r/combinationfeeding

I went into pregnancy thinking I’d try to breastfeed but wouldn’t beat myself up if it didn’t work. Then my baby kept losing weight. We met with LCs, started supplementing, triple‑feeding, doing everything they told us. I was barely sleeping and felt like my whole life became latch, pump, bottle, repeat.

Four months in, she’s mostly nursing, and I’m proud of that. But it’s still incredibly hard. The first feeds of the day go well, then my supply drops and she gets frustrated. Her doctor wants her latched every two hours because she’s gaining on the low end of normal. By late afternoon, she’s dissatisfied and crying at the breast, and we’re back to bottles and pumping. We’ve added formula again. Finding time to pump is so hard. My baby just wants to be held and I can’t do that easily when attached to the pump.

For me, breastfeeding is maybe 20% this beautiful bonding experience and 80% struggle and anxiety.

And even though I fully support formula and she’s doing great with it, the idea of quitting breastfeeding makes me sob. I don’t know if it’s hormones, the fear of regret, or just how much I’ve poured into this. I cry about breastfeeding almost every day, but I keep putting off the decision to stop.

Seeing it come easily to others hurts. Hearing people shame formula or say things like “just latch more” makes me so angry. I’m worn down. I’m trying so hard. And it’s just really hard.

But why can’t I allow myself to just let it go?

We're hosting an AMA with our very own u/TabFromCimilre, and she's ready to answer your questions!

Hi, I'm Tab! A Certified Lactation Counselor, Marketing Manager at Cimilre, and mom of three.

I know firsthand that every parent's feeding journey looks different. Whether you're exclusively pumping, breastfeeding, combination feeding, or still figuring out what works, I'm here for all of it. I believe that the right support and reliable information make all the difference, and no question should ever feel too small or too overwhelming to ask.

Starting: Thursday, May 28 at 10:00 AM EST

Open for 48 hours, drop in whenever works for you

Where: r/CimilreBreastPumps

Ask me anything about:

- Flange fit and pump setup

- Exclusive pumping, breastfeeding, or combo feeding

- Output and supply concerns

- When your insurance pump just isn't cutting it (we'll also be chatting about our Second Chance Pump Program)

- Honestly, whatever's on your mind, no question is off limits

Drop your questions in the AMA, and I'll tackle them once we go live. No one should have to navigate their feeding journey alone. 🤍

My 5mo has been in a sleep regression for the past 3 weeks. He’s waking every hour and a half through the night (before this he was sleeping through the night so well from 3 months 😩) I’ve tried to hang in there but he gets very upset and sort of angry cries on the breast, clamping down and pulling back and on very little sleep I’m finding it hard and getting sore nipples. Also can’t sleep during day due to having another child so have introduced a bottle of formula tonight has anyone had any success with this?
He takes bottle well as has had them with expressed milk since birth on occasion but I make “just enough” and pumping has been gruelling

Looking for experiences similar to mine. I’ve had a really emotional and difficult feeding journey….had dreams of exclusive nursing and a baby with oral ties and inefficient transfer. Had ties addressed and did physio and two months of triple feeding later I gave up on my dream and decided to just pump because it was killing me mentally and her transfer was improving but barely. LO still latches for comfort particularly when sleepy but she is 95% bottle fed. The pumping is absolutely killing me and really starting to affect my mental health. She is 4 months old and as much as I would love to keep giving her breast milk, I know I am going to transition to formula soon. She takes formula fine as we’ve been giving her one bottle a day to see how she adjusts. I’ve been slowly cutting pumps and I’m currently down to 4/day which isn’t bad and I’m still making enough for her but I really want to be done. I get so anxious and feel sick everytime I have to pump. I dream of being done forever but I have such guilt about quitting when I have a good supply.

So my question is this- for those of you who ended up quitting EP and transitioning to formula, was it a positive experience? Did you wish you had stuck it out longer? Did you wish you had quit sooner? I’m hoping even if I quit I can still nurse her for comfort because I love the bonding experience and I’m scared to let go of it because it’s been so hard for me to come to terms with not being able to nurse exclusively. I just don’t wanna regret anything.

My baby is formula fed, he’s also in the 99th percentile (4.130kg at birth). I had no ambition of exclusively breastfeeding, he eats a LOT, my milk supply doesn’t seem to be there, I always had sensitive nipples and pumping makes me squeamish, but I still wanted to provide him with some antibodies. Extracting colostrum by hand doesn’t bother me, but I only get very little amounts. I gave birth on Wednesday so maybe my supply will still increase with time, but I’m just wondering if there are still any benefits in feeding him 1ml per feed in case my supply doesn’t increase? I just want to give him whatever I can.

Ive recently determined that my LO has CMPA after introducing some formula. My eldest also had severe CMPA and only had success on prescription Amino acid formula. We are in Canada so were able to get a prescription and coverage for Puramino.

