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Is it safe and recommended to supplement breast milk with formula when the mother's milk supply is not enough for the baby's needs? If so, how often should we give formula to our baby on a daily basis?
Artificial Intelligence Health Assistant's Answer

It is common for some mothers to experience difficulties in producing enough breast milk to meet their baby's needs. In such cases, it is perfectly fine and even recommended to supplement breast milk with formula. This ensures that your baby receives adequate nutrition and grows healthily.

The frequency of giving formula will depend on various factors such as the age of your baby, their weight, and their individual feeding patterns. As a general guideline, newborns typically feed every 2-3 hours, which means they may require formula supplementation at each feeding if the mother's milk supply is insufficient.

As your baby grows older, they may start feeding less frequently but consuming larger amounts of milk per feeding. In this case, you can adjust the frequency of giving formula accordingly. It is important to consult with your pediatrician or lactation consultant for personalized advice based on your baby's specific needs.

Remember that breastfeeding should still be encouraged and prioritized whenever possible as it provides numerous benefits for both the baby and the mother. Supplementing with formula does not mean you have failed as a mother; rather, it ensures that your little one receives all the necessary nutrients for healthy development.

1 Answer

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Are you pumping milk? If not and baby is latching, then try pumping after feeding so you can give breastmilk bottle after boob, and if baby still doesn't seem content then you can try a little bit of formula. Always do pace feeding with slow flow nipple. There's nothing wrong with supplementing, but if you are serious about breastfeeding then formula should be the last resort. My boy is 1 year old in just 2 days now, we are supplementing since 5.5 months, he stopped latching just a week before 7 months, since then I'm pumping, but my milk always comes first and he gets only as little formula as possible, because he gets a super expensive special thicker version of formula and even that makes him throw up
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