Combination Feeding: Your Questions Answered
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Time to read 9 min
Choosing how to feed your baby is an important decision that can be daunting for new parents. The NHS recommends exclusively breastfeeding your little one until they are at least six months old. However, some people cannot or may not want to breastfeed exclusively for a multitude of reasons. Combi feeding can help those who wish to still use breastfeeding as an option during their feeding journey.
Your Questions Answered
What Is Combi Feeding?
Combination feeding (also known as mixed, partial or combi feeding) is when a child is both breast fed and given a bottle of expressed breastmilk or formula to help supplement their feeding.
There are several ways that someone may decide to combi feed. These can include breastfeeding and expressing, breastfeeding and formula feeding, expressing and formula feeding, and breastfeeding, expressing and formula feeding. It can take several weeks for you and your baby to confidently breastfeed. Each of these different types of combination feeding methods will work best for different families. It important that your child is fed in a way that is comfortable and works for both you and your little one.
What Are the Benefits of Combi Feeding?
Flexibility can often be a benefit for many families who decide to combi feed. By using a bottle, family and friends can feed your little one. Having free hands means you can catch up on the tasks you have been meaning to do. It also allows you to have time for self-care which can be much needed after birth. Flexibility can also be crucial in the later stages if you are planning to return back to work following the birth of your little one. Expressing breastmilk and giving this to your baby in a bottle, alongside breastfeeding, can help your little one gets used to the bottle at an early stage, prior to your return to work.
Some people can find it difficult to exclusively breastfeed, which is why they may choose to combi feed. For example, having a low milk supply can make it difficult for some people to exclusively breastfeed. Therefore, a person may wish to supplement their little one’s feeds with formula or pre-expressed breastmilk. Combi feeding can be used whilst they gradually boost their own breastmilk supply, reducing the number of bottles given once the breastmilk supply has increased.
In addition to this, combi feeding can be helpful if you are trying to monitor the amount of milk your little one is getting. Expressing breastmilk for later feeds can allow you to track the amount of milk your little one is drinking.
Another benefit of combi feeding is your little one can continue to experience the benefits of breastfeeding and breastmilk. According to the NHS, these include protecting your baby from infections and diseases, and helping to build a strong emotional bond between you and your little one. In addition to this, there are health benefits for breastfeeding for you! These include lowering your chances of breast cancer , ovarian cancer , osteoporosis (weak bones) , cardiovascular disease and obesity .
What Will I Need to Combi Feed?
Before getting started, there are a few things you will need to help your combi feeding journey run smoothly. These include:
- A supply of baby feeding bottles: When choosing bottles, using a teat with a low flow can help mimic the flow of breast milk. It can also help prevent nipple confusion.
- A steriliser: It is important that all baby bottle parts and accessories are sterilised before they are used for your little one’s next feed. The revolutionary Baby Brezza One Step Steriliser Dryer Advanced kills 99.9% of germs with natural steam, then automatically dries 33% faster. Plus, it has the largest capacity of any steriliser, holding eight bottles, two full breast pump part sets, soothers and accessories from any brand.
- A breast pump: When choosing a breast pump, it is important to consider your needs for your feeding journey. It is crucial to choose the right size when purchasing your pump as this will help minimize discomfort when pumping.
- Infant feeding formula if you are wishing to use this to supplement your little one’s feeds. If you are looking for the fast and convenient way to make formula bottles, the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced mixes formula and water to the perfect consistency without any measuring, mixing, waiting or fuss! It has three temperature settings (body temperature, warmer than body temperature, room temperature) and it works with virtually all formula brands and all bottle brands and sizes.
- A bottle and breast milk warmer: If you choose to express and freeze your breast milk, it is important to allow time for it to safely defrost before using it for a feed. The Baby Brezza Bottle and Breast Milk Warmer is the only warmer with two warming modes to safely warm breastmilk and formula! The Steady Warm mode uses a Warm Water Bath to safely warm or defrost breastmilk which preserves its nutrients (unlike most other bottle warmers that use steam heat which destroys breastmilk proteins). It is also easy to use and alerts you once the bottle is ready.
- A bottle washer for all those bottles your little one will get through! Combining both bottle and breast feeding will mean that you will have to spare time throughout your day to sterilise and dry all the bottles your little one is now using. The Baby Brezza Bottle Washer Pro simplifies bottle cleaning by automatically washing, sterilising, and drying bottles, pump parts, and sippy cups. It kills 99.9% of germs with steam and then dries with HEPA-filtered hot air. Plus, it fits virtually all bottles and most pump parts and sippy cups.
