Making the Choice to Combo Feed Babies

Are you a mom whose maternity leave is coming to an end? Or maybe you stay home with your family and are so busy running around, you cannot find the time to even sit. Perhaps, your partner wants to be included with your child’s feedings. Regardless of your reason for being here, the choice to combo feed babies is a great way to continue and extend your breastfeeding journey! 

I have always been a working mom and breastfeeding became a personal goal of mine. I wanted to continue with it after my maternity leave was over, so pumping gave me that opportunity. It took off the pressure from having to exclusively nurse my baby and I could take time for myself and share feeding with my husband and extended family members. Pumping also allowed us to continue giving breastmilk after we weaned from nursing.

Are you interested in combo feeding? You are in the right place! Read on to learn all about how it works.

How Do You Combo Feed?

The best thing about making the choice to combo feed babies is that you can personalize it for you and your family! 

Combination feeding is when you pump in order to give your baby a bottle of breastmilk, but you still nurse when you want to or when you are home. For example, a working mom may pump during the day, but nurse their baby to sleep or in the hours they are home. You might also choose to combo feed babies so that your partner can take over a feeding during the night, giving you some much-needed rest! 

If you plan on combo feeding, it’s extremely important to have a bra that can allow you to do both—That way, you don’t have to change between nursing and pumping sessions. Our Amelia Pumping & Nursing Crop Cami is not only functional for nursing and pumping, but it is also comfortable enough to wear throughout the day! Added bonus– they are super cute and stylish! 

Benefits of Combo Feeding Babies

Combination feeding is a great choice for moms with a busy lifestyle. So what are the benefits? There are many, and it is impossible to include them all, but some of these benefits include:

• More sleep at night for mom while someone gives baby a bottle
• The opportunity to continue breastfeeding after you return to work
• You can share the experience of feeding with your loved ones
• Occasional bottle-feeding can prevent you from feeling touched out
• You can wean from nursing but still continue giving baby breastmilk
• You can still have that added connection of nursing for certain feeding sessions

Learn More About Combo Feeding Babies

If you want to learn more about how you can successfully combo feed babies, it would be a good idea to find a local lactation consultant who can give you all of the details on your supply, moving between the bottle and breast, and so much more! I would never have personally made it multiple years breastfeeding each of my babies without the help of a lactation consultant. Or if in-person help is not your thing, Tommy’s has a great article that answers all of your questions about combo-fed babies!

Ever since having my 2nd baby, I have had to juggle the schedule of a toddler while also feeding my infant at home. My routine is to pump the night before, leaving a bottle of fresh breastmilk for Grandmom to feed. I always pump on the go while driving to and from preschool drop off and work meetings, making additional bottles for the next day. As soon as I get home with my little one, we snuggle up and nurse for the remainder of our feeding sessions. Any extra breastmilk that I don’t use will get added to the freezer. My freezer supply will be used when needed or in emergency if I didn’t leave enough fresh breastmilk. 

When it comes down to it, combo feeding a newborn or infant can be convenient for moms and their families. Not only do you get to keep all of the benefits of nursing, but you also get to continue doing what makes you happy, go back to work without stress, and allow your other family members to build a lasting bond with your baby. If combo feeding babies sounds like something that would work for your family, I encourage you to give it a try! 

Are you a breastfeeding mama who cannot quite find the perfect bra for you? Be sure to check out  Davin and Adley– we have a bra for every lifestyle. Loving these breastfeeding tips and want more? Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss information on our maternity, pumping, and nursing products!