Can You Breastfeed and Formula Feed Your Baby At The Same Time?

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

Can you breast feed and formula feed your baby at the same time?

When you give your baby formula milk along with breast milk, then this combination of feeding is known as 'supplementing.' It is completely safe to follow this way of feeding. Many families follow this process of supplementing.

Contents

• Reasons for Formula Supplementation
• When would a doctor recommend supplementation?
• How does adding formula affect the breast milk supply?
• Can breast milk and formula be combined in the same bottle?
• How does the adding of formula affect your baby?
• Is formula feeding along with breastfeeding safe for your child?

Reasons for Formula Supplementation

Formula feeding your baby along with breastfeeding may not be an easy choice to make. Sometimes it is a choice you make and sometimes it is something you are forced to do due to certain situations. Some of those reasons are as follows:-

 If your baby has medical issues like if she was born premature then she would need more than just your breast milk.

 If you have a low breast milk supply, due to some previous breast surgery or medical conditions, then the doctor might suggest supplementing the breast milk with formula feeding.

 You may need to supplement if you are going back to work as it would be very difficult to pump breast milk at work.

 Sometimes your partner would want to participate in the feeding process. So, you would have to give him a bottle occasionally so that he can also feed the baby.

 If you have twins or triplets, then you would be breastfeeding them for a lot many times. So, just so you get a little free time to relax, you should formula feed them as well.

 You might also want to breastfeed your baby sometimes and formula feed the rest of the time out of will. This is your personal choice and it is completely fine.

When would a doctor recommend supplementation?

Most of the times doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding. But sometimes the doctors need to recommend supplementing as well. Those certain situations are as follows:-

 If the newborn baby loses more than ten percent of their body weight in the first few days of birth, then the doctor recommends supplementing.

 If your baby loses or gains weight very slowly for the first few days after birth. In this case too the doctor would recommend supplementing.

 The doctor might suggest supplementing if your newborn baby has less than six wet diapers in a twenty-four hours period.

 If your newborn baby is very fussy and not content after feeding then he needs supplementing of formula milk along with the breast milk.

How does adding formula affect the breast milk supply?

Every day, your body makes breast milk according to demand and supply cycle. Your baby’s demands are being supplied by your body. So, when you start to add formula, it can affect how much breast milk you make. If you plan on supplementing one or two bottles a week, it should not affect your breast milk supply. But if you give your baby one or two bottles of formula a day, your milk supply will begin to drop. It is important to remember that supplementing should be introduced slowly.

If you go from not supplementing to giving a lot of bottles in a short period then you can have breast problems like blocked milk ducts and breast engorgement. If you want to keep up your breast milk supply and prevent some of the common breastfeeding problems that can pop up when you skip breastfeeding to bottle feed, you can pump or use a hand expression technique.

Removing your breast milk will help relieve the fullness that breast engorgement can cause. You can also store your pumped breast milk to use at a later time. It depends on how you store the breast milk as it can stay in the freezer for up to one year.

Can breast milk and formula be combined in the same bottle?

You can give your baby breast milk and formula during the same feeding if you want. You can also put breast milk and formula in the same bottle if you have already prepared the formula. Even though you can, it is better if you do not mix breast milk and infant formula together in one bottle. It has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with wasting your precious breast milk.

If your baby does not finish the bottle, you will have to throw away some of your breast milk along with the rest of the formula. Since breast milk is so beneficial, you want your baby to get as much of the breast milk as possible. The recommendation is to give your breast milk first, then finish the feeding with the infant formula. You should never mix your breast milk with unmixed powdered or concentrated formula.

How does the adding of formula affect your baby?

 Your baby may refuse to take the bottle when you start feeding formula for the first time after breastfeeding for a long time.

 Once she is feeding properly from the bottle she may start to refuse the breast.

 She may wait for longer periods between formula feedings as it takes time for her to digest formula.

 The adding of formula to your baby’s diet might change the pattern, color, and consistency of your baby’s poop.

Is formula feeding along with breastfeeding safe for your child?

Infant formula is a very good and safe choice for feeding your baby. Supplementing formula with breast milk for your baby is a very good decision and you should not feel guilty if you have to or want to do it. This combination might work well for your family.

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.

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