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December 2015 Moms
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Supplementing to mix or not to mix

TaylovesbradTaylovesbrad member
in December 2015 Moms
So I have been supplementing with formula. He gets 3 bottles of soy a day and the rest is pumoed milk.I have not been mixing but now someone is advising me to for his stomache. He has alot of gas... is doing better but still there. I do the soy bottles so that he gets breast milk only at night so he has the easiest digestion at night. Also never want to waste this BM.

What are you all doing?
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Re: Supplementing to mix or not to mix

  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    edited February 2016
    When we were supplementing with DD we just mixed enough for a couple bottles at a time in the Dr Brown's pitcher (sometimes I'd bit ethe bullet and mix enough for the day). We would prep bottles with BM and then add the formula before warming the bottle.

    ETA we mixed because it was the best way we could get her to tolerate and with being jaundiced and losing weight for a while the pediatrician really wanted her to get formula along with bm. We tried switching between feedings but it was upsetting her stomach more. With mixing there wasn't the constant adjustment for her. Now we found a formula she does much better with and it doesn't make any difference. Do what works for you and don't worry what your friend says.
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  • taysuntaysun member
    I don't mix. The lactation consultant told me not to and she really only gets formula when someone else is watching her and they've run out of breast milk or sometimes when during the witching hour because she won't latch even if she's rooting and formula is quicker to use because the breast milk reqires defrosting. 

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  • CejimlCejiml member
    When I supplemented I separated it into 2. I used my pumped milk first then if I didn't have enough to equal 3 oz then I would make formula. He got my milk first so it wasn't wasted. 
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  • ammnam14ammnam14 member
    When I was supplementing the nurse told us to always always give the BM first and then the formula. I didn't ask why. As the weeks went on I ended up mixing them. It was more of a hassle to give her the little amount I was able to pump, stop, clean the bottle, and make a bottle of formula. We now FF.
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  • TaylovesbradTaylovesbrad member
    The reason my friend told me this was easier to digest...
    I feel like we have a good system and wether he gets formula or breast milk he still has gas...
    This advice was also unsolicited advice
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  • preggoandglowingpreggoandglowing member
    From what I've read, the reason it's advisable to give bm first is because it's "liquid gold" and you don't want to waste any if your LO doesn't finish the bottle. 

    I've been supplementing from the start. In the very beginning I did mix because I wasn't getting nearly enough so I would just add a bit to the formula bottle. Once I started getting an ounce, I'd give that first then reuse the same bottle for formula. I figured it picks up a few more nutrients from the leftover drops of bm.

    Now I give DD formula at night because bm goes right through her so I'd be up all night. During the day she gets bfed or pumped milk.  


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  • TaylovesbradTaylovesbrad member
    @preggoandglowing do you feel like that impacts her digestion? Doing one then the other?
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  • amye02amye02 member
    @Taylovesbrad I was using separate bottles for BM than formula. Then one of my mommy friends pointed out that it's going to mix in DS's belly. Now I give him a couple of ounces of BM. When he's done if he's still hungry I mix his formula in the same bottle. I don't start with them mixed because he fills up more on the formula and won't always finish it. I don't want to waste the bm. 
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  • TaylovesbradTaylovesbrad member
    So I guess I'm doing the wrong thing by doing one or the other...
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  • Gingermom15Gingermom15 member
    Taylovesbrad said:
    So I guess I'm doing the wrong thing by doing one or the other...
    When I supplemented I would alternate feedings. One bottle of breastmilk then a bottle of formula next time he was hungry. The LC told us not to mix breastmilk with formula only because formula is good for one hour at room temp, but breastmilk is good for four and can be saved for the next feeding. So if the bottle wasn't finished it would all get thrown away and the hard earned breastmilk lost. She also said if I didn't have enough milk, to feed what I pump followed by the formula. But really I don't think any of that matters as long as you are doing what works for your and your baby. Mix it, don't mix it, split the feedings, whatever is best for you and your baby. 
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  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    @Gingermom15 My understanding is once baby starts the bottle it doesn't matter what's in it, it's only good for an hour because of the saliva backup and germs culturing. If it hasn't been started, formula is good for 2 hrs at room temperature and bm for 4 hrs but as long as it hasn't been started the bottle can be put back in the fridge and warmed once.
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  • Gingermom15Gingermom15 member
    edited February 2016
    Mizuiro007 said:
    @Gingermom15 My understanding is once baby starts the bottle it doesn't matter what's in it, it's only good for an hour because of the saliva backup and germs culturing. If it hasn't been started, formula is good for 2 hrs at room temperature and bm for 4 hrs but as long as it hasn't been started the bottle can be put back in the fridge and warmed once.
    Kellymom has a good article on this. It echoes what I was told by my LC. 

    https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/reusing-expressedmilk/
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  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    edited February 2016
    @Gingermom15 I had read that article on kellymom as well as some others and there's some conflicting opinions. The key in that article seems to be that it's "probably" safe and mentions it hasn't been investigated by any published studies. Some of the resources listed still recommend using within 1-2 hrs.

    I'll be honest, I tend to be more conservative with it and even with formula rarely wait the hour.
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  • amye02amye02 member
    @Taylovesbrad I wouldn't say you're doing anything wrong, you're keeping your LO fed and happy. From what I have read you can mix you just run the risk of wasting some bm, but you know your baby better than anyone else. ☺
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  • preggoandglowingpreggoandglowing member
    Taylovesbrad said:
    @preggoandglowing do you feel like that impacts her digestion? Doing one then the other?
    Her digestion has slowed a bit from two poop diapers a day to one every other day. I'm not 100% sure it's because we're no longer mixing. She is very consistent now though, like we know exactly what time she is going to poop. Doctor said every other day is still very normal. 
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