For those that both BF and FF....

mac1178

do you pump every time you give a bottle of formula?

If 2-3 feedings go by and we give DD formula and I don't pump while we're out, will this hurt my milk supply?

This doesn't happen often, but there will be times we're out this weekend when we'll be giving DD a bottle of formula instead of me breastfeeding and I don't know if it'll cause problems if I don't pump.

 

 

eamyg7

Giving formula changes the gut flora in baby's stomach, making it less able to absorb the nutrients from the breast milk. You may as well save your time and just give formula...the benefits of what you are doing arent that great.  

zoology2

Ignore the above PP.

It can hurt your supply, especially this early on. I hope you don't mind me asking, but why won't you be nursing? Is it that you don't feel comfortable NIP? I don't want to be intrusive, just curious. Technically if you FF, you are suppose to pump for that session so that your supply does not decrease. Because remember the more it's demanded, the likeliness your supply will follow accordingly. HTH!

akl0506

omg ignore the troll...but, yes, it is my understanding that this could negatively impact your supply. You might want to bring your pump and pump in the car on your way to whereever you are going (assuming DH can drive).  I have the PISA and it has a car adapter for about $15 I think I saw at Target. 

ali_bl-nov05

I give LO formula maybe once a day (when DH gets home and I head to take a shower). The truth is that everytime you give the bottle it affects your supply slightly, but is not like a few times will ruin your production.

Just try not to skip  midnght feedings, as they are the ones that stimulate production the most.

zoology2

ali_bl-nov05:

I give LO formula maybe once a day (when DH gets home and I head to take a shower). The truth is that everytime you give the bottle it affects your supply slightly, but is not like a few times will ruin your production.

Just try not to skip  midnght feedings, as they are the ones that stimulate production the most.

A few times can affect your supply. Your body does not know that it should still produce milk when you FF. As long as the demand is there (nursing or pumping) the milk will follow.

lovinfall

I try to pump if I give formula. 

mac1178

Thanks for the input. 

I've been pumping every time I FF (which isn't very often - 1x a day usually), but I'm going to an outdoor public event on Monday so I was just trying to see what my options will be. 

And don't worry, I'm not going to entertain the troll....not worth my time.  

AlisonLynn

I give DS a bottle of formula each night for his last feeding before bed. I do this to give myself a break and he seems to sleep better. Plus, I'd like him adjusted to formula in case it is ever needed. After he takes his formula bottle and goes to bed, I pump. That way it isn't like I missed a feeding. There have been times I have been out and give him a bm bottle and miss a pumping. I get engorged sometimes when this happens but it isn't often. I haven't seemed to have any trouble with supply. Good luck!

Starfish113

I would try to pump, because it will hurt your supply. That said, we supplement, and I don't pump every time we give a bottle. I'm not comfortable NIP, and sometimes at night I don't get up and pump when DH takes a night feeding. But, I do realize I'm probably hurting my supply when I do that. GL!

starryeyeddreamer

I try to pump every time I have to give LO formula. I have supply issues anyway. Although it does depend if I am able to or not. Last weekend we were at a outdoor wedding & he got hungry right as the ceremony started - I wasn't able to NIP at the ceremony & couldn't pump right after do to the location. I pumped as soon as we got to the car & we had left early so I could. Typically I just nurse him in the car when we are out so I don't lower my supply even more.

danto

DH FFs the last feed of the day.  We do this consistently and plan to in the future.  I don't pump in place of the meal and my supply has adjusted to skip it.

If we use expressed milk for an additional meal - I pump to keep my supply for that meal.