Seeking Moms Who Breast Feed and Supplement Formula

I breast fed my son and supplemented for 7 months and had no problems. I would breast feed him for 30 min and then offer him a bottle. Best of both worlds. I had the same problem of not producing enough for my son. I started supplementing when he was 2 mo. old and continued until my milk dried up at 7mo. He never prefered the bottle to breast and we had no trouble going to exclusively bottle. We started out just seeing what he would take after the breast. If he spit up we would decrease the amount in bottle. It is a lot of work but it was well worth it. We used the slowest nipple we could to keep him from prefering bottle. Hope this helps.

Totally, any breast milk he gets is going to be that much more beneficial to him, keep doing it as long as you feel comfortable.

I'm not personally a big fan, after all breast IS best. One of the things you can do is get a small pump to use for those times you cant be available. I had a hard time having a let-down without my girls feeding, so I just pumped while they fed. I actually collected a whole gallon within two months that way. And it freezes well - just place in a pan of warm water to heat (never microwave, as this destroys all the nutrients). I used the Avent Isis - it was cheap, portable, and easy to use one-handed. I hope this helps :}

That's great that your baby is getting the benefits of both breastfeeding and also taking the bottle of formula well!

My daughter turned 1 last week (is now 20.8pounds even though she was slow to gain weight until she was 6months old after she started at 6.8pounds) and I have not been able to get enough of a breastmilk supply for every feeding. This was in spite of the fact that I take fenugreek tablets, drink the recommended amount of fluids, and drink the nursing mother's tea daily since she was first born. I also tried adding more pumpings to stimluate more milk but my supply stayed the same.

When she was around 1 month we started supplementing formula after she breastfed b/c she wasn't gaining enough weight. When I returned to work, she would have an ounce or two of breastmilk (that I had pumped the day before) at each feeding and when she finished that the nanny would pour formula into the same bottle to finish the feeding.
**We didn't mix the breastmilk and formula at the same time b/c I didn't want to have to throw out any precious breastmilk that she didn't drink immediately & the formula bottle is only good for 1 hour after they drink from it.

Around 6months old we began alternating her feedings during the day---she would nurse when she woke up, have formula bottle mid-morning, breastmilk bottle mid-day, a formula bottle and a breastmilk bottle as needed during the afternoon/early evening, and then nurse while I was home at night. But if my supply was lower on certain days or we were not at home she would get formula.

For some reason around 8 months my supply peaked for about 6 weeks and I was able to pump more than usual (my usual is 2 pumpings at work resulting in 2 3-4ounce bottles) and freeze some that we used for days when she was sick or when I wouldn't be home for bedtime nursings.

Hope this helps. Don't forget to take care of yourself while caring for your little one!

It depends. It's absolutely okay to supplement if that's whats working for you and your baby. However, if you're concerned about keeping up with his demands then you should nurse him every time he acts hungry. Your baby nursing is the #1 and best way to increase milk supply. You might even try pumping once he's finished eating to help give your supply a boost. Also, increase the amount of water you drink (when you think you've had enough water, drink more) and you will definitely see some increases. I had to supplement a very little bit with my daughter. I pumped twice a day at work and sometimes the babysitter would need to top her off with an oz or 2 of formula. That was very occasional. So, if you're asking if it's okay for you baby to have both formula and breastmilk then yes, that's fine. But, if you're asking if that's okay to help your supply then you should just nurse more and increase your water intake. Sorry, for the rambling, I hope this helps. Sounds like you are doing a fabulous job! Good luck!

I also had to supplement my little girl in the beginning. I think the main concern is that the baby will begin to show preference for the bottle and it may become harder to nurse. Also, you have to continue to nurse frequently to get your milk supply up. So I think if you nurse more frequently to increase your milk supply there isn't a problem with a bottle here and there until your milk picks up! :) I'd try to nurse first and if there wasn't enough I'd give her a little formula. Eventually my milk was enough. Good luck

i agree with Leiv. you need to let him nurse anytime hes hungry. supplementing with formula is just a vicious cycle that can easily lead to the demise of nursing. with my first i tried so hard to BF but they convinced me in the hospital that he wasnt getting enough and i supplemented from day 1 and my milk never fully came in and by 8 weeks i gave up b/c he never was getting enough. with #2 i was determined to be able to nurse and never gave him formula and he just turned one and is still nursing. if i were you i would try really hard to just let him nurse as much as he wants and avoid the formula if its possible. but at the same time dont feel bad if you do have to use formula either, its not like formula is this terrible thing, but breast is best :)

any amount of breastmilk is better than none at all. there is nothing wrong with supplementing. be sure to not mix formula with breast milk however, b/c as soon as the baby starts on a bottle of formula whatever isn't consumed within 1 hour has to be thrown out. if he doesn't finish a bottle that has both formula and breast milk mixed together you'll have to throw out precious breast milk...and any of us that pump know that stuff is like gold!

