONLY take a bottle from DH - it took about 3/4 days before he'd even entertain the bottle from me - and even then I had to give him EBM. With lots of persistance he now takes a bottle of EBM or FF from me - keep trying at it.

It's really important to keep your milk supply up - I've managed to do it by either

a) feeding him a lot during the day every couple of days

b) expresing plenty

We've been lucky that he hasn't had "nipple confusion"....although he still gets a bit of "teat" confusion (tries to suck it like the breast LOL) especially when he's just woken up.

He loves it - as when it's just me looking after him as often he "decides" which he wants - sometimes I offer the breast and he refuses and happily takes a bottle - other times I offer a bottle and he rejects it wanting breast instead - most of the time he'll just take whatever is offered.

I've found it so much easier being able to give him either, as, like you, I've got older children to think about and it means I can make more time for them if they need it.

As for what your HV said about you not making enough for him - utter garbage - your body will make as mucn milk as he needs.

However, if you want to mixfeed for convinience sake (and I find I DO have more time with the older DS's - as he'd (DS3) would spend 30-40minute at the breast.....and I'd be unable to put him down for a long nap afterwards...he wants to be held) whereas he'll take a bottle in half that time, and making up the bottles doesn't take that long!

[Betsan]

HI. Totaaly understand need tomix feed.I did with ds from 6 wks. Was big baby and constantly feeding. Used to wait for dh to come from work and leave evening bottle to him. Managed to keep own supply up and partly bf for 6 months. Found that needed to perservere with bottle initially and found that he took to nuby teets better than any other. Used to give combination of formula and expressed milk at beginning but found expreesing too time comsuming. Kept supply up by exclusively bf every few days.Bf much more convenient at night. Do whats right for whole family - you'll all be happier.x

[tiktok]

One of the drawbacks to mixed feeding is that it may not remain 'mixed' - it certainly is not 'garbage' that giving formula has an impact on breastmilk supply, and when this happens, the 'mixed' can become fully formula feeding. Some mothers can give the occasional bottle of formula and it has little or no impact on supply; other mothers don;t manage it. It could be a real risk at just 8 weeks old...and talia, if you think it will make you feel guilty to give formula, then the answer is not to do so

As your baby gets older you will be able to be more comfortable and adept at bf, which always gives you a spare arm when you get practised at it...which is useful when you have a toddler needing a cuddle as well.

I hope you'll get some more responses - people's experience on mumsnet re combination breast/formula is very mixed, and for every person who feels it was something that worked for them, there is someone who feels it was the wrong decision.

[margosbeenplayingwithmynoonoo]

I mixed fed for the first few weeks then swapped to just b/f until a fortnight ago and am mix feeding again.

You may find that the amount of time he takes to feel full will reduce once he becomes an efficient feeder. check to see if he is feeding or just comfort sucking (there's nothing wrong with comfort sucking but you may need a breather now and again)

Although I'm no expert (Tiktok is!), you can mix feed and go back to just b/f. Although I still suffer from little pangs of guilt that I didn't b/f exclusively for 6 months.

HTH

[fannyannie]

ermm tiktok - I was saying that the HV's comment about her not being able to satisfy him with just breastmilk was garbage.....not that mixfeeding having an impact on supply is garbage.

[tiktok]

Sorry, FA - it's me getting mixed up about what people say about mixed feeding

[fannyannie]

no problem - just thought I'd clear it up .

[laundrylover]

Well, I mixed fed DD1 as I felt under pressure as she was so small. I did this until she was 8 months old and then stopped bfing which I then regretted. The mixed feeding did have it's advantages as she went to nursery 1 day a week from 5 months and my mum could always have her and a bottle. I'm not a great expresser although she did have some EBM.

Anyway DD2 has never had a bottle and I feel much happier about it. Yes, in the early days she did want to feed lots but she soon learned to fit in and in fact from about 6 weeks was 'going to bed' at 8pm with DD1. I found that she wanted to cluster feed in the evenings but that soon passed and frequent feeding during the day helped.

I'm still feeding her at 15 months and am so glad I persevered. Mixed feeding can work but for me exclusive bfing is better.

Not sure this helps you but it's my experience!

[bubblepop]

hiya,i used to give my ds 1 bottle a day early evening, but bf him the rest of the day and night. worked a treat for us and still managed to carry on bf till he was 9 months.it just meant dh could help out whilst i spent a couple of hours with my eldest child.i think bf is a great start for your child but don't understand all this guilt that new mums put themselves under if they don't do it/or it does'nt work out.