How to Start Combi Feeding
It is recommended that your child is exclusively given breastmilk for the first six months of their life. If you would like to introduce formula feeds, it is important to speak to your health visitor before doing so.
It is important that breastfeeding has been established before starting to combi feed. This typically happens 6 to 8 weeks after birth, but this will be different for everyone. It is safe to start combi feeding after birth and some people will wish to do this. However, it can be more difficult to establish breastfeeding if your baby is also bottle-fed.
Talk to your midwife or health visitor if you have any questions regarding your baby’s wellbeing or weight. Feeding from a bottle differs from feeding from the breast and some babies may prefer one method from the other. A midwife or health visitor can help with feeding positions and ways to latch your baby onto the breast.
Establishing a Combi Feeding Schedule
When deciding to combi feed, it is important to establish a combi feeding schedule that works for both you and your little one. There are multiple ways that you can start your combi feeding journey but here are some things to consider:
- Decide what it is that you would like from your combi feeding journey. If you would like to start combi feeding to help the transition back to work, then breastfeeding at night or in the morning and expressing or making a bottle for the day may affect how you decide to plan your little one’s feeds.
- After deciding your goals for your combi feeding journey, you can then choose which feeds you would like to swap from breast feeding to bottle feeding. To do this, first choose a feed that suits both you and your little one. Most people like to swap either the first or last feed of the day, if their goal is to get more rest. Once this initial swap has been successfully completed, you may wish to swap another breast feed to a bottle feed and continue to do so until you and your little one have established your combi feeding schedule.
- If you are combi feeding to help with your rest, bottle feeding during the night can be a great way to help with this. Having a bottle handy can help ease both you and your little one during the night, making the feeding process typically quicker than breastfeeding.
Common Challenges and Solutions of Combi Feeding
Some babies may find it difficult to latch onto a bottle. On the other hand, some babies can find it difficult to breastfeed. There is a different sucking action required when breastfeeding compared to latching onto a bottle and this can cause nipple confusion. Nipple confusion is when a baby finds it difficult to latch back onto the breast after being given a bottle. To prevent this from happening, it is important to introduce combi feeding once breastfeeding has been successfully established.
Additional pumping may increase the amount of breastmilk you produce which can lead to oversupply issues. These can include clogged ducts, engorgement, and mastitis. To prevent oversupply issues, make sure to establish a feeding pattern that allows you to fully empty your breasts on each feed or pump. In addition to this, limit the number of bottles you decide to use when combi feeding.
There is evidence to suggest that introducing a formula bottle into your little one’s feeding routine can affect the amount of breastmilk that is produced within the body. As breastmilk is produced on a supply and demand level, if you decrease the need for breastmilk less and less of it will be made. If this happens, you may find it helpful to express breastmilk and store this for later feeds, as expressing can help boost your breastmilk supply.
Tips for Successful Combi Feeding
Here are some tips that can help with combi feeding:
- It can be helpful to breastfeed before pumping. Breastfeeding first can allow your little one to feed, whilst pumping afterwards allows you to fully empty your breasts prior to the next feeding time.
- Use your hands for hands-on pumping and hand expression to increase milk output. This can also help with breastmilk production in the future.
- Having enough bottles or storage for your breastmilk allows you to not waste any that can be used later in your feeding journey.
- Make sure to check any breast pumping devices are secure and fit properly prior to pumping. This will help prevent damage to your nipples, as well as reducing the amount of discomfort whilst you pump.
- Keep accessories close! Whilst expressing breastmilk try to keep anything you may need handy, such as water, nipple cream and wipes. This will make the process run much more smoothly and make you feel more comfortable throughout.
Where to Find Support
Choosing the best feeding method can be a difficult decision. If you have any questions regarding your feeding journey you can ask for expert advice in lots of places. These include:
- Talking to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter
- Call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 (They are open 24 hours of the day, 356 days of the year)
- Find breastfeeding support near you . The NHS website has a tab for ‘Breastfeeding Support Services’ with a postcode locator to help you find the closest support to you.
Every family is unique and so is every feeding journey. When deciding how to feed your baby, it is important to choose a feeding method that works for both you and your little one. It may take several weeks for you to find something that works for you both. Be patient and enjoy the process!
Author - Chloe Markey
Chloe Markey is a freelance writer who specialises in script and blog writing. With a particular passion for podcasts, Chloe has been involved in the production of multiple podcast series, ranging from true crime to our very own The Cheeky Rascals Podcast. She has an avid interest in the world of parenting and has learnt lots since working with Cheeky Rascals!
