Mixing Formula with Breastmilk

M. I myself have mixed breast milk with formula to introduce formula. Prepare the formula with water and then mix equal parts of prepared formula with breast milk (ie. 2 oz. breast milk with 2oz. prepared formula).The amount is not so important but it is important to mix the formula with water otherwise you could constipate the baby.

It is absolutely O.K. to mix breast milk with formula. Just increase the amount of formula slowly, until he's on formula alone. Good luck! :)

M.,

I mixed my breast milk with formula as I was weaning. My milk also slowed down at about 5 months but WATER, WATER, WATER is what you need to keep up your supply.

Good Luck!

M.

It is OK to mix breast milk with formula feeding. Also if you eat regular meals throughout the day and drink lots of fluids...not soda, and continue to nurse the baby, your body should produce enough milk to keep up. But you must be consistent.

Have you tried nursing more frequently, and being sure to nurse in the middle of the night? I too thought I had "low milk supply" when my baby was a few months old, but it turned out that, at that point in our "nursing career," if I went longer than two hours without nursing, my milk dropped significantly.

Nursing instead of the before-bed bottle feeding will also lessen the period between nursings and help your milk supply.

Be sure to nurse on demand, not at regularly spaced intervals (probably the biggest advantage to being a SAHM!) and to give him a night feeding (which is much easier to to if he sleeps in your bed with you) -- these techniques will almost certainly work to make sure your baby gets 100% mama's milk. Once the milk's flowing, it'll be so easy you can easily get to the one-year mark recommended by doctors or the two-years-plus recommended by the La Leche League.

sure, you can mix the 2 if your baby will take it. my pediatrician even recommended that. but, you don't want to waste the whole breast milk bottle because your baby knows that it tastes different and won't take it. try doing 2 bottles at first to see if he'll accept formula.

Hi M.,
I have not been producing enough breast milk since my DS was born. The pediatrician told us to combine what I am able to pump with a bottle of formula so that he gets the benefit of the breastmilk. Hope this helps!
C.

From day one, I supplemented breastfeeding with a bottle of formula since I have implants and wanted to make sure my daughter was getting enough milk. I don't know if you should mix the two. Maybe try just the formula by itself and see what happens.

There is some great information about increasing milk supply on my pediatritian's website. I also had dips in milk supply, generally when I was doing too much and sleeping too little. It's hard to take good care of youcself when you are taking care of your baby, but it is critical to their thriving that you thrive... Hope this helps.

http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/bf/galact.asp

I had twins and never made enough milk for both. I always mixed breast milk with formula and my kids were fine with it.

Hi M. (My name is M. too!),
I agree with the mom that said that a 4 month's old demand increases. Babies have a growth spurt at that age so you might want to hang in there with the breast feeding - unless you would prefer not to, of course. Also, my son did the same crying at the breast thing at that age and it was because he started teething and the act of sucking hurt his gums. It passed and all is well again. Another thing is that I have gotten my period twice since my son was born (he's 7.5 months old now) and both times my milk supply went down for a few days. It worried me a lot but then I would get my period and my supply would go back up.
I hope that helps!
Best,
M. M

If you do not want to quit breast feeding yet you may want to contact a lactation specialist. They have a couple really good ones at Bright Begginnings and Beyond in Redondo Beach.
Melissa

Yes, I think that it is okay! And M....you're doing your best. With my first son I was able to "breastfeed" (I put that in parenthesis because I breastfed and pumped but I always had to supplement--I think that at my best I was able to pump 3.5 ounces!) I stressed out so much about it and always felt like a failure...my second son my milk was even worse and I stopped producing at about 4 or 5 months. I had to tell myself that I could be a good mom and that my baby would be fine even if he some formula and not 100% breastmilk!

For you I'll tell you what I did with both of my kids. I fed them on both sides till I was dry and then supplemented with a bottle. Neither of them ever thought twice about formula. You could probably mix it at the beginning if he rejects it but do it in small amounts to not waste it! Do whatever you need to do to keep your kid happy and not leave him hungry. He'll still get the good stuff from you and the additional nourishment that he needs from the formula. My 8 month old loves the Kirkland Formula (it has the from Costco (19.99 for two 25.7 oz cans)--it's the cheapest that I can find and it matches up with Similac's Advance Infant Formula http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/237515/similac_a...

