How to Supplement With Formula Without Compromising Your Milk Supply?

Colostrum is the first milk that is very good for the baby as it has a lot of antibodies which help in building the immunity of the baby. Mother’s milk is a boon for the babies, the ideal source to offer the baby the required nourishment. Even though mother’s milk is best for the baby, sometimes only having mother’s milk does not suffice. There can be many reasons for this. Some related to the milk supply, some to the feeding habits and patterns of the baby and a few related to the delivery of the babies. In such cases, it becomes important to supplement with formula.

Is it Okay to Supplement With Formula?

Mother’s milk undoubtedly is the best and most important for the baby. But having said that, it is totally fine to supplement the feed with formula if it is good for the baby’s health. Health practitioners advise that babies should be given mother’s milk exclusively till they are six months old, after which solids can be given.

However, under different situations parents can use formula as a supplement after consulting with a doctor. This could be in the case of low milk production or even when milk supply is in excess which is not used completely by the baby.

Signs and Symptoms That Your Baby Needs Supplemental Formula

Every baby’s body is different and so are the feeding cycles or requirements. A lot depends on the weight of the baby at birth, this determines the required weight at the end of three, six and twelve months respectively.

There are few symptoms which indicate that the baby should be given a supplemental formula. Some of them are

The baby is having a weight loss which is exceeding 7% of the birth weight in the initial days post-delivery. It is important that within two weeks the baby is back to its birth weight.
Baby is 5 days old but uses less than six diapers in a day’s time, then the same should be informed to the doctor.
The baby has extremely short or excessively long feeding sessions.
Baby shows signs of lethargy or is fussy throughout the day.
In case the baby takes a feed for less than 10 minutes or takes almost an hour to feed, it indicates that the baby is not getting adequate milk from the mother.

How to Start to Supplement With Formula?

Once the doctor gives a go-ahead to start supplementing with formula for the baby, it is equally important to know the correct procedure to follow. The correct way of supplementing the formula includes the following steps.

When trying to supplement with formula, it is important to reduce the breastfeeding sessions and then slowly offer formula. This even helps in preventing clogged milk ducts, breast engorgement etc.
One can start reducing feed every three to eight days. This process takes time, so it is important to hold on and observe the baby’s reaction to the formula. This can even take a week for the baby to adapt to it.
When the mother’s milk gets replaced by formula feeds, the milk production from the breasts also tends to decrease as the baby latches less, this can lead to breast engorgement. Thus, it is important to pump a sufficient amount of milk to feel better.

When to Start to Supplement With Formula?

The right age to supplement the baby with formula as per the health practitioners, lactation specialists etc is till they are three weeks old. This is important as the feeding routine and milk supply get adequate time to get used to.

Breastfeeding from the start gives breast milk to the baby in whatever quantity it can. The more the baby latches, the better the milk production. In case there happens any medical problems like issues in breast supply or weight gain issues, the doctor will advise for supplementing with formula at earlier stages only.

How Will Supplementing With Formula Affect My Baby?

Supplementing with formula helps with improving the health of the baby. Apart from these, there are other changes that you can observe.

The milk fed through the bottle comes at a faster rate than the breast making the baby prefer the bottle to breast.
If the baby keeps getting regular formula supplement, it can refuse breastfeeding.
The feeding intervals differ for breastfeeding and formula. While the former gets digested easily and the baby gets hungry soon, and the latter takes time to digest keeping the baby satiated for a longer time span.
The color of the baby’s stool after having formula will be more form and brown in color with a strong smell as well. The bowel movements with formula results in lesser frequency of bowel movements.

Supplementing With Formula With an Over Supply

When there is an overproduction of milk, but it is not used fully by the baby, it goes waste since you cannot store it for long. In such cases of oversupply the mothers can choose supplementing it with the formula. This can happen if the mothers plan to wean off the baby or decide to lower the breastfeeding sessions or expressing the milk as well.

Supplementing With Formula With a Low Supply

When the mother is not able to produce enough milk, or the supply of the breastmilk is not adequate, the baby needs to be given a supplement with formula for adequate nutrition. The supplement can be given after the breastfeeding session if at all required.

