Combo feeders, come in!

SuzyQq02 · June 2014

LO has been taking more milk while I'm away and I don't know if I'm going to be able to pump enough to cover it. I'm already doing most of the things advised to build supply, so I'm not sure what more I can do before I'm "maxed out" on what I can get, at which point we'll have to go back to combo feeding (we supplemented with formula at the beginning due to my supply issues).

I have a decent freezer stash due to pumping continuously through my leave and on weekends. Do you think I should exhaust my freezer supply first, or should we start using a mix of formula and frozen to supplement the fresh pumped to stretch out the length of time the frozen will last? She never had an issue taking formula when she was on it in the beginning, but it's been a few months. I'm guessing there are pros and cons to either scenario, but curious what other combo feeders think/do.

Thanks!

Codypup · June 2014

I'm in a similar boat. I've sort of been winging it, but basically, it goes like this:

W gets only breastmilk at daycare, which means I need 12oz to cover it. We also do 4 more oz of breastmilk at a later feeding. If I don't pump enough, I'll pull from my freezer stash.

Additionally, I will sometimes pull from my freezer stash just to rotate it, and freeze whatever I've pumped that day.

My thinking is that I want W to continue to get breastmilk for as long as possible, so my plan is to try and keep my freezer stash pretty large for whenever I eventually stop nursing/pumping.

If I were you, I'd probably continue doing exactly what you're doing, but just add formula to compensate for however many extra ounces she needs per day.

Again, I'm kind of making this up as I go, but it seems to be working for now. It's also helped me feel less pressured to pump a certain number of ounces per day, which is like a huge weight off my shoulders.

btrebus · June 2014

He get BM only when at the babysitters, and while at home at night and on the weekends we alternate BM/Formula bottles. I just don't produce enough anymore to give him BM all the time.

SuzyQq02 · June 2014

Thanks ladies! Sounds like reintroducing some formula might not be a bad idea. I'm going to fall short by a pretty wide margin today, but Friday is my "all freeze" day anyway and I pull from my stash for Monday, so I won't need to supplement there, but I might pick up some formula this weekend and top up Tuesday's bottles with it if necessary.

Another dumb question... formula can be held for 24 hours mixed on its own, I'm assuming the same is true if it's combined in a bottle with breastmilk?

SuzyQq02 · June 2014

Hmm, that's a good point... though my little monster has never NOT finished a bottle. ;-) I just feel bad asking DC to feed two totally different bottles at a feeding.

slwprincess · June 2014

I mix it up depending what's on hand. If he hasn't had formula before or in a while, I'd start off mixing it with BM so he adjusts to the taste.

LetoileDuNord · June 2014

That's interesting that some babies finish each bottle! Our little guy definitely doesn't, so we keep the formula bottle separate and mostly at night (for now).

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