Good luck in whatever you decide! Keep breastfeeding! Keep pumping! You're doing great!

p.s. I just read some people that said that if you just nurse more and more and more that you will make more milk. I nursed and nursed and nursed until I bled, took every supplement that promised to help you make more milk, drank more water, pumped every time after feeding to "increase" my milk, and then finally figured out that not everyone makes enough! It took my 87 year old grandma to tell me that (she didn't make enough milk either) because EVERYONE else was telling me that I just needed to feed more or that I was crazy or not holding him right or something and I cried about having to give him formula for FOUR months! You do what you need to do to feed your kid. He will love you no matter what and will grow fine! And you are doing your best and that is good enough!!! Your worth as a mom isn't based on whether your body is like other's whose bodies produce sooooo much milk! Good luck!

Yes! You can! I was told to start with 1/4 formula to 3/4 expressed milk, then move up to 1/2 and 1/2 and then 3/4 formula to 1/4 milk, etc. to get the baby used to it! I think breast is best, but sometimes it just doesn't work that way. My daughter was underweight and not gaining fast enough, so the dr asked me to supplement.

Never had a problem with it. I have a 3 month old and mix breastmilk and formula when I don't have enough breastmilk for feedings when I am going out for some mommy time or date night with husband.

Hi M.,

Have you tried pumping to increase your milk supply? That usually does the trick! Sorry I don't know about mixing formula and milk... but I do know that pumping after nursing (even if you don't get a lot) will stimulate more.

My daughter is 23 months and she still nurses!

M.,

I think it is perfectly fine to do it to get your baby used to formula but I wouldn't recommend doing it long term. The iron in breastmilk is not compatible with the iron in formula so feeding them together makes the iron from both non-absorbable. But doing it for a week or so or for only one or two bottles a day certainly won't hurt anything. If you plan to quit breastfeeding before your babe is one and/or your milk supply isn't keeping up, I'd do whatever you need to do to introduce formula.

T.

Of course you can, Mom! Kudos to you for wanting to continue nursing. I, too, never had a "great" supply of breastmilk, but I was able to nurse until 19 months with my last daughter. As long as your son is nursing consistently, there is no reason why you wouldn't be producing more milk. Hang in there, Mom -- you're doing great!!!

It's fine to mix both. My ped actually recommended starting that way. As for your milk supply, do you pump? It is recommended to pump after feedings or at least once a day to encourage your supply. Drink loads of water and avoid home remedies. Truly, pumping often does get your supply going.

Hi M.,
First, congrats on breastfeeding. I did with both of my boys and remember worrying about whether they were getting enough milk. It may be that your son is actually getting plenty of milk, but is crying for some other reason. 4 month olds don't really need that much food. If your son is gaining weight at a normal rate, he's fine.

Do you alternate the breast that you start with? I would put a safety pin onto my bra strap to help me remember which I had started with the previous time. Do you need to wear breast pads to prevent leaking? (As an aside, folded men's handkerchiefs work well as breast pads.) If you are, then you are probably producing enough milk.

I found the lactation specialists at my hospital were helpful. Also, you could try calling your pediatrician for suggestions or your ob/gyn. Finally, if you're not afraid of their sometimes very strong opinions, you could call La Leche League. I found a lot of good information and support, but was a bit uncomfortable about the intensity. (As another aside, I goodsearched "breastfeeding support" and found a bunch of websites. I couldn't think of La Leche League's name.)

The best way to increase your milk supply is to drink a LOT of water and to pump between nursings. You may be surprised at how much you are producing. If you introduce formula, you may decrease your supply because your son may nurse less, and nursing is what stimulates your supply. The problem is that the cheap pumps really don't work very well. I pumped very effectively, but only when I had one of the expensive pumps. I don't know where you live, but in Santa Monica, there is a store called, "The Pump Station," that might have some suggestions for you. Also, if you have a friend who is also breastfeeding and pumping, you could consider supplementing with your friend's breastmilk, rather than formula. That wouldn't increase your supply, but it could keep your son on breast milk longer. (I know that sounds kind of weird. I provided breast milk for a friend's adopted son who had been constipated.)

Finally, if it doesn't work out, you've already given your son four months of breast milk only and that's a great start. Formula isn't bad and try not to let others (or yourself) make your feel bad if you end up supplementing. Lots of very healthy babies have received formula.

