COMBO FEEDING:
All the deets on our journey <3
Before having my baby boy, Dallas, I for sure thought I would be the mom who exclusively breastfed her children. I thought that once I got the hang of it after those initial weeks, what more would my baby need? Well, it turned out that exclusively breastfeeding was not the path that was meant for Dallas and I. Let me tell you a little bit about our journey…
Overall, what I have learned is that breastfeeding is no joke!! It is both a beautiful journey and sometimes, a painful journey. From the cracked and bleeding nipples to the extreme bonding you get with your newborn, those first weeks are nothing short of emotional (I wrote a post more about those initial weeks of breastfeeding as a first time mom HERE, if you’d like to read more in depth). Once my milk started coming in regularly and his latch didn’t hurt anymore, I thought we were golden! We had figured it out! Only to go to his 8 week appointment and realize he had only gained one pound since birth (he was in the third percentile for weight which is… tiny). It all started to click for me… maybe my baby wasn’t getting the calories he needed to thrive? He cried a lot. He was tiny. And… he never really seemed to be in the best of moods because he was constantly wanting to eat (he was eating around 12-15 times a day). I would feed him for a full 30 minutes and then 10 minutes later, he would be crying for food again.
So, at that 8 week appointment, our pediatrician recommended we start supplementing with formula. If there’s one thing I have learned during my pregnancy and postpartum/parenting journey thus far, it is to stay open minded. He gave us instructions as well as the formula he recommended and from there, we started our combo feeding journey. I kid you not, as soon as we gave our little guy that first bottle and he was SO happy. He had the longest nap, almost like he finally had some relief.
A couple days later, his hair started to grow, he started smiling more, and he was overall a completely different baby. Any guilt that I was feeling about not exclusively breastfeeding slowly started to melt away seeing how much it was benefiting him. I was doing all I could to keep my milk supply high and yet at the end of the day, he just wanted more. I am so proud that I was able to exclusively breastfeed for those 8 weeks, but I’m also proud I was able to put my expectations to the side and do what was best for my baby at the end of the day.
Today, we are still combo feeding and it’s been absolutely amazing. What we have been doing is at the start of a wake window, I breastfeed him. At the end of that same wake window, we formula feed. I have been increasing his formula ounces to 5 for each feed and sometimes, he wants 6. I’m not strict on the amount he is getting, I am pretty intuitive and just follow his lead. If he’s hungry I feed him. If he’s not, I don’t. He is consistently gaining weight now! Every baby is different, and every parent is different, so just do what you believe is best for you and your baby. I am so happy we have found what works for us to help our little one thrive. And if you have ever felt guilty or ashamed that exclusively breastfeeding is not the journey that ended up being right for you, I hope this helps you feel less alone.
- How did you decide on a formula and what do you use? We tried a couple but the one our pediatrician recommended was the best one for Dallas in terms of his digestion! The formula is called Bobbie and he loves it! And I really like these bottles to feed him with.
- Do you still pump? How often? Sometimes Dallas wants to only bottle feed, sometimes he randomly wants to breastfeed. If there are times where he hasn’t nursed on me for about 4-5 hours, I will pump. If it’s been a weird day and wake windows haven’t been consistent, there may also be times where I want to pump while he naps because my boobs are so full. It really just depends on the day! I love this pump because I can do it on the go! I can pump while driving, working or doing stuff around the house. And then I keep the milk in these bags and freeze them for later use.
- Has your supply gone down since formula feeding? Since he doesn’t need as much from me, I would say my supply probably has gone down. My body has adjusted to his needs!
That’s everything! I hope this answers any questions you might have about combo feeding and encourages you to keep an open mind when it comes to your own breastfeeding journey!
Love you guys, have the best week!