Mixed Feeding Thread

Welcome to the mixed feeding thread!!!

Some of us both breast and bottle feed--either as a choice--or because we don't have a choice (in my case, it's because I simply can't produce enough breastmilk to wholly breast feed after months with a LC trying every conceivable thing to remedy the issue).

What I've found is that mixed feeding is a tricky balance. There is no way to be sure what a child is getting from the breast short of weighing him or her before and after a feeding--and formula charts don't help because the baby isn't ONLY eating formula. Striking the balance can be difficult, in my experience. So I wonder--how do we strike it? What works for each of us?

Here is our space to discuss the challenges and rewards of mixed feeding--to ask our questions and to get them answered without judgement.

So--fire away!

I'm planning to mix feed, so I'm hoping this thread goes somewhere!

i will be doin both as well. i talk to my doc about it and im goin back to work when he is 3 months. ill give him what i can pump but it will be easier for his grandma to fix him a bottle. so we are doin both and if one doesnt work out then well go exclusively with the other. he will be breastfed exclusively for a while though. prb til i go back to work in june. then well do formula at some feedings. my doc said i could give him one at one feedin and the other at the next to get him transisitoned. and eventually at 6 months can wean him to formula and 1 year+ to cows milk

Quoting Soon To Be Hannahs Mommy:“ I'm planning to mix feed, so I'm hoping this thread goes somewhere!”

It will... LOL Straight to the " BREAST IS BEST... WHY ARE U MIXING"
LOL I hate that.. its like wether we CANT or we just WANT to use both.. we made our choice.. we just want advice on what we asked about.. no the JUNIOR LE LECHE LEAGUE tryin to burn us at the stake.

LOL hope it doesnt happen, but ive seen it happen b4 here, lol

Quoting Hayden's Mommy-To-Be:“ It will... LOL Straight to the " BREAST IS BEST... WHY ARE U MIXING" LOL I hate that.. its like wether ... [snip!] ... no the JUNIOR LE LECHE LEAGUE tryin to burn us at the stake. LOL hope it doesnt happen, but ive seen it happen b4 here, lol”

That's why a thread for it seems in order--breastmilk-only advocates will (hopefully) ignore such a thread and leave it to its intended purpose.

Quoting Happiness is a Warm Gun:“ That's why a thread for it seems in order--breastmilk-only advocates will (hopefully) ignore such a thread and leave it to its intended purpose. ”

hopefully 

I'm thinking that if everyone who is interested will post a reply to that effect, then maybe we can bug Mara to get it stickied for posterity.

If there's not enough interest, then no buggingneed be done.

Come on, fellow mixed feeders, give us a sign!!!

Well...I am not a mix feeder, I breastfeed, but I always have back up formula just incase!

I am a firm believer in it doesn't have to be all or nothing. That goes for most things, especially breastfeeding.

Personally, it is easier for me to just BF. I pump every nightafter my daughter goes to bed so I always have extra milk available if I need it for an outing or if I have a sitter. I also always pump the amount she eats from the extra bottleif she drinks itto let my body know the amount the baby needs, so I don't loose any supply.

To the OP, I can see how it probably is difficult to figure out how much baby is eating when you are mix feeding. My suggestion would be to try and completely establish breastfeeding first ( w/o any formula) and then substitute certain feedings with bottles. I did that with my oldest. I exclusively breastfed her and then weaned her VERY slowly ( over the course of months). I would then subsitute certain feedings with bottles ( 6oz)of formula. That won't work for everyone b/c some mothers havinga hard time with supply can't ever exclusively breastfeed, but it was really easy for me because I didn't really worry so much about how many ounces of milk/formula she got, I was more counting feedings instead. Where a mother soley breastfeeding will say the baby nursed 7 times in a day, mix feeders can kind of do the same. If that makes sense, which it may not..lol!

Quoting HollsSN:“ Well...I am not a mix feeder, I breastfeed, but I always have back up formula just incase! I am a ... [snip!] ... will say the baby nursed 7 times in a day, mix feeders can kind of do the same. If that makes sense, which it may not..lol!”

It would have been easier if it were a choice--mine is a production issue--but thanks.  

I actually have my own solution--I follow my son's cues. It works fairly well.

Quoting Happiness is a Warm Gun:“ It would have been easier if it were a choice--mine is a production issue--but thanks.   I actually have my own solution--I follow my son's cues. It works fairly well.”

lol, you sounded annoyed by my response? I had written it doesn't always work if you aren't producing enough.
And you had written in your first post that it is a tricky balance! That was why I said that!
I think mixed feeding is great and can work well for on the go parents! I hope you didn't get the wrong idea!

Quoting HollsSN:“ lol, you sounded annoyed by my response? I had written it doesn't always work if you aren't producing ... [snip!] ... why I said that! I think mixed feeding is great and can work well for on the go parents! I hope you didn't get the wrong idea!”

Not annoyed, just clarifying. I probably sound short because teething baby = frazzled Mommy.

I envision this as a general advice thread--your advice was good advice.

Quoting Happiness is a Warm Gun:“ Not annoyed, just clarifying. I probably sound short because teething baby = frazzled Mommy. I envision this as a general advice thread--your advice was good advice.”

Ahhh...teething baby! Fun times I am sure! Poor guy 
It's tough being a baby! My daughter just had shots today. I am a little frazzled myself so who knows if what I am typing makes any bit of sense!

Quoting HollsSN:“ Ahhh...teething baby! Fun times I am sure! Poor guy  It's tough being a baby! My daughter just ... [snip!] ... My daughter just had shots today. I am a little frazzled myself so who knows if what I am typing makes any bit of sense! ”

Ah shots--1 more week for us. No fun, I agree.

What bottles does everyone use that make the transition easier??

Quoting Happiness is a Warm Gun:“ Ah shots--1 more week for us. No fun, I agree.”

I know and the nurse got mad at me b/c I asked her to do them quickly if she could ( last time she was SOO slow and it made me mad). I was really nice about it but she still gave me a mean look.