True that nursing will help increase milk supply, but from experience by baby was 9#11oz and didn't breastfeed well from the getgo...I had to start supplementing in the hospital because he was losing too much weight and not nursing at all. Because of the breastfeeding issues, my milk didn't come in until day 5. I had to use just about everything out there for poor breastfeeders (nipple shells, nipple shields, SNS system, pumping, etc.) I did use Fenugreek for increasing milk production and that worked for a while, but most always he was supplemented with formula, because I didn't have enough milk for my big 'ol boy!! And nursing him everytime he was hungry...I was constantly breastfeeding!!! Forget getting anything else done! It's very difficult to have a breastfeeder at your breast literally all day long!!! He would be hungry like 30 min. after nursing...So I completely understand that!!So, my answer is yes it's ok!! You have to do what works best for you and YOUR family! I was determined that stubborn little boy was going to breastfeed. I syringe fed him for 3 weeks! I was able to breastfeed and supplement for about 5 mo. or so. Then Fenugreek and Reglan weren't working anymore and I was only getting about a 1/2oz to 1 oz over a 12 hr. night at work and was pumping like 3 times a night trying to get more!!! That's when I decided it was time for me to stop...another girl I worked with would take home 6-8 oz. and that was stressful to me. Anyhow, good luck with it all!!:)

Yes. I didn't make enough milk for my daughter either. She had 2 bottles a day to make up for it. We did this for 6 or 8 weeks until her demands became more than my body could produce for even one feeding. The doctor was pleased I was doing what I could for as long as my milk would allow.
J.

I nursed my daughter for 4 years. There were plenty of times where I felt like I didn't make enough milk (especially in the first 6-8 months)... but never did she go hungry. Usually after a bout of "I'm not able to make enough" I'd go through a period of "OMG where did this come from!?!?!" when the supply caught up with her demand/growth spurt. It is better NOT to suppliment because you are causing your body not to produce more/enough milk for his demand. This is a bad spiral that will only cause you more trouble and doubt with breastfeeding... and potentially weaning earlier than you'd wanted.
Have you gone to a LaLecheLeague meeting? That would be very helpful for you to do. I wished I had not waited so long when my girl was a baby because I had worried myself into all sorts of doubts before I found other nursing moms who knew what I was talking about and could ease my doubts.

Hello, the only problem that i experienced with using both was that he became very frustrated with nursing. My milk never came in like it should have, i had some but it wasn't nearly enough to sustain him. I was nursing him about 20 hours a day it seemed and he was still starving!! At 1 week he had still not gained back his birthweight loss and my doctor insisted that i feed him formula. I kept up the struggle of breastfeeding and pumping for 12 weeks while going through a terrible depression and beating myself up for not being able to breastfeed. Finally, my mother and mother in law insisted that i stop completely and feed him the super food!! That's what they called the formula because these days it has absolutely everything in it!! Well, i did and my little fellow grew up just perfectly. In fact, he was never sick, he's just turned 5 and has only had one ear infection. I am sure that breastmilk is best, but how can we possibly ingest the nutrition that is in today's formula. Don't stress about it, use the formula as needed to keep your baby content and healthy and if your milk goes away. Don't beat yourself up about it!! I used carnation good starts and my son literally never had a belly ache, gas or spit up! I mean to be honest he spit up so little it was just plain weird. And, like i say never a gas pain at all!! Best of luck to maintaining a combination of both, but keep in mind your baby being full and content is the most important thing.
Have a fabulous day and god bless!!

Absolutely!!!

I had a very hungry little boy and my ob.gyn gave me regalin (not sure on the spelling) to up my milk production. She said it works in about half of those who take it, and it did work for me. Maybe it would work to up your production.

It should be okay. My daughter is now 11 mths old, and was exclusivly breast fed the first few months. After awhile, I quit pumping enought to give her bottles while I am at work. So we started supplimenting w/ half breast milk, half formula. My peditrician said that was fine.

