Mixed breastfeeding: the golden rules

 Mixed breastfeeding can be a good compromise, as long as you put it in place with a few rules in mind. For example, at birth, lactation takes time to set in. If you therefore opt too quickly for mixed breastfeeding, you risk not having enough milk to feed your baby afterwards. Our advice to make this method work for everyone!

Is it possible to breastfeed and bottle-feed?

The World Health Organization recommends a exclusive breastfeeding of the newborn during the first six months of life but it is quite possible in practice to both breastfeed and bottle-feed our baby.

If the problem is to be absent, be aware that breast milk freezes perfectly. In this case, it suffices touse a breast pump by respecting the usual notions of hygiene in the making of baby bottles. These little tips allow breastfeeding people to free up some time, to let the co-parent bottle feed or return to work, while continuing to feed the baby with their own milk.

But if, for example, you have difficulty breastfeeding or if you have returned to work and do not want or cannot keep your milk, you can put in place mixed breastfeeding, alternating breast and bottle.

How do I alternate breast milk and powdered milk?

The risks of mixed breastfeeding are breast / pacifier confusion for the baby and engorged breasts or reduced milk for mothers. To maintain and stimulate lactation, it is therefore advisable to keep enough feedings. In principle, we recommend breastfeeding your baby at least 3 times per 24h.

Depending on the age and “feeding skills” of your child, you will need adapt the number of bottles alternately. It can be a bottle per day, a bottle over 3 meals or a precise alternation of a bottle / a breastfeed. However, if you alternate in this way, the risk is that your lactation will decrease and that baby has difficulty latching on with this decrease in flow compared to that of bottles.

Birth, 1 month… When to start mixed breastfeeding with baby?

It is best to wait until your baby has at least 1 month. To be able to alternate breastfeeding and bottle feeding, you must make sure baby already has excellent sucking, in other words that he places his tongue well. If he is not having a good head, he may have difficulty switching from breast to bottle.

What is breast / pacifier confusion?

Confusion between breast and pacifier is quite common in newborns who are fed both ways. Used to the bottle, baby has difficulty getting back to the breast correctly when he had succeeded. This is explained by the difference in flow between a bottle and a breast, hence the milk flows more slowly and in the form of a stream. However, if your child takes less and less breast, you will produce less and less milk.

It is therefore recommended to think carefully about the rhythm of alternation instituted between breast and bottle and put less milk in each bottle in order to find a volume similar to that of feedings.

Why is it sometimes said to avoid mixed breastfeeding?

In addition to breast / pacifier confusion, when deciding to space the feedings, the risk is nipple engorgement: milk is blocked in the nipples and can no longer flow. This feeling can be very painful. To avoid this, go gradually and alternate breast and bottle at first. Then you can chain several bottles in a row.

Which bottle and which milk to choose as a substitute for breastfeeding?

Your baby should find about the same flow between the breast and the bottle. If he drinks faster from the bottle, he may be frustrated and sulk at feedings. So think about do not use a bottle with a too fast flow. Also place it horizontally and take frequent breaks.

For the pacifier, choose a pacifier that is not too thick and elongated in shape. Let your baby breathe from time to time, like when he is head, and position the pacifier a few millimeters from his mouth so that he makes an effort to catch it on his own.