Although mixed lactation it's one more possibility feeding our baby, on many occasions the mother who resorts to this form of breastfeeding feels criticized and little understood, but there is no reason to think that it is always a bad option. Surely many people, if they read this, will be perplexed: Defend mixed breastfeeding? Why not? It must be said that when you and your baby do mixed breastfeeding, you breastfeed and well-managed mixed breastfeeding means that breastfeeding is not renounced and keep it longer, with all the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby and for the mother.
What is mixed breastfeeding?
We understand by mixed breastfeeding when a baby you are breastfeeding, but you also need to take an extra intake, generally based on artificial milk given in a bottle. It may be necessary for the baby to take the extra supply in all shots or just some.
When mixed breastfeeding is helpful
There are several cases in which mixed breastfeeding is a good option.
Early in breastfeeding
The first few days it may be that the baby need an extra contribution for some reasonIn that case, the pediatrician will prescribe a quantity of formula milk to give the baby. Always display, first we will breastfeed (with exceptions), as we already know until the baby empty one chest at least and then we will give him the bottle and we will let baby take what you need, the bottle may or may not run out ... What can happen? We have three possibilities
- That little by little increase milk production and adapts to the baby's needs. In this case the baby little by little, will take less amount of bottle, so that we will start by giving a bottle in all the feedings, then it will only take in some feedings (generally in the late afternoon feedings, when we have the least amount of milk) and later he will no longer need anything other than his mother's milk.
- That little by little increase milk production, but that in some shots, almost always in the late afternoon, it is still necessary to give a bottle.
- The fact that we can't stop giving him the bottle and keep mixed breastfeeding all the time. It is the least desirable optionIt takes a little more effort, but it's worth it. It is important that you keep in mind that the baby you will need more milk over time, try to make baby suck more from your breast to increase your milk productionIf you increase the amount of bottle immediately, the baby will eat less and less from your breast and will ask for more bottle ... So that it will leave the breast earlier.
When breastfeeding is already established, but the baby does not gain weight and the pediatrician advises you to give it a supplement.
It is important that you have exhausted all possibilities before. Try that baby take chest more often and longer, to increase your production, do not spare the night shots, prolactin (hormone responsible for milk production) is a hormone that increases with darkness, so that if you stop taking drinks at night your body will understand that no more milk is needed and production may decrease… If it is impossible there will be no other choice than resorting to the bottle, do not worry, nothing happens, if we do it right the baby will not leave the breast and will only take the bottle when he is hungry. The plan is the same He will take the breast first and then the bottle.
To get into work
We can maintain breastfeeding once they have entered work (here), but there will be certain feedings that the baby will have to take from a bottle (if the baby is small to take other foods) and in many cases you will need to give him artificial milk, because it is not easy to have enough own milk to maintain lactation ... really hard is to get that the baby eat from the bottle, because what he wants is the breast, the smell and the warmth of his mother's lap, so the sensation of the nipple in his mouth usually dislike him and a lot.
Getting the baby to understand that the bottle is food and needs it is difficult. A few days before starting work consult with your midwife or pediatrician for a breastfeeding plan it may be useful to try to give him a bottle so that he begins to know the sensation ... breast feeds are more than bottle feeding and when you are at home try to give him only your chest.
Summarizing, the best option is exclusive breastfeeding and I would only recommend resorting to mixed breastfeeding as a last resort, but if it is necessary and we do it well we will maintain a happy lactation until our child and we want to ...
What good information Nati; the truth is that as you put it, mixed breastfeeding can serve to maintain breastfeeding, it is very interesting. Thanks 🙂
Thank you very much Macarena. One of the big problems for moms is that they are sometimes "stigmatized" when breastfeeding is not enough and no one helps them to maintain a mixed breastfeeding that can be, indeed, very satisfying. The same professionals forget that mixed breastfeeding is nothing more than breastfeeding with a little help when the baby needs it. A hug!!