Every time you don t feed baby from the breast your milk ducts get the signal that there s less demand and produce less milk.
Best formula to give a breastfed baby.
How to choose a formula.
With so many different types it can be difficult to know where to begin.
It s best to do it gradually to give your body time to reduce the amount of milk it makes this helps lower your chance of getting uncomfortable swollen breasts or mastitis.
But breastfeeding doesn t work for every family and you may need or choose to use formula full time or give it in addition to breast milk.
While health experts recommend feeding babies breast milk exclusively until solids are introduced usually around 4 to 6 months depending on your baby s readiness parents may choose to supplement with.
Some are even designed specifically for supplementing because they contain lutein an essential nutrient found in breast milk as well as prebiotics designed to keep baby s stool soft similar to that of exclusively breastfed.
Any amount of breast milk is beneficial and it s okay to supplement with formula if that s what works for your family.
Thus she won t be in danger of getting anemia as she breastfeeds and passes on her own iron to the child.
Choosing the right formula can be overwhelming.
If you re combining breastfeeding with formula feeds both you and your baby can carry on enjoying the benefits of breastfeeding.
Similac is a great brand and a very reliable one in terms of baby formula.
Its additional iron content is not only beneficial to the baby but also to the mother.
Introduce the formula slowly.
This one is a good option if you are looking to supplement your baby s breastfeeding with formula.
The kind of formula you choose does matter.
Giving your baby formula in addition to breastfeeding is called supplementing it s completely ok and perfectly safe to do and many families choose this type of combination feeding method whether out of necessity e g low breast milk supply convenience or simply a personal choice.
To avoid a dip in your supply pump when you can to make up for the missed breastfeeding session.
Is it okay to supplement my breastfed baby s diet with formula.
For some babies that s a major understatement.
It all depends on your individual baby.
Most important though the best baby formula for breastfed babies is less about the product and more about the protocol.
There are many benefits to breastfeeding and it s recommended by the american academy of pediatrics aap as the optimal source of nutrition through your baby s first year of life.
You can give it to your baby as often as they are hungry without having any concerns.
If you choose to introduce infant formula.
When a baby is solely breastfed it can be challenging to introduce formula at first.
