This could be long so ill just ask the question....

[**Clare**]

Can you combine feed from birth?   

[Mama2boys]

yes did so with DS1 with no issues at all. And with DS2 as well we have used 1 bottle feed (EBM) every day and no issues.

[shivi]

I have one friend who did sucessfully right from day one.
BUT, day 1 to around 2 weeks, was one bottle during the night, then from 2 to 4 weeks she did two bottles during the late evening (a DF probably) and at night....and so on.

By 4 mths she had her DS (no2, the first was not a successful combined feeder) on 4 hr easy with the 7am, 11am and 7 pm from breast and the 3pm and df formula only....

She then dropped the 11am to formula as well when she went back to work but did pump in work - he was around 6 mths when this happened - but sucessfully kept up the 7am and 7pm till 12 mths!

She says herself she was very lucky with her DS 2 - he was very sucky and didn't mind what he sucked....DS 1 got lazy and rejected the breast at 4-6 weeks and was fully ff by 3 mths (she pumped EBM and gave what she could till then).

As for mine - I EBF but used bottles a lot with Ozzie  - one a day from around 2 weeks (ebm DF from DH) and then I was back in work fulltime from 4 mths so he was having 2-3 bottles a day....and again, he was fine, never batted an eyelid going from one to the other.

Emma was a totally different story. Number one, due to tongue tie, number two, she is much more sensitive to change, not as sucky as him, and because I was much much more scared of nipple confusion due to the tt and her sensitive nature that I gave up with bottles for DF very early on....

Hope that helps xxx

[mkaes]

I did one bottle a day with all 3 of mine from the first week. 1-2 a day was never a problem for any of them. However, when I went back to work, they were all a bit different. DD1 refused to nurse once she was getting 3 or more bottles a day, it was too hard. DD2 wouldn't take my milk out of the bottle, only formula, but she would nurse fine. So I only nursed day and night (even though I had plenty of ebm for her). DS doesn't seem to care. When I am working, he gets ebm in bottles (2-3 a day) and I nurse day and night. When I am home I just nurse him.

[**Clare**]

Thank you for sharing

Been thinking about this alot, I bottle fed my three boys and this will be our last baby and Im eager to give it a go.  There is ALOT stopping me.  I dont want to go into too much detail at the risk of sounding very odd but what Id really like to do is try baby on the breast on the first evening, when Im alone.  Which would mean her first ever feed being a bottle and the ones after that until nightime comes and we are alone.  Does anyone think that could work?! Then depending on how I get on I will go from there....

[shivi]

could you not ask to be left alone after delivery?

I know lots of visitors is common in the UK but maybe ask guests to visit you when you get home.

I was so so clumsy with both of mine in the early days, had to re-learn everything with Emma as she was a completely different feeder than Ozzie who it turns out was a pro from the beginning.

I gave birth in a really horrible public hospital where the bedside manner was awful along with lots more but once I was stitched up and Emma clothed we were left alone on the trolley with the mad lights off, just the two of us.

Big hugs, for sure you have lots going on. If you want to PM me I am here xxx

[mkaes]

It doesn't sound odd. You want to be alone from hospital staff or visitors? I had a c section, so when I BF for the first time each time, I couldn't feel most of my body yet, so I needed help getting them latched on. After they were latched, they left me alone. I couldn't stop hospital staff from barging in when they needed to while I was nursing, but I made visitors wait outside when I was feeding them.

[Mama2boys]

It doesn't sound odd. You want to be alone from hospital staff or visitors? I had a c section, so when I BF for the first time each time, I couldn't feel most of my body yet, so I needed help getting them latched on. After they were latched, they left me alone. I couldn't stop hospital staff from barging in when they needed to while I was nursing, but I made visitors wait outside when I was feeding them.

same here.

DS2 was a very hungry baby so depsite him being on the breast as much as I could the colostrum was not enough for him and I started off by supplementing with a  bottle and now he is EBM. Same thing with DS1 as both times milk did not come in till day 3 and both boys were hungry monsters

[**Clare**]

I don't know about being asked to be left alone straight away?! I'm not sure they'd oblige. And the wierd bit is I don't even want DH there I just want to be alone with my baby to try. If I feel ok about it then I will take it from there. I know this is prob really odd to some of you but I am extremely self conscious, even in front of my DH and this is one of the main reasons for me not having tried BF yet. I've spoken to my DH about it and he understands completely, it was his suggestion to try once he'd gone for the night but just wasn't sure how it'd work... Thanks for the advice so far, its really helping

[Mama2boys]

clare I think you can give it a shot and might help trying as soon as baby is born.

When DS2 was born after c-sec and they had weighed him and all the good stuff they left me and DH with baby in tghe recovery room for 2 hrs. In your case since your DH is understanding you could just ask him to stand outside for a bit go make calls etc.
I would talk to the doc/get DH to talk as soon as baby is here if you are a bit out of it and take it from there.

the night is always there as well

[aidenmc]

DS was very large 10 pounds 5 ounces at birth and had low blood sugar so the first thing he got was a bottle of formula from dh. He had no problem bf'ing after that. I'm sure you could ask to be left alone for the first feed. Often it happens very soon after birth but from my experience with my three sons you are kind of left to yourselves pretty soon after delivery if everything has gone well. I really hope you can make it work. Best of luck!

[First Time Mom]

(((hugs))) for wanting to try to do it alone, just know that it's not easy in the beginning! I would maybe pick a nurse that you particularly like and feel comfortable with and ask her to help you with the baby's latch. A good nurse can also teach you quickly how to de-latch a baby properly if they are not latched on right instead of pulling them off and hurting yourself in the process. If baby doesn't latch correctly it could be painful in the beginning. If you get your dh to help as well in the beginning, it can be helpful with propping the baby or pillows to help you get a good position that's comfortable for nursing.

When my first dd was born I read up on bfing so I was prepared that it would not be as easy as I thought. I got cracked nipples and loads of pain right from the start. I had to have nurses repeatedly help with dd's latch. Dh went to the store and picked up Lansinoh (can't remember the exact name of the cream), this helped with the cracking and I swear, without it I would not have been able to continue bfing! In time it got easier, and dd was able to go longer in between feeds which made it easier until in no time dd and I were old pros! This time around with ds it was easy for me and I went to the hospital prepared with the cream and we had no issues with latch or anything.

The only concern I would have with not putting your lo on the breast right away after birth is that in the beginning you need the constant nursing from lo for your milk to eventually come in (it can take days and this is normal-longer if you have a C/S), also a baby needs lots of practice nursing- it's just as hard for them in the beginning and they need lots of practice.

[mkaes]

(((hugs))) for wanting to try to do it alone, just know that it's not easy in the beginning! I would maybe pick a nurse that you particularly like and feel comfortable with and ask her to help you with the baby's latch.

It definitely helps to have someone help with the latch.