So good luck! E.

If you mean "mix" as in breastfeeding your son and supplementing with formula, then yes. I wanted to be sure that in case of an emergency where I couldn't nurse him that he would be able to be fed. I also give him an occasional bottle when it is isn't convenient/appropriate to breastfeed in public. Now that he has started solid foods, I use formula to make his rice cereal.

However, if you are talking about "mixing" the breastmilk and the formula in the same bottle, then everything I have heard/read says no. I think that formula is only meant to be mixed with water. I use bottled water for mine. At night, I would give him the bottle of breastmilk, then give him a second bottle of formula.

Good luck and congratulations on your son.

Nurse more and more milk will come. It WILL. You are not defective. Have faith in your body's abilities. He is growing and so your supply just needs to go up. It will if you nurse more. It sounds as if you are not nursing enough. Pumping is not the same as nursing.

Knowing I had to go right back to work I did that from birth. All my kids were fine and are now health teenagers.

Hi M.,

I had the exact same problem when my son was 4-months old. He's turning 5 months this Sunday. I was breastfeeding exclusively and then I noticed he was hungry because he was complaining at the breast and my milk supply was less when I was pumping. My pediatrician recommended that I mix the breastmilk with formula to get him used to the taste. We did 2/3 breastmilk and 1/3 formula and each day we would do a little less breastmilk and more formula until he got used to only formula. I now pump breastmilk for all his bottles and feed him one bottle of formula at night. I hope that helps!

Hi Maia,

Prepare the bottle of formula the way instructed on the bottle and then mix, don't use the breastmilk as water. Not sure if that is what you were talking about. I have ha breastfeeding problems with all 3 of my girls. I am currently nursing and supplimenting as well. I have been to all kind of lactation consultants and doctors. I Have a thyrid problem which i think is the main cause. The best website out of all of them is from dr jack newman. There i a medication that he suggest tht made my milk supply increse amzingly! I have used it with all 3 girls. Even if you don't want to try the medication the website has the BEST help advice on increasing milk. It really is the best webite i have found over the last 7 years of nursing. If you have anyquestion feel free to reply to thi response and I can hare more about it. Good luck, I know the feeling of milk going down!
Geneva

http://www.drjacknewman.com/breastfeeding-help.asp

Yes you can mix breastmilk and formula. Whatever breastmilk he gets does help...
I have to drink about a gallon of water a day, plus milk and whatever else I drink and the food I eat. I think sometimes people forget how much liquid babies are getting out of you, and it needs to come from somewhere. If your son wants 8 ounces of milk, you need to drink 8 ounces of water or other. Also, I've been told that you need to wait about 1/2 hour after finishing alcohol for it to not be in your breastmilk...
Also, for how long do you leave him on the breast? My daughter was on for about 1/2 every 2 hours at 4 months. If he doesn't like one breast, switch him to the other. My daughter likes to know that the other breast isn't flowing easier...
Good luck
R.

Yes, it is ok to mix breast milk in with formula. When I had my son I had trouble getting him to "latch" so I met with a lactating nurse and she tried to help. She also noticed I wasn't producing a lot of breast milk so she suggested pumping what I can and using formula to suppliment the rest. I would mix the 2oz of formula first in the bottle then add the breast milk to it. I did this for his first few months then I switched him to 100% formula and he is fine. To be honest my husband liked it better as well because it meant he was able to share in feeding our son.

You might consider that your supply isn't going down, but rather that his demand is going up. A 4-month-old is growing VERY rapidly. He may be frustrated, but nature generally ensures that he will just try to nurse more, which will increase your milk supply. He may be frustrated for a day or two, but your body should respond pretty quickly to the increased demand. The unfortunate thing about supplementing with formula is that if he gets full, he isn't going to want to nurse, and your body won't get the cue to produce more unless you pump. My son is 7 months old, and I pump twice a day. I nurse him in the morning, and then pump right afterwards. He takes a bottle of breast milk before bed, and then I pump a few hours later when I go to bed. That way, I always have enough milk for his daily bottle. While I don't particularly enjoy pumping, I LOVE that other people can feed him or he can go with my other kids on overnights to Grandma's house!