We combo feed so I will be cutting out what little dairy I consume. I am wondering if anyone has had some positive experiences and success on the store bought hypoallergenic formulas such as nutramigen? Or if I should head right to the pediatrician to go the route of Puramino again?

I will be making a pediatrician appointment regardless but I need a referral first, so for now I want to do what I can to minimize symptoms until then and would love to hear some experiences from fellow parents who have gone through the same!

Thanks in advance!

I guess compared to exclusive breastfeeding, which isn’t an option for us.

I start each feed with breastfeeding which takes 8-20 mins; then top off with usually a 4oz bottle which it takes her usually 45 mins to finish.

She doesn’t spit up that much so maybe she needs a faster nipple? I’m worried she will start spitting up Too much. Currently using level 1. I have also considered stopping breastfeeding but not sure I’m ready. She is gaining weight perfectly and eats around 20-23oz of formula per day so I’m not sure how much breast milk she’s getting or if it’s worth continuing.

I am combo feeding, and my 12 week old is normally fine with formula but sometimes, and usually in the evening, she ONLY wants to nurse. She screams as if being tortured if she doesn’t get it. My husband insists on trying to give her a bottle and gets very frustrated that she won’t take it from him. He’s upset that he can’t calm her the way that he could our first daughter (slightly preferred him and preferred formula). I try to take her and he snaps that he’s not done trying and will tell me to stop hovering. He’ll take her to another room. She screams and cries until he finally gives up and lets me take her. I have the same conversation with him almost daily. It’s not your fault that you can’t give her what she wants.

He prides himself on being capable, so I think it’s an ego hit that he can’t settle her. I guess I don’t really need advice because the solution is simple. Just give me my crying baby. Just needed to rant.

Hello lovelies. Going from combo fed to EBF. The day before yesterday we only had 8 total oz formula (2 oz bottles) to top her off, yesterday she had 3oz at 9 am and thats the last shes had!! We haven’t done bottles at night for a while, only BF.

I have just been latching her like crazy. I am so worried she is hungry and Im unaware. Surely she would cry or seem unhappy right?? She does smack lips some but she kinda does that anyway. Super happy and alert and enough wet diapers. I keep thinking even if she needs a little more if I latch her a ton then in a day or so she would definitely be getting plenty but I cant stand the thought of her being hungry. She chews on her hands literally constantly no matter how much shes had so I cant use that as an indicator either.

I planned on EBF from beginning just didnt work out that way for us but Im thinking we definitely can now! Pumps wont pull milk from me no matter the flange size. Only when I was engorged did it work.

Hi! FTM, my baby is one month old today, and I have been pumping and giving her breast milk since she’s been born. She has been extremely fussy and gassy. Screaming, crying. Pulling her legs and just down right cranky. My supply dipped so I spoke to her pediatrician about supplementing her and started with his direction Similac Sensitive 360 total care, and she seems to be doing extremely well on it, no gas, no fussiness, nothing. The last bottle I gave her, I mixed half breast milk and half formula (as my pediatrician said is okay to do) and she has been non stop crying and screaming in pain.

I am thinking of switching exclusively to the formula (which breaks my heart) as I think this is the best thing for her. Has anyone else had an experience like this?

Any advice helps. Thanks in advance!🫶

I am currently combo feeding my 4 month old about 60% breast (directly and expressed) and 40% formula.
We’ve had a really rough breastfeeding journey which I won’t go into but it’s really taken its toll on me. I also don’t have the help I thought I would have from family so I’m just needing a break from pumping and struggling to breastfeed him everyday.
What is the minimum amount of feeds/ pumping I can get away with in a day and still maintain a supply. It doesn’t have to be a full supply so for instance if I am able to breastfeed him once during the day and then pump once through the night is that enough to keep that level of supply going?
I am not really ready to end breastfeeding altogether if I can help it but I equally don’t have the mental strength to continue with 6-8 pumps/feeds each day with the way things are.
I will consider seeing a lactation specialist as a separate issue but for now I really just want to know what the bare minimum I can get away with is

Is it possible to go 12 hours through the day without nursing/pumping at all?

My LO is 10 weeks, and I’ll be returning to work in a couple weeks. I currently nurse for night feeds, nurse a couple times during the day, pump once or twice a day depending on convenience, and formula for the rest. Baby probably gets like 1/3 or 1/2 of their diet as formula, varies daily because we don’t really have a schedule.

When I go back to work I really don’t want to pump during the work day, it will just be logistically challenging and add to my work stress. But I’m not ready to give up breast feeding completely yet. Could it be possible for me to only nurse/pump between 7pm to 7am? Have any of you done something similar?

My LO is 9 weeks old and we’ve been combi feeding since birth. We get a couple of sole breastfeeding feeds in a day, but most are BF with a formula top up and at night we bottle feed and I pump (I only produce enough for 1 or 1/2 a feed). We’re prep either full bottles or a big bottle of formula (which we pour out from) a couple of times a day and store it in the fridge, then heat up the milk when we feed him.

