https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 06:53:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-74611 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:46:53 +0000 mommacommaphd 74611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did a combo- mainly because once my daughter started daycare I was unable to pump enough milk for her during the day. For the first 3 months she almost exclusively breast fed. There were a few times I had to go somewhere or just REALLY needed to sleep that she got a bottle of pumped milk or formula, but mostly she nursed. Once it got close to her starting daycare, she got one bottle per day from dad so she would learn to accept it and be ready for day care. When she got that bottle, I would pump.</p> <p>The pumping is really nothing to worry about. It's a little odd to feel like a dairy cow or something, but you get over it.</p> <p>As Mrs. Bee said, if you don't pump when your little one would be feeding your body will make less milk over time. Obviously this won't happen from the occasional night out or morning off where you just want to sleep in, but it will happen if you do it routinely.</p> <p>Honestly, bonding over a bottle isn't any different or more special than bonding just by holding a baby close and interacting with it. So the feeding is not essential for this.</p> <p>If you really want to breastfeed, I would discourage you from skipping feedings for bottles early on, until you have breastfeeding well-established. While nipple confusion can be a concern with some babies, it's not with all. However, for you and your baby learning to breast feed, it's best to be consistent with the breast.</p> <p>Dad and relatives can cuddle and bathe and sing to and all the other wonderful things there are to do with babies. Giving a bottle doesn't matter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-74153 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:02:42 +0000 mynoahbear 74153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I pump and Breastfeed LO. I Breastfeed most of the day but I give her pumped milk before she goes to bed so I know she is full and will sleep longer. I also will have DH or my mom bottle feed her if I need a break. LO usually wakes up once during the night and I BF her but she usually falls back to sleep after a few minutes. I end up having to pump because my breasts are full and I can't sleep otherwise. LO has no problem with nipple confusion and she has so far been fine with taking the occasional bottle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-74134 Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:02:38 +0000 mrstilly 74134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I nursed from birth and started pumping with a manual pumps to get my letdown going. I started really pumping a few weeks in and did it for 8 months, 5 of which were while working FT. </p> <p>I was very sore at times, though not usually from pumping. But in that whole time my nipples never bled. Find a good lactation consultant and make sure your pump flanges are the right size and you should be okay. At times I felt a little like a milking cow, esp at work, but it really didn't bother me once ds was here and needed to be fed. </p> <p>I did split between nursing and formula for about 6 weeks until my supply dried up. I would just nurse or give ds whatever bm I had pumped, then give additional formula if he was still hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-74083 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:15:03 +0000 skibobrown 74083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom did this for my sister. She breastfed except for once a day when my Dad would feed my sister a bottle of formula. My mom never pumped. Did they even have pumps back then? Not sure... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-74047 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:12:54 +0000 anbanan15 74047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with Mrs. Bee. If you don't pump and your supplementing with formula, your supply will decrease quickly.</p> <p>Honestly, you might feel differently once baby comes. I had an ex who demanded that I breastfed if we were ever to have future children. I said "no way!" and now I'm almost 10 months BFing DS and considering switching to exclusively pumping as long as possible past his first birthday. My point is, our feelings towards the supject change given our experiences.</p> <p>I will also say, that for me, the actual act of breastfeeding has been the easiet thing to do. No pain, no cracked nipples, no soreness. If you're still weirded out by pumping, consider speaking with a LC who can fit you for the proper size breast shield which should minimize any discomfort, should you have any. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-73849 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:25:45 +0000 Mrs. Bee 73849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i couldn't live... if living was without pumping!</p> <p>bleeding nipples is caused by poor latch when breastfeeding, and not with pumping.