All that being said, I was very happy to have formula to supplement nursing with my second child. (I didn't need any with my first or third child). The idea of mixing breast milk with formula is a good one. It worked for me when I couldn't give my second daughter enough breast milk due to the horrible thrush we were trying to get rid of. As my milk supply diminished, I had to start using formula. I started out using 3 oz of breast milk and 1 oz of formula, and did that until my milk supply diminished too much. After that, I did half and half, and ultimately had to do all formula once she refused to nurse anymore. Hope this helps! Good luck, and congratulations on your healthy baby boy!

M.,
before you introduce formula, try to nurse more often. He might be going through a growth spurt and your supply hasn't caught up yet. Plan on just feeding him for a day or two - relax, cuddle up, play, and nurse, nurse, nurse. Make sure you get enough food and fluids, and focus on your baby. Your milk will increase!

Of course, my advise would be to not mix. There are many things you can do to increase milk output. Drink more water. eat more fruit/vegetables as the water content is high in these foods. pump. but try not to give the baby formula if you don't have to.

Best,

J.
www.thenewfastgirls.blogspot.com

By all means, yes! I stimulated lactation for my son who came to us via surrogate. Mixing formula with breastmilk was a must! Please do check out the Medela Supplemental Feeder. It may be a solution for you while you try to keep your supply up.

Good luck!

ps: you might consider calling the Pump Station in Santa Monica to see if they have any suggestions for you...

Yes! Mixing the 2 is fine. Start with 2 ox formula and add your breast milk to fill the bottle to the desired amount. Slowly increase the amount of formula and reduce the breast milk. I would personally try to countinue BFing as long as you can, but that is a personal choice that only you can make.

Also- I was never very good at pumping! After I had stopped BFing my son at 18m, I was told to eat Oat Meal every day to increase milk supply. (All the good it does AFTER you're done!) According to what I was told and have read, it does somehow stimulate an increase in milk supply. This may be worth a try as you begin pumping more to transition your baby to a bottle.

Hi M.... not sure if anyone mentioned NOT EVER to heat up your breastmilk in the microwave... that is something that should never be done :)

Hi M.,

It is totally ok to mix. Breastfeeding is a difficult yet amazing thing... I have a 7 month old baby boy and we do both and he is totally okay with it. I tried nursing exclusively but my milk supply went up and down and back up and down again... I was really stressed about it. After a while, I realized you have to do what works for you and yours...We are both happier this way. There is no real right or wrong way. Good Luck!

Normally pumping does help, but don't feel bad if it doesn't. I have two friends whose milk just never came in. So if it doesn't work out, feel blessed that you were able to give your son four months.
As far as adding formula, of course you can mix the two and he might take it easier too. Just make sure it's the right mix, like your not just adding powder to breastmilk :)
Also, formula can only stay out for one hour, where breastmilke is much longer, but if they're mixed, they're only good for ONE hour.

My SIL struggled with low milk also, and found that nursing first, and then giving a bottle of formula worked best. That way her daughter got the good breastmilk, mother's breasts were emptied (stimulated to produce more milk) and then baby could get a full tummy off the remainder formula. Also, the breastmilk first helps baby digest the formula, which generally constipates. Good luck with everything, and be sure you're drinking enough water!
No need to mix breastmilk with formula. Just nurse and then make a bottle.
Best of luck,
J.

M., I used FENUGREEK liquid filled capsules (whole foods) to up my milk supply around 5-6 months when my now, almost 9 mo old was growing like crazy and I felt like I wasn't keeping up. Also, I found it super helpful to drink tons of water, all the time. I'm still breastfeeding and hope I don't have to giver her formula or cow's milk. It take s few days to notice the difference taking the Fenugreek,and I was taking 3 pills, 3 times a day. No side effects. Except your skin might smell a bit like maple syrup. Take after a meal with warm water. Good luck!

Hi M.,
Congrats on your son. And Kudos for Bfeeding! Yes you can mix. I just took some of my frozen milk out of the freezer to do this. My daughter is almost 8 mts. and is on solids and drinking about 6-8oz each feeding. Having 2 other busy children I knew I was expecting to supplement as she got older. First prepare your formuula as directed than add in your milk. You can continue to nursing and supplement with formula. It's amazing what are bodies can do. Even if you don't feel engorged with milk if you continu to offer breast your son will still stimulate your flow and you'll produce for him. So you can still maintain your bond even as his increase of formula increases. Good Luck!