Breast and Bottle Combined?

HELP!

Im 21 weeks pregnant now with my first baby so I shouldnt be worrying about these things, but I would like to be able to plan ahead (Breast Pumps, Bottles Etc) and so far im pretty clueless about the whole thing.

What i would like to know is, can you Breast AND Bottle Feed?

In a perfect world I could imagine my whopper (16GG) boobs producing more milk then I could possibly need lol. So was thinking I could BF 90% of the time and let DP and Grandma etc Bottle Feed baby expressed milk to help out (even if its just once a day) or if im in total need of a rest

Im totally up for expressing if it means Daddy can help feed our little princess (as he has expressed his desire to do) but just need to know if anyone has had any luck with their baby being happy to alternate between boob and bottle?!

Google has been useless, one person says it works while others tell me my milk would dry up the 2nd i dont BF, so I beg for some REAL experienced mums to tell me their stories!!!

Thanks!!!

You should be fine doing it, your milk won't dry up as long as baby is either sucking or you are expressing. It is often recommended that you wait 6 weeks before introducing a bottle, but I personally think you can start before then.
I would recommend Chu Chu teats - here is some info on them from breastmates chu chu but they are cheaper to buy from here goon nappy
They are meant to be the best for combining breast and bottle and my son never had a problem switching between the two.
If you want some good cheap bottles, I would recommend evenflo glass bottles (bpa free) and the chu chu teats fit in them.   This is the cheapest I have found them, as I have just bought some more
evenflo

I think if you start off early with bottle, most babies take to it fine. I think it is important to regularly breastfeed in the early days though, just to ensure bubs doesn't forget how to latch onto the boob properly.

With DD we introduced the bottle at 3mo (I had to go into hospital so she had it for all feeds for abut 30 hours) then at 5mo I returned to work and breastfed morning and evening and overnight while DH (a sahd) bottle fed her during the day.  I found expressing from work difficult so we mixed fed (formula during work hours and breastmilk the rest of the time).  That worked well until we weaned at 15mo.

A friend of mine introduced a bottle to her son at 8wks old and he refused breast feeds after that.  She was so determined to ensure he got breastmilk she expressed all feeds for the next 5 months.

With DS we introduced the bottle very early (can't remember how early though maybe a few weeks old) and DH did the 11pm every friday night so I could get several hours uninterrupted sleep but at 3mo DS refused to take the bottle anymore and just wanted mum so that was the end of that.  We tried the bottle again when I returned to work part time at 9mo but he didn't take much and soon figured out I was only gone 6 hours and he could wait for me and the bottle got shoved aside again in favour of mummy. 

So I guess what I'm saying is definitely, breast + bottle can be done but do be prepared that although it can work well one or other may become the preference and babies can be awfully stubborn.

There are still so many other bonding moments and Daddy's and daughters have a very special relationship so even if you DD refuses the bottle there's so much your DH can do for her, if she's anything like my DD she'll have him wrapped around her umbilical cord already

Edited by MrsMojo

I do both because I had to go back to work when DS was four months . The first day was really sad because he didn't want the bottle at all (and previous trial runs didn't work), but from day 2, he was fine.

He always prefers the boob; no nipple confusion, but I didn't try with the bottle until he was 3 months old.

I have to say though - I find the bottle a real pain -- cleaning and sterilising both it and the pump, etc, dating the milk, etc -- I would so rather not bother and just be 100% boob; especially as soon as I figured out how to breastfeed lying down (I so recommend this), then I would just do that if I wanted a rest, and we'd both go off to sleep. And DH said at the start that he wanted to feed DS as well, but changed his mind after the first few unsuccessful attempts with the bottle...

Ladies your feedback has been fantastic!

Im feeling so much more positive about this whole boob and bottle experiance now!

I guess from what ive read its all going to come down to the baby, and how DP and I are feeling in the few weeks after she is born.

Im certain im neither going to have the time or energy to stuff around with bottles in those first few weeks but its nice to know that if my milk does take some time coming in she can possibly have bottle in the mean time and go to boob when possible.

Thankyou all, you have given me back the hope that Google ruined lol

Looking forward to hearing some more feedback too

I bottle and breast fed my daughter from about 2 months on, and we had no problems, she was an awesome breastfeeder and I had heaps of milk! and she went from bottle to breast no issues at all.

Just wait until your supply is established and had the baby had had a chance to get used to breastfeeding etc, as often if you introduce a bottle before then, it can effect your supply and baby will favour the bottle as they dont have to work so hard to get it!

Edited by Sheza

I would agree to wait until your milk supply comes in. It can take that first six weeks for your supply to mature, and it's stimulated by baby sucking and letting your body know how much it needs to make. In saying that you can express after feeds once your milk comes in (2 or 3 days after birth), which could help to boost your supply even more. Even if you don't use that milk in the first 6 weeks or so, you can freeze it for future use, I'd just be wary of replacing boob feeds with bottle ones while your supply is still establishing.
It can definitely be done though, and it can be good to know you can have a day (or night) off occasionally!

some are ok some arent, but it will be nice for you to get a break and some more sleep from DH doing a feed.

Hmm for the boobie vs bottle giving milk easier it does depend on how quickly your milk lets down and how fast it comes out. perhaps TMI but I get letdown really easily and have "fast flow" milk so K actually gets more frustrated and likely to give up on the bottle than off me.

This has been very helpful as I was wondering as well!!

If I could piggyback and ask - What breastpump is recommended??