Hellobee Boards

I supplement my kids. The generally preferred way is to give the formula and breastmilk separately. If you mix and they don't finish it, then you have to toss the breastmilk along with the formula when it expires. And especially if you're supplementing, all of your breastmilk is gold and you really don't want to have to toss it!

The logistics depend on your supply. If you just have to supplement a little, I think most women just pick one or two feedings a day that are all formula and nurse the other times. I had to supplement a lot (my kids would only be satisfied for 30 min or so after nursing) so they got boob, then any pumped breastmilk we had on hand, then formula to top them off. You just have to figure out what works for you and baby. My dd would have been content to just nurse literally all day and night to get what she needed, ds was super hard to satisfy when he was tiny and we had to give him formula at every feeding.

It might be worth a visit with a lactation consultant while you are pregnant to get some ideas flowing for things you can do right away or be prepared for after baby arrives.

@wheres_c: I do the exact same thing!

At daycare, we send two ounces of breastmilk and four ounces of formula for each feeding (3x while she is there). I asked that they feed the breastmilk first, and then feed the formula. She doesn't always want or need the entire four oz of formula so they can toss what they don't use. I'm perfectly fine with them tossing the formula, but I want LO to consume all the breastmilk no matter what.

At home, I just watch her cues. Sometimes she is satisfied by just nursing and I don't offer a bottle. If she still seems hungry and we just had a long nursing session, I give her a bottle then. Sometimes an hour passes in between nursing and bottle, which is fine at home, but doesn't work at daycare.