Combination feeding

What is combination feeding?

Combination feeding is feeding a baby with breast milk part of the time and infant formula the rest of the time.  Mums may also call this mixed or complimentary feeding.

When can it be introduced?

• When breastfeeding is well established
• When moving away from exclusive breastfeeding

Why introduce combination feeding?

• So mums can go back to work but still breastfeed at night and in the morning
• So babies can be given a feed by someone else, for example, in the night, once breastfeeding is well established
• To achieve a smooth transition from breast to bottle-feeding over time

Why not?

• Combination feeding will reduce the supply of breast milk

How?

• Suggest mums introduce their babies to bottles using expressed breast milk or infant formula (use a first infant milk if their baby is under six months old)
• Stick to bottle-feeding or breastfeeding at the same time each day
• If trying to use more bottle-feeds, replace only one of those feeds every few days with a bottle