Did you know combo-feeding is the most common way to feed babies worldwide? In the US, 75% of babies and 59% globally receive infant formula during the first year of life, yet it is often overlooked in new parents’ infant feeding education and support. Given these significant statistics, parents shouldn’t have to navigate alone or rely on friends, family, and social media for potentially inaccurate information that could compromise the health of infants or breastfeeding itself.
What Exactly is Combo-Feeding?
Combination feeding gives you the flexibility to nourish your baby with human milk and infant formula, allowing you to find the perfect balance for your and your little one’s nutritional needs. Since infant formula provides a healthy and nutritious alternative to breast milk, it ensures that your little one will be consistently nourished when combo-feeding.
Why Do Parents Combo-Feed?
Many parents face challenges that make it difficult to exclusively breast/chest feed their babies, such as biological, personal, psychological, and social barriers. Combo-feeding is a healthy way to meet the diverse needs of families who want to provide their babies with human milk and formula.
Here are some common reasons why parents choose to combo-feed their babies.
While this list may not cover every situation, it includes commonly cited scenarios.
- To keep a baby fed in the setting of delayed lactogenesis II (milk coming in)
- To keep a baby fed in the setting of chronic low or partial milk supply/insufficient glandular tissue (IGT)
- To extend their time breastfeeding if exclusive breastfeeding is unsustainable for any reason
- To help cope with the pressure of being the source of your baby’s only nourishment
- To allow partners to participate and share responsibility for infant feeding
- To accommodate a parent’s informed choice
- To ensure their baby will take both breast milk and formula by bottle before returning to work
- To address pumping challenges at work or home
- To address ineffective or undesired pumping
- To address mental health conditions such as anxiety, disordered eating, OCD, etc.
- To address health conditions that make exclusive breastfeeding challenging including physical disabilities, epilepsy, DMER, sensory challenges, and other medical conditions
- To facilitate longer blocks of uninterrupted sleep for parents negatively affected by lack of sleep so they can cope physically and emotionally
- To prevent uncorrectable breast or nipple discomfort or pain, Raynaud’s disease, or breast tenderness
- To allow parents to take medications with limited safety research to minimize their infant’s exposure
- To increase the calorie count for slow-gaining babies, preemies, and those with medical conditions (as in the case of fortified human milk)
- To provide a flexible infant feeding schedule by parents and other caregivers
Are There Nutritional Benefits Of Combo-Feeding?
Yes, the benefits of human milk (listed here) depend on the amount consumed. The more human milk your baby consumes, the more benefits they receive. This is another desirable reason why combo-feeding can be a game-changer for families. But for parents who cannot provide their babies with enough breast milk to meet their nutritional requirements, formula allows them to healthily meet their baby’s needs.
Is It Possible To Maintain Milk Supply While Combo Feeding?
Many people think that combining feeding methods can reduce milk supply or see it as a sign of not succeeding in breastfeeding. But this is simply not the case. With proper steps to maintain milk production, combo-feeding can be successful with the right approach. Regrettably, some parents with low milk supply have discontinued breastfeeding, wrongly assuming that combination feeding is not a workable alternative.
Heather Robertson writes:
“I was never informed I could combo-feed, and if I knew it was a viable option, I would have tried as a low-producing mother. I thought it was either breastfeeding or formula feeding. I regret not knowing this.”
Are you excited to gain the knowledge and feel confident about combo feeding? Let’s dive in and learn all the necessary information!
We’ve got you! To fill in the vast educational gaps of combo-feeding, we’ve included a dedicated chapter (Chapter 10) in our newly published book, Fed Is Best. It is the only available book that offers an expert, evidence-based, comprehensive guide on successfully combo-feeding your baby, whether short- or long-term.
You will receive all the wisdom and expertise accumulated over 50 combined years by lactation professionals to help you successfully combo-feed.
This is just a glimpse of the extensive knowledge you will gain:
- How to cope with feelings of grief when exclusive breastfeeding doesn’t work out as planned is a crucial part of the combo feeding experience.
- Learn the basics of milk production and discover some great ways to avoid a decrease in supply.
- Debunking Combo-Feeding Myths: The Dos and Don’ts
- Breastfeeding while using a supplemental nursing system with human milk or infant formula.
Managing common challenges in combination feeding, such as:
- Breast engorgement while reducing a full milk supply
- Formula refusal when transitioning from exclusive breastfeeding to combo-feeding
- How to match a bottle’s nipple flow with your nipple flow.
- Supporting Ongoing Milk Production
You will receive our clinically tested sample combo-feeding schedules with detailed information on how to make combo-feeding work for you.
Sample feeding schedules include:
- Temporary Supplementation Until Full Milk Supply Comes In
- Temporary Supplementation When Baby Is Not Nursing Effectively at Birth
- Extended Combo Feeding from Birth
- Combo-feeding while facilitating a Five-Hour Block of Uninterrupted Sleep
- Breastfeeding While Giving Bottles During Times of Low Milk Production
- Formula Feeding During Work Hours While Breastfeeding at Home
- Alternating Breastfeeding and Formula Throughout the Day
- Alternating Pumping and Formula-Feeding Throughout the Day
- Pumping, Then Expressed Milk Feeding with Formula as Needed
- Breastfeeding for “Dessert” After Bottle Feeding for Low-Supply Mothers/Parents
To explore the world of combo-feeding and gain valuable insights for successful combination feeding, our book is now available at all major retailers.
Links to order our book:
*Note: All proceeds from our book will be used to create free or low-cost, up-to-date content for families. Your support will help us continue to provide valuable resources for everyone. Thank you for being a part of our mission to support families everywhere!
We encourage you to visit our Fed Is Best Book Webpage for FREE infant feeding resources and information about our affordable infant feeding courses.
What Are Parents Saying About Combo Feeding?
Our Fed Is Best Book Kindle Review
“The current breastfeeding guidelines are dangerous. Infants are being harmed. My firstborn was harmed when I was told by multiple professionals not to supplement, even when I was making absolutely no milk for him. I had to “break guidelines” and was shamed by lactation consultants and nurses when I decided not to let my tiny screaming son starve anymore. Finally, I don’t feel crazy. This book has research studies to back the information and is highly detailed in its rationales. (As for my story supplemented and I *still* went on to exclusively breastfeed just fine for over a year. My newborn son never needed to starve and suffer to have a successful breastfeeding journey).”
“As a parent about to have another newborn, I am thankful for this book! It removes the shame and provides details on how to properly feed your baby in whatever way *you* decide, including exclusively breastfeeding, exclusively formula feeding, or a combo. (Yes! You can combo feed! This is the first resource I have ever found that includes so many details on combo feeding!) This book has increased my confidence in my ability to make informed decisions for my new baby! I am giving this book to anyone about to have a baby. Fed is best!”
“As a first-time mom who has IGT, combo-feeding using an SNS system allowed me to breastfeed my baby until he was 20 months old. My baby refused the bottle but loved nursing and never minded the tubing.” — Alleigh
“I ended up combo-feeding my baby for nine months. At that point, she weaned herself from breastfeeding, and we continued using formula and my small stash of frozen breastmilk in a bottle or sippy cup.”
Here are more articles about combo-feeding:
9 Things Only Moms Who Combo-Feed Actually Know (romper.com)
