When a woman does not have enough milk or she is forced to go to work, then the question arises of transferring the child to mixed feeding. In this case, the child receives an adapted formula in addition to breast milk. The transition to mixed feeding takes about two weeks. If a woman plans to return only breastfeeding, then in parallel measures should be taken to increase lactation.
Calculate the amount of supplement
The mixture, which can be ordinary or medicinal, is given based on the lack of food. Usually the amount of supplementary feeding is from 10% to 30%, but not more than 50%. The exact volume of the mixture is calculated by the pediatrician. If the mother does not plan to transfer to natural feeding, and the child is less than 4 months old, then the volume of the mixture injected is increased weekly. If the mother's lactation has returned to normal, then the mixture is gradually canceled.
When and how to feed
They are usually supplemented after breastfeeding, first they give the baby both breasts, then they offer supplementary feeding. The mixture is given either from a bottle that mimics breastfeeding as much as possible, or from a spoon. If your goal is to keep breastfeeding, avoid standard bottles that allow milk to flow unhindered. The baby should not have similar associations when he suckles and when he is receiving supplements. When a baby is breastfeeding, he clearly regulates the flow of milk and his breathing, the rubber nipple does not pause and gives out milk constantly - this is inconvenient, provokes air swallowing and coughing.
Supplements are distributed according to the number of feedings, trying to maintain intervals of 3 hours. That is, they are supplemented at 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 o'clock or at 6, 12, 18 o'clock, depending on the amount of required supplementary feed. At night and in between feedings, the baby should only eat breast milk. Night feeds stimulate lactation, and the absence of "easy-to-get milk" encourages the baby to suckle more actively. If the mother goes to work and is absent for part of the day, if possible, they adhere to the same scheme, giving supplementary feeding after feeding with expressed milk. Expressed milk is also offered either from a spoon or from a bottle that imitates sucking.
The mixture should be prepared strictly according to the instructions, and the cooking utensils, spoons and bottles should not only be washed, but also sterilized.
How to add supplements
Any mixture is a potential allergen, quickly introduced supplementation can provoke constipation, intestinal colic and dermatitis. Begin to supplement with a volume of 5-10 ml, gradually increasing the volume of the injected mixture to the required level. The main criterion for the correctness of your actions is the child's well-being, the absence of intestinal disruption and the absence of a rash.
Remember that a mixed-fed baby needs additional supplementation. From time to time offer him boiled water from a spoon or from a sippy cup.
Is the child eating enough?
If there is never a lot of breast milk and the baby can breastfeed as often as he wants, then formula feeding is a forced measure, where overfeeding is much worse than underfeeding. The criterion for the effectiveness of mixed feeding is stable, albeit small, weight gain, the well-being of the child and a sufficient amount of fluid secreted. If a child urinates more than 6-8 times a day, it means that the amount of food is enough for him. And, of course, the main criterion of effectiveness is the improvement of lactation and a gradual decrease in the amount of supplementary feeding.
Biased reasons for supplementation
You should only feed a hungry baby and when the baby really does not have enough breast milk. If it seems to the mother that there is not enough milk, since the breast is not poured, and the child is adding well and actively urinating, supplementation is not needed. Lack of milk when expressing is also not an argument - some women find it difficult to express, although the baby is full and feels calm. "Blue" milk - as mothers call the top milk, it is really almost transparent, as it contains mainly water, vitamins and milk sugar, the baby receives the bulk of the food at the end of feeding. Lactation crises associated with rapid growth and imperfect lactation can often be misinterpreted and the baby is transferred to formula.
If the transfer to mixed feeding is a forced measure and you want to breastfeed only, contact your pediatrician for help.