E.,

It takes at least 6 weeks to get your supply up so I personally would not give in and give formula. Breastmilk it all about supply and demand and if you put him to breast more and add a pumping session in, your supply will increase. If you give him formula, your supply will decrease.

I worked full time and had to pump while at work and my supply dwindled but I listened to the advice of a lactation consultant and never gave in to formula but just added some pumping sessions in at night and on the weekends. My son was able to nurse until he was 2.5, even while I was pregnant with our second. I am now a couple of weeks out from having our third and my supply held out just fine to allow our 2nd baby to nurse during my pregnancy. She is now 20 months old.

It really is true, the more you put the babies to breast, you will increase your supply.

I have 4 children who are all between the ages of 14 and 1. Throughout my children's lives I have had to attend school fulltime and work full time. I breastfed all of them. I tried to pump, but could never get enough out for it to last while I was not with them. I decided to supplement with formula. They all adjusted well. They are all now doing just fine. So, I would say with my experience it is ok to supplement with formula.

I am the mother of four boys which includes a set of twins. I breastfed; with the twins I had to supplement because I was also back to work when they were three months old. Our peditrician recommended we use a soy based formula as it would be less likely to cause a reaction. We used prosobee; my husband bottlefeed with it when I was at work and then the boys would also get a small bottle to finish off after I nursed them when they got older and I was no longer able to satisfy them with my milk production. Although everything should be done on a case by case basis; I never had a problem with any of my boys supplementing. I hope this helps.

Yep! It is okay to supplement while bf.
I did as I just could tell how much my little one was getting during nursing becasue she was slow nurser and because she usually fell asleep on the boob. So i supplemented with a nursette every other day in the beginning, then every day...it made weaning to a bottle a breeze at 6 months of age. And we had no nipple confusion. Although if that is a concern... talk to your doctor, or at least keep an eye on the willingness to properly attach to breast and to bottle. But don't worry. We did it and our little blessing is now a whopping 36lbs at age 2. Not huge.. just pleasantly plump.
-MB

Of course it's ok for you to do this!!! If you want to produce more milk though, try pumping each breast for about 5 mins after you are done nursing. This will help simulate your breasts into producing more. I supplemented one bottle a day once my daughter turned four months just to give myself a break! I continued like this until my little girl was seven months, when she started weaning herself! Good Luck!

Absolutely it is 100% okay for you to supplement! The important part here is that you are nursing and your baby will get all of the wonderful benefits from that. Not to mention all of the benefits you are experiencing :)

Today's formula is very similar to breast milk and should not cause any complications because you are serving him both. When my first child was born I went back to work almost immediately at a job that did not afford me the time to pump so my oldest daughter was fed formula during the day and nursed at night. For my second and third, I was able to pump during the day but still could not express enough to stay ahead of their needs so they still had to be given at least one formula bottle a day. All are healthy and happy now (ages 10, 3 and 18 months).

Good luck, keep up the good work!

It is ok to do so but to be honest you will never get your supply up if you keep giving him formula too. I had this exact problem. I used to pump and bottle feed b/c it hurt to breastfeed. My supply was dropping and I was giving him formula too. I called a local LC and she said I needed to put him on the breast as much as possible to get my supply up. I slowly took him off of the extra bottle of formula. I would let him nurse as much as he wanted and if he was still fussing after I would give him 1/2 ounce to an ounce of formula then gradually got to where I just had him breastfeeding. I also found oatmeal was a lifesaver and it really helped my supply! Hope this helps and remember if you have any questions or problems breastfeeding then contact a lactation consultant. My baby is 4.5 months and I still call a LC from the hospital I delivered at atleast once every other week. Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I have ever done but it is also the most rewarding:)

absolutely! My son ate so much that I couldn't produce enough milk to keep up with him, so, from BIRTH I'd breastfeed then 'top him off' with a 4oz bottle of formula (or however big). Or if it was inconvienent like if we were in public I'd formula feed him. He had NO problems going from breast to bottle and back, and no problems digestive wise.... but that's just him and maybe I was lucky.

Good luck!

