parenting Post

Combining Breastfeeding with Formula Feeding: What You Need to Know

As you welcome a newborn into the world and into your life, it’s always advisable to breastfeed the baby for the first six months, since the benefits of breast milk go beyond nutrition. The nutritional benefits of breast milk are very important for the first six months to promote baby growth, before switching to formula feedings. While breastfeeding is best for the baby’s health, opting for a mixed formula can help you to keep nursing the baby for longer. The formula contains all the essential nutrients that your baby needs to promote growth. In general, the more you breastfeed, the more milk you will produce. However, if you hit a roadblock right at the onset of breastfeeding – for example, if your baby was separated from you at the hospital for too long – then you could be facing issues, such as your child not latching on well, or problems regarding adequate milk supply for the baby. Recommended Read:  Tips to Cope if Your Baby has Colic Some women do not make enough milk to meet their baby’s needs. This is most common with women who become moms at later stages of life. Freda Rosenfeld, a certified lactation consultant in Brooklyn, New York believes that “The older a woman is when she has a baby, the more likely she is to have milk-supply problems.” Experts aren’t sure of the precise reason; but as a woman gets older, her body becomes less efficient over time to produce enough milk for lactation.