We’re hitting a couple of challenges with prepping his bottles. Firstly, he goes from zero to 100 when he’s hungry, or hasn’t been fed enough or there is no more breast milk. Seriously no feeding cues to “I’m starving why haven’t you fed me yet”. The process of warming up the milk takes so long when he’s screaming the house down, I want to feed him as quick as possible. The amount he’s drinking is also increasing and varies from feed to feed, so we don’t always prepare or heat up the right amount, so we can extend the feed and how unhappy he is as we wait for the next bottle to warm up. We’re also going away in a few weeks and have been using the pre-made bottles when we go out and they’re such a faff/are so expensive.

I’d love to hear what others are doing, how are you preparing formula quickly for your LO at night, in the day at home and when you’re out? Is there anything you’d recommend we get to help with this?

I have always heard breast milk is supply and demand. as well as hormone driven. but i read on google (google ai... so i take it with a grain of salt) that by 3 months pp, your breast production regulates, and now is supply-and demand, rather than hormone driven?

i am almost 3 months pp. i have always had an under supply and really struggling with it. i cannot continue triple feeding for the next year. IF the above statement is true... would i have more luck boosting my supply with pumping, than i have been? i've been triple feeding for maybe 2-3 weeks now (roughly.. i definitely do miss a few pumps, maybe 50% of after feedings do i pump. i try to as much as i can but i just can't always squeeze it in.) and i've not seen a whole lot of difference in my supply i don't think. it's hard to know since im not exclusively pumping though. i always put him on the breast first and then pump. i only pump half an ounce to maybe an ounce and a half at times.

so is it true that 3 months pp, it is supply and demand driven instead of hormone driven?? and if it is, would i potentially have more luck boosting my supply by then?

We had so much issue with reflex in the beginning no my five month old boy only takes a bottle when he’s completely laying down
I know it’s extremely bad for his reflux and I think it’s quite dangerous as well…?
Any mamas or Papas here having the same experience?

Hello,

My 3 month old is in the 30th percentiles and has been steadily dropping per week (38% to 36% to now 34%). Should I top up the daytime feeds with more formula (currently 3 oz of formula typically) or reintroduce nighttime formula bottles to increase weight gain?

Thanks!

LO is 4 days old , has lost 10% of his weight and I am 4 days post c-section. My milk hasn’t come in yet and I’ve been trying to place him on the breast and supplement with formula every 3 hours for the last couple of days.

My nipples though are so cracked and blistered that it hurts me so much to even place him on the boob. And I guess without placing him on the boob and just massaging it, I am affecting my supply.

I have no idea how to proceed from hereon as it seems like a circular problem. I have tried lanolin , hydrogel pads and warm compresses but nothing seems to work.

I have a 3 year old son who I exclusively formula fed from birth. I was never interested in breast feeding and quite frankly with being a first time mom thought pumping might be too much too. My son was extremely colicky and had a dairy intolerance. It took us almost 4 months before we settled on Elecare and his behavior improved. He still had an intolerance until about 18 months old.

I am 28 weeks pregnant now with my second child. Being a more experienced mom- I am still not open to breastfeeding but am now very interested in pumping. More specifically- most likely a combo feeding approach of formula and pumping. My question is two parts :

1. Has anybody here had a first child with a dairy intolerance found that by giving their second child breast milk they have either not had the intolerance at all or found their stomachs/temperaments to be better?

2. Does anybody have any feedback on a formula / pumping approach and if so can you break it down from birth?

I appreciate any and all help.

My 8 week old is healthy and takes about 50% BM + 50% formula. We are looking to transition to powdered formula from RTF. With RTF, I prep several bottles at night for the following day containing half BM, half formula since it’s safe to do so with RTF. Unfortunately, I’m super paranoid about what water to use at home to mix powdered formula with and it has me second guessing if it’s safe to prep several bottles in advance like I did with RTF. I live in the US and usually drink from the filtered water in fridge. If I do this, can I prep bottles overnight for the following day (24 hour rule in mind)?

My baby is 8 weeks old. We have been combo feeding since 4 weeks old as I was in a lot of pain from exclusively breast feeding and nipples actually started bleeding. Multiple nurses and lactation consultants have said his latch is good, very strong, no ties have been found. Introduced 2 bottles a day just to give my nipples a break once in awhile and allow my partner to assist with feedings which he enjoys. We are using Philip Avent Natural Response bottles (size 2 nipples). He was easily finishing 4 oz in less than 10 minutes so we recently purchased the 8 oz bottles and he is finishing 6 oz without issue in less then 15 minutes. I am able to pump 5 oz easily (5 minutes of pumping per side) so I am assuming he isnt starving the rest of the day after I feed him. He seems content and is eating every 1.5-2 hours.

Is there a point where you limit how much they would eat from a bottle? It seems that most posts I read have babies around 8 weeks old only eating 4oz or less every 2 hours. Unsure if I should continue to increase the size of the bottles until he doesnt drink the entire thing dry in a 15 minute span? Thank you