What is Combination Feeding?
Fact Checked
19th March 2024
This article is written by Elka Lennon, owner of The Parent Antidote, a brilliant company offering parent classes on newborn care and troubleshooting consultations (0-3yrs).
In this article, Elka discusses everything you need to know about combination feeding, including:
- How do I know if combination feeding is right for me and my baby?
- How do I introduce formula while still breastfeeding?
- How often should I breastfeed and offer formula?
- Can I switch between breast milk and formula in the same feeding?
- Will combination feeding affect my milk supply?
- What kind of formula should I choose for combination feeding?
- How do I Store Formula safely?
- How Do I Prepare Formula Safely?
- What Rules Can I Follow to Use the Formula Safely?
- How will Combination Feeding Affect my Baby’s Digestion?
- Are there any Potential Risks or Drawbacks to Combination Feeding?
- How can I Ensure that my Baby is Getting Enough Nutrition with Combination Feeding?
- Can I still Bond with my Baby if I’m not Exclusively Breastfeeding?
- How do I Wean my Baby off Breastfeeding and Transition to Formula Completely?
- Contact The Parent Antidote
Combination feeding is offering your baby, expressed breast milk or formula milk in a bottle alongside breastfeeding.
How do I know if combination feeding is right for me and my baby?
This is personal, as everyone’s feeding journey is different, but if you are looking for a clean-cut answer, my advice would be: once breastfeeding is established, I would highly suggest implementing at least one bottle a day with either expressed breast milk or formula.
How do I introduce formula feeding while still breastfeeding?
Start by bottle-feeding once a day. I would suggest introducing the first bottle feed at around 7pm each day.
How often should I breastfeed and offer formula?
This, again, is dependent on your journey, preferences, and milk supply, but there is no right or wrong way. If you want to breastfeed more, do 1 or 2 bottles of formula milk.
If you want to breastfeed less, offer more formula bottles. If you want to still breastfeed as much as you can but have a low supply, then do top-up feeds with formula milk.
Can I switch between breast milk and formula in the same feeding?
Yes, you absolutely can. An example of this would be if you have a low supply or breast-feeding multiples you may have to do top-up feeds of formula.
Will combination feeding affect my milk supply?
For the most part, mixed feeding should not affect your milk production and supply, especially if you are mostly breastfeeding.
It also won’t affect your supply if you are breastfeeding mutliples, and have to top them up with a formula feed.
I do advise though that if you switch out a breastfeed for a bottle feed (breast milk or formula) I would pump still at that time; it works well if you want the bottle feed to be breast milk and doubles up on seeing how your supply is fairing.
What kind of formula should I choose for combination feeding?
I always recommend, whether you combine breast and bottle or not, to go with an organic formula.
Hip organic is great and so is Kendamil.
How do I Store Formula safely?
Always leave formula in the tub it came in, or, if you decant, make sure the tub is clean and sterilised.
How Do I Prepare Formula Safely?
- Empty and fill the kettle with fresh water from the tap. Don’t use water that has been boiled before.
- Boil the kettle, don’t leave it to stand for more than 30 minutes. The water needs to be at least 70C.
- Follow the instructions on the tin for formula and fill a sterilised bottle with the right amount of boiling water.
- Then add the required amount of formula. It’s important to put the formula in after the boiled water. Loosely scoop the formula and level with a knife or the tin’s leveler.
- Put the top back on the bottle and give the bottle a good swirl (swirl not shake), till all the formula is dissolved. Then hold it under cold water or place it in a cup of cold water, constantly checking to make sure the temperature is cool enough for the baby.
- Test the milk on the inside of your wrist. It should feel either just warm or a bit cooler, NOT hot.
What Rules Can I Follow to Use the Formula Safely?
Formula that’s made with the above method must be:
- Used within 2 hours if kept at room temperature.
- If kept in the fridge must be used within 24 hours.
- If kept in a cooler bag with ice packs, it must be used within 4 hours.
- If the bottle has been drunk from, it must be used within 1 hour.
Remember to: Wash your hands & make sure ALL feeding equipment is always properly cleaned and sterilised.
How will Combination Feeding Affect my Baby’s Digestion?
Combination feeding shouldn’t affect your baby’s digestion unless they have an underlying cause like reflux or a milk or lactose allergy.
I do, however, recommend a probiotic; they usually help to prevent or help with any digestive issues.
Optibac does a great one for infants: is in a powder form or drop form too so great for exclusively breastfed babies.
Are there any Potential Risks or Drawbacks to Combination Feeding?
Not in my opinion; many families combination feed, and as long as breastfeeding has been established, I don’t see a problem.
Although, I have to assert everyone’s feeding journey is different, and if you still want to keep up with breastfeeding, use expressed milk for the bottle feed for your breastfed baby.
How can I Ensure that my Baby is Getting Enough Nutrition with Combination Feeding?
Other than adding in a probiotic, your baby will absorb all the nutrients they need, whether breastfed or formula fed.
Breast milk has antibodies and formula doesn’t, but that’s about the only difference. Although regardless of which feeding method you choose, your baby does get antibodies from you in the womb.
Can I still Bond with my Baby if I’m not Exclusively Breastfeeding?
Yes, you absolutely can. Lots of cuddles and skin-to-skin, the same for dads, allow them to do some of the bottle feeds and lots of cuddles and skin-to-skin for them too.
How do I Wean my Baby off Breastfeeding and Transition to Formula Completely?
I normally advise doing this slowly, but I appreciate that might not be everyone’s option or situation.
I would replace a breast-feed with a formula feed and then in 2 days’ time add another formula feed and keep doing this every 2 days or so till you have replaced all breast-feeds with a formula feed.
It takes about 48 hours for your boobs to adjust that’s why I suggest this way.
However, you should note that, even after you have replaced all breastfeeding with formula feeding, you may need to pump for a few days to release pressure.
Just lessen the time you do the pumping, or even use a hand pump.
Contact The Parent Antidote
If you would like to contact The Parent Antidote, to join a class or have an initial consultation, you can contact them via the methods below:
Facebook: The Parent Antidote
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Website is https://linktr.ee/theparentantidote
Hi. My name is Elka. I’m a maternity nurse and Parent counselor. I have been in the industry of parent support for over 18 years, but specifically, a maternity nurse/newborn care specialist for around 8 years now. Helping parents and/or babies is my passion in life. Providing some understanding and relief to whatever their situations are is so rewarding and really warms my heart.
