Breast & bottle??

After giving birth i would like to start going back to the gym. As my partner will be caring for our baby during this hour or two i was wondering if it's ok to give our baby a formula feed and continue breastfeeding the rest of the time. I don't want the hassle of always having to express

Hi,
Thank you for your enquiry. It is always a good idea to get breastfeeding established before you start offering bottles or formula. Once you are both happy & settled, you will find that it is no trouble expressing a little milk to keep your baby happy while you are away. You can freeze the milk and then thaw it when required. Breast milk is a lot easier to digest and it is what your baby will be used to. If you start offering formula early, the baby will start to expect it and also your breast milk supply will be affected – it is a supply/demand system. If the baby spends less time at the breast your supply will be less.

<a href="http://www.nswmidwives.com.au/">NSW Midwives Association</a>
Note: This information is not designed to replace that of your health professional.