How do i mix feed my baby


How to combine breast and bottle feeding

It can take several weeks for you and your baby to feel happy and confident with breastfeeding.

Once you've both got the hang of it, it's usually possible to offer your baby bottles of expressed milk or formula alongside breastfeeding.

This is sometimes called mixed or combination feeding.

Why combine breast and bottle?

You may want to combine breastfeeding with bottle feeding if you:

  • are breastfeeding and want to use a bottle to offer your baby some expressed breast milk
  • want to breastfeed for some of your baby's feeds, but give bottles of formula for 1 or more feeds
  • are bottle feeding your baby and want to start breastfeeding
  • need to leave your baby and want to make sure they have some milk while you're away

Introducing formula feeds can affect the amount of breast milk you produce. There is also a small amount of evidence to show babies may not breastfeed as well because they learn to use a different kind of sucking action at the bottle than at the breast.

These things can make breastfeeding more difficult, especially in the first few weeks when you and your baby are still getting comfortable with breastfeeding.

Your breastmilk supply will usually not be affected if you start bottle feeding your baby when they are a bit older, you are both comfortable with breastbeeding, and you breastfeed every day.

Introducing formula feeds

If you're combining breastfeeding with formula feeds both you and your baby can carry on enjoying the benefits of breastfeeding.

If you choose to introduce infant formula:

  • it's best to do it gradually to give your body time to reduce the amount of milk it makes – this helps lower your chance of getting uncomfortable, swollen breasts, or mastitis
  • if you're going back to work, start a few weeks beforehand to give both of you time to readjust
  • if your baby is 6 months old or more and can drink milk from a cup, you may not need to introduce a bottle at all

For more information, see drinks and cups for babies.

Giving your baby their first bottle

It may take a while for a breastfed baby to get the hang of bottle feeding, because they need to use a different sucking action.

  • it usually helps to give the first few bottles when your baby is happy and relaxed – not when they're very hungry
  • it may help if someone else gives the first bottle feeds, so that your baby is not near you and smelling your breast milk
  • you might want to try using a different position for bottle and breastfeeding

See more advice on how to bottle feed.

Restarting breastfeeding

If you want to start breastfeeding more and give your baby fewer bottles, it's a good idea to ask your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter for support.

These tips may help too:

  • Hold and cuddle your baby as much as possible, ideally skin to skin. This will encourage your body to make milk and your baby to feed.
  • Express your breast milk regularly. Expressing releases the hormone prolactin, which stimulates your breasts to make milk. About 8 times a day, including once at night is ideal. It may be easier to express by hand to begin with – your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter can show you how.
  • Try bottlefeeding while holding your baby skin to skin and close to your breasts.
  • If your baby is latching on, feed little and often. Do not worry if your baby does not feed for long to begin with. See tips on how to get your baby properly positioned and attached.
  • Choose times when your baby is relaxed, alert and not too hungry, and do not force your baby to stay at the breast.
  • Decrease the number of bottles gradually, as your milk supply increases.
  • Consider using a lactation aid (supplementer). A tiny tube is taped next to your nipple and passes into your baby's mouth so your baby can get milk via the tube as well as from your breast. This helps to support your baby as they get used to attaching to the breast. Your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter can give you more information.

See more tips on boosting your milk supply.

Help and support with mixed feeding

If you have any questions or concerns about combining breast and bottle feeding:

  • talk to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter
  • call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 (9.30am to 9.30pm, every day)
  • find breastfeeding support near you

Video: why combine breast and bottle feeding?

In this video, 3 mothers discuss ways to combine breast and bottle feeding.

Media last reviewed: 22 March 2020
Media review due: 22 March 2023

Community content from HealthUnlocked

Page last reviewed: 8 October 2019
Next review due: 8 October 2022

Mixed feeding | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

Mixed feeding | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content

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Mixed feeding is when a baby is fed formula as well as breastmilk. Most Australian women would prefer to exclusively breastfeed and 9 out of 10 women start off breastfeeding their newborn. However, for some women, breastfeeding doesn't work out the way they think it will.

