You mentioned that you have a newborn, so first of all, congratulations on that. And you're wondering if it's okay to breastfeed and bottle-feed with formula at the same time. And it definitely is okay, but there's a lot of things to think about before you start supplementing with formula. First of all, I recommend talking with your pediatrician, because they can work through a lot of issues with you. And if your desire is to breastfeed, then they can help you make that a successful experience, and refer you to a lactation specialist which can actually sit down one on one with you and watch you nurse your baby and decide what's going right, what adjustments need to be made, and if your baby isn't latching properly, help them latch properly so that breastfeeding can go well for both of you.

There are so many benefits to breastfeeding your baby. It helps them have less infections in the first year, it actually helps to prevent issues down the road - things like diabetes and obesity. But it also is beneficial to your body too. It helps to fight off things like postpartum depression, diabetes and cancers later in life. So it's so good to breastfeed. Any healthcare worker that you talk with is going to say "breast is best" - that's one of our mottos, but sometimes formula needs to be given too, because the bottom line is that a baby's nutritional needs need to be met. If breast milk can do that, then great. But if it can't, then thank goodness we have formula, because formula can also help a baby thrive, and formula-fed kids go to kindergarten too. So if your baby is happy, healthy, and gaining the appropriate amount of weight as outlined by the pediatrician on breast milk, and you can keep doing that, then I would say "go for it".

And keep in mind that even though breastfeeding is a natural thing, that certainly doesn't mean it comes naturally. It takes a lot of work and effort in the beginning, especially if this is your first baby. Most lactation specialists tell women that if they can just stick with it for at least 6 weeks, things will get better. But if during those first 6 weeks, your baby's needs aren't being met, your body isn't making enough milk in spite of your best efforts of increasing your supply, maybe you're making skim milk instead of whole and your baby's not growing, then yes, definitely supplement with formula.

Now every once in a while, a mom will want or need a break, and she won't be able to nurse her baby when her baby is ready to eat. Let's say that you're going to go somewhere for 4 hours, and the person who is home with your baby is going to give them a bottle of formula. If you have stored breast milk, then you could give that to your baby. But if you don't have any storage, then you could give formula. Just keep in mind that if you're not stimulating your body to make milk by either nursing or pumping, then you'll probably see a decrease in your supply if this is happening on a regular basis. For example, some mothers noticed in the afternoon time that their milk supply isn't as good as it is at other times of the day, and so they just think, "Oh, well I need to supplement with formula", instead of trying to boost their supply. So then they replace that afternoon feeding with formula, and then they make no milk during the afternoon. So they're able to nurse their baby in the morning, evening, and night time hours, but not in the afternoon, because milk supply is a supply-and-demand type of function. So if you're not emptying the breast, it doesn't get the message that it needs to make more. So just a word of caution if you're wanting to formula-feed, just know that you should use formula at consistent times of the day, otherwise you'll notice a decrease in your supply overall.

Again, I do think it would be best for you to talk with your pediatrician and a lactation specialist who can discuss your issues and concerns one on one, and give you the best advice. But I sincerely hope the best for you and your baby, and if you have any other questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at [ Ссылка ], and recommend us to your friends and family too.

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