Top 6 Benefits of Supplementing Breast Milk With Formula Milk

Supplementing with formula is always done on the doctor’s recommendation. It is ideally given under situations where there is an issue with milk supply or with weight gain problems. There are some benefits of supplementing though which cannot be overlooked, and they are given as under:

1. Breastfeeding Sessions Are Easy to Manage

Feeding as well as pumping the milk can be cumbersome but supplementing with feeds enables the mother to get some breather and they find it easy to nurse the baby as they can breastfeed as well as give the formula to the baby

2. Lesser Worry About Pumping While At Work

Once supplementing with formula begins, mothers don’t have to worry about pumping milk so that the baby is not left hungry. They can instead concentrate on work while the baby when they are away at work. When they are with the baby, they can nurse them as well. Even the body works according to the supply as per the nursing pattern.

3. It is More Flexible

A combination of breastfeed and formula feed can make scheduling easier for the mother as she need not worry about pumping or other storage issues of the breastmilk.

4. More Sleeping Time For the Mother

Since breast milk is easy to digest, the baby starts feeling hungry very frequently, which disturbs the mother’s sleep but offering supplements to the baby enables the baby to keep full for longer and gives more time for the mother to sleep well.

5. You Can Nurse Even With a Low Milk Supply

Any mother who has medical issues that result in lesser milk supply will need to supplement with a formula for adequate nutrition for the baby. You can nurse the baby when you can and supplement with formula at the other times.

6. Supplementing Helps in Easy Weaning

Many times mothers start supplementing with formula to easily wean off the baby. Once babies get comfortable with formula, it becomes easier for the mother to stop breastfeeding.

Drawbacks of Supplementing With Formula Milk

Formula supplement is good for the health of the baby but has its own limitations and some of them are given as under:

Giving formula supplements to the baby does not help in building immunity.
Formula supplement does not help in responding to the different requirements of the baby’s diet.
The formula has no relation to increasing the intelligence of the baby.
Breast milk has long-term effects for the baby which the formula supplement does not.
Formula-fed babies may be at a higher risk of developing obesity in the long run.

Top 3 Types of Formula Supplement Available in Market

Formula supplements help the baby with proper weight gain, but it is equally important to choose the correct formula supplement as well. There are many different types of formula available in the market and they are:

1. Regular Formula

This formula is made from modified cow’s milk and is given to babies who don’t have any allergies. It is simply a supplement to mother’s milk. Doctors will recommend this formula to babies who need supplement and do not have any digestion or allergy issues.

2. Lactose resistant formula

Babies may sometimes be allergic to the lactose component present in milk. Such babies can be given lactose resistant formula or formula that does not contain the lactose component.

3. Hypoallergenic formula

Babies who are allergic to cow’s milk can have this formula under the pediatrician’s supervision and guidance.

4. Soy formula

This formula is made with soybeans and given to babies who have issues with digesting cow milk. This should, however, be given after six months and not after birth.

Tips to Choose the Correct Formula For Supplementing

There are certain pointers that help in choosing the correct formula and they are given as under:

1. Formula Containing DHA and ARA

Since formula milk is given as a supplement for breastmilk, it is important that it contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which is vital for the baby’s brain and eyes as it is an Omega 3 Fatty acid. Similarly, AHA (Arachidonic acid) is an omega 6 acid that is important for building immunity and the functioning of the skeletal and nervous system as well.

It is thus advisable to go for formulas having which the expert recommends as many formulas have varied amounts of ARA and DHA.

2. Formula That is Easy to Digest

It is better to go for formulas that are as near to breast milk as possible comprise of whey and other proteins that help in proper digestion and lets the baby grow and develop well.

3. Balanced and Adequate Nutrition

It is important to go for formula milk which offers essential nutrients like the mother’s milk till the baby starts having solids which is at around six months. These nutrients help in building immunity and protecting the child against any infections.

Thus, it is a known fact that mother’s milk is the best for a baby yet if due to circumstances formula milk must be given, always take your doctors recommendation and remember that is for the baby to thrive well. Always consult a doctor in case of any confusion and don’t take the decision by yourself.

FAQ’s

1. Will Supplementing With Formula Affect My Milk Supply?

The breast milk supply is totally dependent on the demand of the baby as many babies feed on demand as per doctor’s instructions. If the nursing or pumping is less, the breast will produce less milk and vice-versa.

2. How Often Should I Pump if I’m Supplementing With Formula?

There is no set time limit for pumping as all babies are different and they consume different amounts of milk, and this also varies as they grow.

3. Can You Give a Breastfed Baby Formula For One Night?

The baby feed in many ways and there is no set pattern to follow for feeding the baby. It is normal to give the baby formula feed for one night if the need be as it keeps them full for long, yet it is best to seek the doctor’s advice before you do this.