Mixed feeding involves giving your baby formula and:

  • milk fed directly from your breast; or
  • expressed breastmilk; or
  • donor breastmilk

Reasons for mixed feeding

Although exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months is the ideal start for your baby, there are reasons why a mother may consider mixed feeding. These include:

Issues with breastfeeding

Sometimes breastfeeding can be difficult for the mother or baby. Problems they could face include:

  • having sore, cracked or bleeding nipples
  • painful, blocked ducts in the breasts
  • mastitis, an inflammation of the breast that can cause pain and flu-like symptoms
  • oral thrush and/or breast and nipple thrush
  • nipple vasospasm (when blood vessels in the nipple tighten and go into spasm, preventing blood from flowing normally) — particularly when cold
  • problems feeding with inverted or flat nipples
  • problems with the baby attaching to the breast, caused by technique, tongue-tie, cleft palate or other issues
  • a baby becoming 'fussy' at the breast or refusing to feed

It is your choice whether you move to mixed feeding — and any breastfeeding you have managed to do for your baby is a success. It's important to know, however, that you can receive help with many of the above issues and this could allow you to continue or return to exclusive breastfeeding.

Low breastmilk supply

It's possible you might feel that you are not supplying enough breastmilk for your baby. This can often be resolved by finding out whether you actually do have a low supply and if so, by taking steps to increase the amount of breastmilk you are producing. Low breastmilk supply may be temporary and many mothers are able to build up their supply so it's enough for their baby. While doing this, they may decide to feed their baby donor milk, or mixed feed them with formula.

A small percentage of women, however, have a low supply of milk because they don't have enough milk-producing breast tissue. This may be due to a previous breast reduction or surgery or other medical condition. If they can still produce some breastmilk, these mothers may choose to feed their baby both breastmilk and formula.

Baby with low weight

A parent who is considering mixed feeding may be worried that their baby is losing or not gaining enough weight. All babies grow differently and their weight may change at different times. Your baby record book may have a growth chart that can help you assess and follow your baby's growth.

Sometimes a lower baby weight is nothing to be concerned about, or it lasts for a short period of time due to a temporary milk supply issue or problem feeding. Alternatively, your baby could be sick, have a medical condition or be sensitive to something you are eating.

A baby may benefit from mixed feeding if they were born very prematurely (earlier than 32 weeks), have a very low birth weight (less than 1,500 g) or are very sick.

Not being at home

Some women may consider mixed feeding because they are uncomfortable breastfeeding in a public place, or because they are returning to work. Although some mothers successfully combine breastfeeding with returning to work, others may prefer not to.

Where can I get help?

It's important to know that many breastfeeding or weight gain issues can be resolved and that help is available to you. You can also receive support and help if you decide to go ahead with mixed feeding your baby.

You can call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to speak to a maternal child health nurse for advice and support. Alternatively, you can contact:

  • your doctor
  • your maternal child health nurse
  • your midwife
  • the Australian Breastfeeding Association Breastfeeding Helpline: 1800 686 268 (1800 mum 2 mum)
  • a registered lactation consultant

I've decided to mix feed my baby

If you are planning to go back to exclusive breastfeeding after mixed feeding, you will need to keep up the supply of your breastmilk. One of the above healthcare professionals or organisations can help you to do this, so it's important to speak with them first.

They will also be able to help you manage your mixed feeding, depending on your circumstances and the baby's age. They can advise you on:

  • how much formula to give your baby
  • how many times a day to give formula
  • when to move back to exclusive breastfeeding, if relevant

You can also find out more about how to feed your baby with formula here.

Sources:
Australian Breastfeeding Association (Increasing supply), Australian Breastfeeding Association (Baby weight losses and weight gains), Raising Children Network (Sore nipples and nipple infections), Australian Breastfeeding Association (Mixed feeding), Australian Breastfeeding Association (When breastfeeding doesn’t work), Raising Children Network (Breastmilk), Australian Family Physician (Overcoming challenges faced by breastfeeding mothers), Australian Breastfeeding Association (How long should I breastfeed my baby?), The Royal Women’s Hospital (Breastfeeding problems), Australian Breastfeeding Association (Can you return to work and still breastfeed?), Raising Children Network (Mixed feeding: Supplementing breastfeeding with formula)

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: June 2020


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Related pages

  • Feeding your baby with formula
  • Breastfeeding your baby

Need more information?

Mixed feeding | Australian Breastfeeding Association

Regardless of whether a mother exclusively breastfeeds, exclusively uses formula or does a combination (mixed feeding), she has done her very best and has made decisions that were right at the time, based on the support and information she had available to her.