Supplementing question/advice needed

CrystalEOh

Apologies if this has been tackled already - I am struggling with pumping and considering supplementing. Has anyone else supplemented solely when not with LO and BF the rest of the time? Or if pumping as much as possible, do you combine breast milk and formula in a single bottle? I would like her to have as much breast milk as possible. Thanks!

VitaLuna

If you want to continue breastfeeding, you still need to pump when not with LO, even if you're not making much. If you don't, you'll likely dry up at this point. If you want to supplement those bottles while you're gone, there are two ways.

1) use however much breastmilk and then top the bottle off with formula. Downside if this is that the BM wasted, too, if LO doesn't finish the bottle. 

2) give the BM first, then formula second (all during the same feed). Benefit is no wasted BM, but your baby may not drink just straight formula if they've been getting breastmilk. 

blueberrymomma

I know my cousin is currently mixing formula and breastmilk while her lo is at daycare. She hasn't been able to pump much during the day so they started supplementing. She also still nurses when she's with lo.

haylyr

Hey! I've been supplementing with formula since my little guy was 3 weeks old, per his peds orders; at that point, he had started losing weight because my supply was low. Now that we're out of the woods, re: his weight, we still feed him a combo of formula and breast milk, bottle and boob (my supply has gotten better, but is still lack luster). We offer him (via bottle) breast milk first, formula second, but his peds said that we could combine if we wanted. I nurse him first, then go to the bottle if he still seems hungry. Good luck!

satuttle1014

I supplement when I'm not with LO or I'm out shopping or eating at a restaurant. I nurse when I'm at home and supplement with formula when I'm out. I usually give either 2-4 oz. I will make 2 oz and see if she needs more.