How to Supplement Breast Milk with Formula

If you are nursing exclusively, you may be wondering if it is ok to supplement your breast milk with infant formula. Mixing formula with breast milk can provide your baby with additional liquid nourishment, and there are many reasons why moms may consider this option. 

Supplement breast milk with formula

Supplementing is a combination feeding method that involves alternating breastfeeding with formula feeding. Some common reasons you may want to supplement breast milk with formula include:

• You are going back to work
• You have a low milk supply
• Your partner would like to participate in feeding
• Your doctor recommends it

If you’re getting started and wondering how to supplement breast milk with formula, experts suggest feeding your baby pumped breast milk first and then following up with a bottle of formula if he or she is still hungry. 

If you decide to supplement with formula and are concerned about making a warm formula bottle quickly for your baby, consider the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Baby Formula Dispenser. It automatically prepares a warm formula bottle instantly. With the press of a button, this award-winning must-have for moms automatically mixes, heats, and dispenses formula to the ideal consistency and temperature. The Formula Pro Advanced comforts your little one fast when he or she is crying and hungry. Read what this mom from Houston, Texas, had to say:

Such a time saver!

The Brezza has significantly cut down on the wait time to feed our son which saves us a great deal of angst when he's already flipped to hangry mode. Makes life so much easier!

Can you mix breast milk and formula in the same bottle?

According to the medical experts at Verywellfamily, mixing breast milk and formula is possible, but there are a couple of issues to keep in mind:

Correct measuring is essential for safety – Infant formula is made to provide your baby with a set amount of nutrients and calories for a specific amount of water. Adding liquid formula or powdered formula before mixing with breast milk or water alters the balance of nutrients and water. This imbalance can lead to an over-concentration of nutrients, which can put stress on your baby’s immature kidneys. Avoid this situation by preparing the formula according to directions first, and then adding the breast milk. 

If you’re looking for an easy way to mix breastmilk and formula, Baby Brezza offers a super convenient product for this as well — the One Step Formula Mixer. It’s the first motorized formula mixing pitcher that you can operate hands-free. It will mix your prepared formula and breast milk perfectly, no hand cranking necessary. When you’re not using it with breast milk, you can prepare and store up to 28 oz of formula at a time. The unique mixing wand mixes formula quickly without air bubbles or clumping. The One Step Formula Mixer will save you so much time, and is not just for formula — use it for shakes and mixed drinks, too! That’s plenty of versatility for about $20. 

If you mix breast milk with formula, you could be wasting some of your “liquid gold”. - If your baby doesn’t finish the bottle, your liquid gold could be wasted. The Enfamil website states that partially consumed prepared formula should be discarded within one hour. 

Whether you are breastfeeding, formula feeding, or supplementing with formula, take solace in the fact that you are providing your baby the nutrition he or she needs to grow and thrive. Feeding time offers special and intimate moments to bond and cuddle with your little one.