Supply with replacement

Sometimes a newborn baby may need to be fed using formula. Healthcare professionals at birth, maternity and childcare facilities should be able to help and inform about what applies to each child. Feeding from birth often involves babies who are premature or born at a relatively low birth weight. Sometimes babies who lose more than 10% of their birth weight may also need to be fed with supplements in the form of formula. For some people who want to breastfeed, it takes longer to get milk production going, so the baby may also need to receive supplements to get enough energy in the early days. If breastfeeding is desired, it is still important to actively try to stimulate milk production, for example by letting the baby suck on the breast. There is plenty of support and help available to get breastfeeding started, even if the baby is not sucking for some reason. As a general rule, the closer to birth, the easier it is to stimulate milk production.

Kristin Svensson, a midwife and breastfeeding specialist at Karolinska University Hospital, gives the following four tips to get breast milk production going when your baby is not sucking:

1. Keep a lot of skin-to-skin contact: it stimulates breastfeeding behaviour.
2. Stimulate the breasts at least 8 times a day.
3. Stimulate for short periods and often, rather than for long periods and less often.
4. The sooner you start, the sooner more milk will come.

Reference: Svensson, K. 2019-06-19. Summary: What to consider when giving your baby extra formula in addition to breastfeeding. Karolinska University Hospital

Read the full report at: https://www.karolinska.se/for-patienter/graviditet-och-forlossning/for-den-nya-familjen/amning-rad-och-tips/att-tanka-pa-nar-barnet-far-extra-mjolkersattning-formula/