- When to start mixed breastfeeding in practice
- When to start mixed feeding from a physiological point of view
- The right equipment for successful mixed breastfeeding
- How to alternate breast and formula milk
- What if baby refuses the bottle?
- What if you ran out of milk?
Mixed breastfeeding allows you to to breastfeed and bottle-feed at the same timewith breast milk and formula according to the baby's schedule. Not always easy to set up and to get baby to accept, mixed breastfeeding sometimes requires patience and flexibility on the part of the parents, and especially the mother. Here's a detailed look at how to do it and, above all, how to get around any obstacles.
When to start mixed breastfeeding in practice
The idea behind mixed breastfeeding is often that of a need for freedom, whether voluntary or not.
- End of maternity leave: you have to go back to work and will soon no longer be available to feed your newborn.
- Thirst for time to yourself : you enjoy a sporting, cultural or relaxation activity that you'd like to resume one or more times a week. This means you'll have to take time off, sometimes during your baby's mealtimes.
- Wanting to share : you want to give your other half the opportunity to feed your baby from the very first months. To do this, you'd like your child to accept bottles of milk.
- You simply want to stop breastfeeding.
When to start mixed feeding from a physiological point of view
For successful mixed feeding, baby must accept both breast and bottle feeding without this disrupting his feeding patterns. For your part lactation must be well established. It is therefore advisable towait at least 6 weeks to put it in place.
This precaution avoid confusion between breast and teat - to avoid the baby turning away from the breast for the pacifier, which requires less sucking effort than the breast.
In addition, the WHO recommends that babies should be exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life.
The right equipment for successful mixed breastfeeding
You'll need a few useful childcare accessories to get you through.
- The breast pump. Not very sexy, either from an aesthetic point of view or for its little name, but learning to use it is one of the almost essential steps in breastfeeding and, alternatively, bottle-feeding. To choose the right breast pump, you'll have to choose between single or double, electric or manual, and a range of different technologies designed to stimulate milk flow. But thanks to it, your child can enjoy bottles of breast milk at any time.
- A bottle. One of the reasons we designed our bibRond Elhée. Made from medical-grade silicone, it's almost as soft and just as round as your breast, to accompany baby during his milk break. Its teat, too, is made of medical-grade siliconeIt protects your little one's health and helps him learn to suck. Its physiological shape adapts perfectly to baby's mouth. Finally, an anti-colic valve facilitates digestion after meals.
- A infant formula adapted to your child's age and nutritional needs, which you can give alternately before weaning him off your milk.
Of course for carrying powdered milk and freezing your own, as well as some as well as some cleaning materials.
How to alternate breast milk and formula milk?
The key here is to find the right rhythm to satisfy both your baby's hunger and your respective need for contact.
To wean your baby off your milk, start by replacing a single feed for at least 5 days. If all goes well, baby is eating well and you're not suffering from engorgement, you can proceed in the same way to gradually replace each of the day's other feeds.
Note: to continue mixed breastfeeding over time, keep to at least 2 feeds a day. They will stimulate your milk production and help your little one to get into the habit of latching on. Morning and evening feeds, as well as the one when you get home, are undoubtedly the most important.
Which infant formula is closest to breast milk?
This is a difficult and almost impossible question to answer, as breast milk regularly changes taste and consistency depending on the time of year and what you eat and drink.
However, choose an infant formula adapted to your baby's age (first-age, second-age or follow-up milk) and avoid conventional cow's milk, goat's milk and plant-based milks until at least 12 months of age.
How much milk should I give my baby?
Exclusive breastfeeding is done on demand, while bottle-fed babies are fed at fixed times and quantities. So, is mixed breastfeeding a real headache or a total feeling? In reality, once again, it all depends on your baby.
If, since you started mixed breastfeeding, you've been prioritizing morning and evening feeds and gradually replacing daytime feeds with bottles, follow the guide: that means baby! Is your child a regular eater of small quantities? Plan several light feeds throughout the day. If, on the other hand, he or she likes to suckle for long periods, a large 330 ml bottle (fitted with a slow-flow teat) is more interesting.
What if baby refuses the bottle?
Alternating bottle-feeding and breast-feeding may be the ideal solution for you, but your child may not like it at all. Disrupted in his habits, he may refuse the pacifier and put off the bottle every time you introduce it to him. What should you do?
First and foremost, especially if you want to prolong mixed feeding, reserve feedings for yourself and delegate other meals to others. Pass the baton to your father or the person who shares your life, to the nanny, the nursery staff or the older siblings. This dissociation helps children to get used to and accept both breastfeeding with you and bottle-feeding with another person.
Still stuck? Perhaps you can try a lukewarm bottle at a temperature close to that of breast milk (37°C), or conversely, the room-temperature bottle for a completely different sensation that she might like.
What if you run outmilk?
Reducing the number of daily feedings can lower your milk production. To avoid this keep stimulating your breasts as much as possible. The remaining feeds contribute to this, but apart from these moments of gentleness, don't hesitate to express your milk, if possible at regular times. You can freeze it in doses ready for baby, or, if he refuses to take it from the bottle, express it anyway and then throw it away, simply to maintain lactation.
3 extra tips for obstacles
Because things don't always go according to plan, here are a few extra tips for balancing breast and bottle.
- Offer her a bottle often, without waiting until she's too hungry.. This way, the meal is not rushed, baby can take his time to discover this new feeding method, and the risk of failure is lower.
- Soak the teat in breast milk one or two minutes before taking the bottle, so that it retains its scent.
- Maintain or resume skin-to-skin contact. Being next to you reassures and soothes your child. Take the opportunity to offer him a bottle instead of the breast, so you're more likely to get him to accept.
Finally, to respect children's rhythms as much as possible, the LecheLeague recommends bottle-feed horizontally. Baby sits upright in your arms, and the bottle is presented horizontally in relation to the floor. He takes a few sips and you lower the bottle to give him time to breathe and find his own rhythm. The milk doesn't flow too quickly, baby doesn't get scared, he breathes quietly, without the risk of swallowing air, and more easily takes pleasure in this new way of eating with you.
