If you are breastfeeding, it is safe to supplement your baby’s feedings with formula. Some mothers choose to supplement breastfeeding with formula when they return to work. Sometimes it is difficult for them to pump regularly, but they don’t want to breastfeed altogether.
Others supplement because their babies were not getting enough breast milk for adequate growth. And some moms do it because they want the freedom to have a family member or nanny give their baby a bottle from time to time.
Whatever your reason for deciding to supplement your baby’s feedings with formula, remember that some breast milk is better than none, so the longer you can continue to breastfeed your baby, the better, even if it’s only two or three times a day. Although hipp baby formula contains the nutrients your baby needs, it does not have the immunological factors that breast milk contains to protect your baby from several illnesses.
Remember that your breast milk production will depend on your baby’s demand, so the less you breastfeed, the less milk you will produce. Once you start supplementing your baby’s feedings with formula, even if you only replace one feeding a day, the amount of milk you have will decrease (as long as you don’t replace the missed feeding). On the other hand, if you only substitute one or two feedings a week, you won’t notice much change in your milk production.
If you are concerned about your baby’s weight, growth, or feeding, talk to your baby’s doctor. Here are some indications to call your doctor:
Your newborn has lost more weight than usual. During the first five days of life, babies lose 5 to 10% of their birth weight. After the fifth day, they begin to gain weight, gaining about 28 g (1 ounce) a day, and after two weeks, they should be back to their birth weight.
Your baby over five days old has fewer than six wet diapers in 24 hours.
Your baby is fussy or sleepy most of the time.
You don’t feel your breasts getting softer or emptier after each feeding, which could mean your baby is not getting the milk he or she needs.
When can you start supplementing with formula?
If you have a newborn, it’s best to wait until he is at least one month old before you start supplementing with formula. Lactation consultants recommend that you wait for at least this long to establish a feeding routine and an adequate milk supply so that the amount of milk you produce will not be overly affected when you offer an occasional bottle of formula to your baby.
Most newborns tend to refuse a bottle or other feeding sources. If your baby is older than one month, you can offer formula whenever you want.
If you start feeding formula regularly, your baby may begin to reject your breast. For the baby, sucking from a bottle requires less effort, and the milk comes out more quickly, so if your little one is a big eater, he or she will prefer the flow of milk from a bottle.
You will also notice that your baby will go longer without eating after a meal with formula. This is because the recipe is not as easily digested as breast milk, so babies feel full longer.
It is also possible that your baby may go two or three days without going to the bathroom because the formula has more protein, which slows down the digestive system. Be sure to compare the ingredients of the recipes and consult your pediatrician; you will see that he/she will indeed speak well of hipp baby formula.