Combination Feeding: What It Is and How to Make It Work

Can I tell you something I notice a lot in my work?

The pressure around feeding is enormous. Enormous and exhausting and, quite often, completely counterproductive.

There’s a message out there — well-intentioned, I’m sure — that breastfeeding is best, formula is a last resort, and any departure from exclusive breastfeeding is something to feel apologetic about. And I want to gently but firmly push back on that, because what it does in practice is leave a lot of families feeling like failures when the reality is that they’ve simply found what works for them.

Combination feeding — mixing breast milk and formula — is one of those things that works brilliantly for many families and is rarely talked about honestly. So let’s talk about it.

What is combination feeding?

Combination feeding (sometimes called mixed feeding) means feeding your baby both breast milk and formula. This might look like breastfeeding during the day and giving a formula feed in the evening. It might mean topping up a breastfeed with formula if your baby is still hungry. It might mean pumping and offering expressed milk alongside formula. There’s no one way to do it.

Why do families choose combination feeding?

There are lots of reasons, and none of them need justifying. Some common ones: breastfeeding has been painful or difficult and you want to continue at a reduced level while your body or your baby adjusts. You want your partner to be able to share feeding responsibilities. You’re returning to work and a combination approach fits better with your schedule. Your supply hasn’t fully established and you want to make sure your baby is getting enough. Or you’ve simply decided that it’s what feels right for your family.

All of those are valid. Full stop.

How do you make combination feeding work?

If you want to maintain your milk supply while introducing formula, the key is to keep breastfeeding or pumping regularly — your supply works on a supply-and-demand basis, so the more often milk is removed, the more your body produces. If you start replacing breastfeeds with formula, your supply will naturally decrease.

Introducing a bottle to a breastfed baby can sometimes cause what’s known as “nipple confusion,” though in practice many babies switch between breast and bottle without any difficulty. Paced bottle feeding — holding the bottle horizontally and allowing the baby to draw the milk out slowly — can help bridge the gap.

It’s also worth knowing that any amount of breast milk is beneficial. Even if you’re only breastfeeding once or twice a day, that matters. You don’t have to do it all or do none of it.

The most important thing

A well-fed baby is a healthy baby. A mum who isn’t completely depleted and overwhelmed is a better-supported mum. Those two things matter more than any feeding ideology.

If you’re thinking about combination feeding, or you’re already doing it and wondering if you’re doing it “right,” please come and have a chat. I’ve supported families through all kinds of feeding journeys and I will never, ever make you feel judged for the choices that are right for yours. 💛