Mixed feeding with insufficient breast milk can be done by adding cow’s and goat’s milk after both breasts have been emptied until the infant is full, or by replacing it entirely with cow’s and goat’s milk, etc., once or several times a day.
When a breastfed baby does not gain weight satisfactorily, it is a sign of insufficient breastmilk. Therefore, in addition to breastfeeding, formula or cow’s or goat’s milk can be used to supplement the breastfeeding, which is called complementary feeding.
This method is called complementary feeding. When complementary feeding, the number of breastfeeding per day usually remains the same, and each time, breastfeeding is done first, and after both breasts are emptied, formula or cow’s or goat’s milk is used to supplement the insufficient breastmilk until the baby is full, which is applicable to babies under 6 months old.
There is another method called the replacement method, which involves replacing breastmilk exclusively with milk or milk substitutes once or several times a day. Compared with the two methods, the supplemental method is better, which helps to stimulate breastmilk secretion, and the amount of supplemental milk is determined by the child’s appetite and the amount of breastmilk, i.e., the principle of “make up for the lack of how much”.
If there is insufficient breastmilk and mixed feeding is needed, the clinician should be consulted for specific methods.