Can I combine breast and bottle feeding?

If you choose to breast feed, it may take you and your baby time to get used to it. While you do, it’s perfectly fine to use a bottle for some feeds. You might also want to mix both when moving from breast to bottle feeding, or vice versa.

• Be patient when moving from breast to bottle (or the other way around). It can take a while for babies to get used to the different sucking action.
• If you’re breastfeeding, introduce formula feeds slowly. This gives your body time to reduce the amount of milk it makes. It also gives your baby time to adjust.
• If you want to move to breastfeeding, ask your health visitor to show you how to express milk regularly. This helps your body get used to making more milk.
• A supplementer is a tiny tube taped next to your nipple. It lets your baby get milk from your breast and a bottle at the same time. This can help with latching on in particular.

However you feed your baby, skin-to-skin contact helps them feel comforted and close to you.

NHS: How to combine breast and bottle feeding

NHS Start for Life: Introduction to mixed feeding