</p> <p>you can pump milk and bottle feed your lo. if you feed formula and you don't pump, your milk supply will decrease. but if you're ok with that, then what a lot of people do is formula feed at night since it takes longer to digest and theoretically babies sleep longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-73840 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:15:54 +0000 T.H.O.U. 73840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pumping was my LIFESAVER from bleeding nipples. Expect to be really sore from nursing the first few weeks of breastfeeding. After that I was able to introduce a regular pumping schedule and have some extra milk for my husband to do some feedings. </p> <p>Also, most often I was able to nurse her to sleep but my husband also practiced rocking her to sleep which was REALLY helpful. He now has the special touch to get her to sleep when she's not hungry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69226 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:17:22 +0000 Maysprout 69226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pumping gave me the heebie jeebies too, I'm not sure why. I only bought a manual pump because I knew I didn't like the idea. But a pump is super useful when breastfeeding. Pumping did hurt me initially more than breastfeeding but after a few adjustments everything was fine. I stay mainly at home so I haven't had to worry about pumping as much as if I was working.</p> <p>As for daddy/baby bonding we put forth effort right away, he was in charge of soothing her (in ways other than feeding, like the 5 S's) and making sure he got play time in the morning and evening even if at first it just meant carrying her around and singing since she couldn't do too much. He also gave her a bottle of pumped milk once a day or every other day, we used breastflow bottles and never had nipple confusion but she hasn't been a picky eater about anything. </p> <p>If you do decide to supplement formula it will decrease your milk supply and make you dependent on having formula around every day at a certain time - boobs are time sensitive (unless you pump to increase your supply, which it doesn't sound like you'd want to do). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69214 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:37 +0000 MrsH 69214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it would be nice to let DH take one of those late night feedings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69187 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:24:43 +0000 cupcakemama 69187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found pumping more painful than BF at first but I had zero pain with BF. It got better fast though. </p> <p>We had no issues with nipple confusion. We did have a horrendous 2 weeks where LO refused the bottle. We outlasted LO! I would recommend a bottle, once a week, to keep LO in the habit.</p> <p>In terms of supply I had plenty. If LO had a bottle I pumped so that I didn't burst and that maintained demand. I would do the same if you are going to give LO formula. The odd formula bottle shouldn't affect supply, that happens when you always give a bottle same time each day. Pumping is ok, just a nuisance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69167 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:54:28 +0000 prettylizy 69167@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with mrsbells, I'm pretty sure pumping doesn't hurt the nipples the same way that an improper latch can. You can use lanolin (or even just expressed milk) to sooth/ease that type of pain. I hope to be able to nurse and pump so DH can take a few feedings as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69085 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:03:37 +0000 aunt pol 69085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really want to bf my twins when they come, and like you I'm not mad about the idea of pumping. I remember a friend using a manual pump and hating it. That was 13 years ago tho, I'm sure a nice new electric one will be user friendly! Everything about the supply/demand hoohah seems to indicate that the more sucking goes on, the more milk you produce. I'm probably having a section, and apparently that can slow your milk coming in. So I think I'll have to work hard to get them to latch, then supplement with formula while supply is poor, then pump the rest of the time until I actually have enough milk to make a decent effort. I'm exhausted thinking of it! And of course those teats that most closely mimic the nipple are supposed to reduce the possibility of baba rejecting the boob? </p> <p>All that said, I am going to take it week by week. There will be none of this feeding for a year carry on. If I get to six months I'll be ecstatic: if I make it only to six weeks I'll be quite happy, apparently that's enough to give them a significant immune boost. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69076 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:54:22 +0000 Mrsbells 69076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I dont think pumping causing bleeding nipples, some people just have cracked or sore nipples after birth and if the baby doesnt latch on properly that can use bleeding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/combining-breastfeeding-and-formula-feeding#post-69074 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:52:26 +0000 daniellemybelle 69074@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're a long ways off from this, but I have given it some thought (like everything baby related haha). I want to try to breastfeed because it is best for the baby and it is FREE. However, I would like DH and our family to be able to bond with our LO by feeding it from a bottle. I also like the idea of having the freedom to go out if LO will take a bottle, even though I know I will get engorged pretty fast!</p> <p>Still, pumping gives me the heebie jeebies. Maybe its just the horror stories of bleeding nipples that I've heard, but I'm not that interested. Maybe I will change my mind? Still, I'd like to explore the idea of combining formula feeding with breastfeeding. I've heard of nipple confusion, but I've also heard that's a myth? How do you go about breastfeeding &amp; bottle feeding? </p>