Combi feeding / formula prep
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We used a Nuby - looks like a thermos flask but brigns boiling water down to the correct temp within a few minutes like magic. Started with the evening feed and also followed advice from the book 12 hours sleep by 12 weeks. Was struggling with my mental health too as having to pump following tongue the and was exhausted. Getting 10 hours straight sleep each night by 12 weeks old was a game changer as I felt much more resilient having slept myself.
We formula feed overnight, I’ve found that it helps me to get a bit more sleep and my partner does the night feeds while I pump. We make 3 bottles up at around 8:30pm, he has one around 9:30 for bed, usually a 2/3am and then a 6:30am. This varies slightly depending on when he wakes. We make the bottles in advance as that works best for us, then cool them under a tap and keep in the fridge. They are good for 24 hours in a fridge. I then feed on demand during the day, but because of pumping at night also can give a breast milk bottle if I need a break. We just warm the bottles before feeding from the fridge, either with a bottle warmer or a bowl of warm water x
Another recommendation for the nuby rapid cool, very good for on the go. You can either take a flask of boiling water out with you, or plan to ask for boiling water in cafes etc. The rapid cool gets the bottle ready in only a couple of minutes. We do also sometimes make bottles up in advance and keep them in a bag with a freezer pack if we know we are going to need to feed quickly when we get somewhere
Amazing thank you! Suddenly formula feed on the go doesn’t seem so scary. I really wished breastfeeding was going better but such is life. I’ll see if I pump as well or just give up on that option. I have stock in the freezer anyways
I breastfeed but have tried to offer formula recently, you absolutely need a nuby rapid cool, it’s literal magic 🤩
We started by doing formula for one night feed. It was easier for me to breastfeed on demand in the daytime. Then when he was only generally having 1 or 2 night feeds we started doing the last evening feed as formula too. When he was regular with milk rather than needing to be fed on demand, we increased the formula to a bottle in the day time as well and continued until we eventually stopped breastfeeding after 8.5 months combi feeding. We started by prepping the bottles in the evening, putting them in the fridge and then warming them but it was such a faff. We ended up getting a prep machine and it was the best decision. We always kept it clean, descaled, used the correct filters and checked the temperature so I was happy that it was safe but I understand not everyone will want to use one.
I had all the same issues you describe (including mastitis and breast feeding thrush 🙈) so decided to combi feed. My little one is 13wks old now. A few weeks ago we introduced a formula bottle before bed which she took well and seemed to fill her up for longer sleep. Once I knew her belly was used to the formula I started prepping 2 more bottles to take to bed with us and if she wakes up I use the prep machine to give her one of them and the second if needed. Then I just breast feed on demand all day. It took a couple days for my boobs to not get too full over night (I just used my haaka to relieve a little bit of milk in the night if I felt uncomfortable but by body got used to it quickly. ) As I get closer to going back to work ill just add another bottle in the day and then another until weaned off breast 🤞 then I will have done a full year like my older child did xx
I also found very quickly that pumping as well as breastfeeding and formula feeding was just an unnecessary task so stopped and feel now it’s a really good mix of giving breast milk on demand for ease when out and about but then also freedom for my partner/grandparents to help feed knowing she’ll take a bottle too. It’s given me so much freedom compared to my first baby as I had to exclusively breastfeed him xx
I replaced the last feed at night with formula to really fill them up before bed and pumped then (mostly for relief as I didn't get much out at night) and pumped again in the morning alongside breastfeeding. My partner then gave what I had pumped to our LO when she got in from work while I made dinner. We use a prep machine for formula feeds (all the time now as I've stopped breastfeeding)