Absolutely. I had to give formula when I started back to work after 12 weeks because I wasn't able to pump enough to feed only breast milk. I continued nursing mornings, evenings and weekends until she was 14 months. I would suggest trying to pump when you are supplementing to keep your supply up. Breast milk is supposed to be best for building immunities and brain boosting. My little girl is almost never sick and has always been ahead in reaching milestones. I don't know if it's because she was breastfed but I wanted to give her the best chance at everything. Not saying that formula fed babies are any less healthy or smart, I just wanted to give her a boost. Know what I mean?

I had to do the same thing for my daughter when I started back to work and everything worked out fine for me. When I first started doing it I mixed have breast milk and half formula to get her system used to something new.

Good Luck,
J. C

Hi E.

This is excellent on your part for many reasons: 1)You are supplying him with the formula that has vitamins that he may need, 2)Breast is best so you are giving him the best food, 3) If for any reason you are unable to feed him whether you are sick or away he has the backup bottle and that is greater than you know. There are many other reasons as well but you are doing well as long as he is thriving you should not worry.

My son eats both formula and breast milk. The lactation consultant at my hospital said not to do it when was very small and before my milk came in good because the bottle is easier to eat out of and he would prefer the "easy" meal even if breast milk tastes better.

I waited and now he does both without much problem. I am happy because when he is upset he prefers to have me feed him and not the bottle. I work full time and I am a college student, so whether I use formula or not he will be on the bottle when I go back to work from maternity leave on Monday.

If your only concern is supplying your baby's needs there are things you can do to stimulate your production. Feed regularly. If your baby is doing good going a decent amount of time between feedings then pump in between and save the milk (according to proper storage guidelines) for when you are busy and a bottle would be more convenient. If you still need help talk to a lactation consultant at your local hospital or contact La Leche League. Breastfeeding is so important that alot of advocates will talk to you for free just to ensure your baby stays on the breast.

I read about Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle helping milk production on the La Leche League website. I currently drink a tea I got at my local health food store called Woman's Nursing Mom by Yogi Tea. There was another brand, but I have not tried it and this one seems to be working just fine.

To answer your question in short. Yes - supplementing is fine and you can still breast feed.

Here is some more info for you:
There are some simple steps you can take to steady or increase your milk supply.
1. Pump or breastfeed more frequently. If you're breastfeeding, try pumping for five to ten minutes after a nursing session. Whether nursing or exclusively pumping, you can also try adding a pumping session or two during the day to increase your supply, such as first thing in the morning or after baby has gone to bed. Make sure that you're using a hospital-grade pump that efficiently removes your milk.

2. Drink plenty of water. Make sure you're drinking enough water and are hydrated during the day.

3. Eat enough. According to kellymom.com, breastfeeding moms should consume 1,800-2,200 calories per day to maintain an abundant supply; fewer than 1,500-1,800 calories can cause a decrease in supply and decrease in the number of calories your milk contains. Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and protein-rich foods.

4. Rest and relax. It's easier said than done, but do make sure you are resting and getting sufficient sleep. Try taking a nap during the day or just resting on the sofa with your little one. Some sources also suggest co-sleeping with your baby.

5. Give oatmeal a try. Many moms say that adding oatmeal to their diet increased their milk supply. Have a bowl or oatmeal for breakfast, or snack on oatmeal-granola or even oatmeal cookies throughout the day.

6. Avoid supplementing. Supplementing with water, formula or juice will fill baby up and make him or her nurse less, meaning that your supply will decrease even more.

7. Try massage and relaxation techniques. Before breastfeeding or pumping, take a few deep breaths and try to relax. Sit in a comfortable chair, play soft music and massage your breast for a minute or two before you begin to help with letdown.

8. Herbal remedies. Fenugreek is an herb commonly used to increase milk supply. According to Kellymom.com, Fenugreek can be used short-term to boost your supply or long-term to augment supply and/or pumping yields. Mother's Milk Tea may also be effective. Be sure to consult with your doctor before taking any herbal remedies.

Concerns about your milk supply can be worrisome, but with these tips you can maintain or increase your milk supply, keeping both you and baby happy.

For more information:
www.llli.org
www.kellymom.com
www.promom.org/bf_info/links.htm
www.breastfeeding.com
great blog: mamaknowsbreast.com

First of all, ask your doctor if you really need to supplement. Many moms worry about not having enough milk, but from what I remember, your doctor will probably tell you that as long as he isn't showing signs of dehydration, he is getting enough. I nursed each of my kids (4) until they were close to a year, but because I returned to work quickly after each, they each got some formula, and now are all healthy teenagers. Good luck!

Yes, it is fine to do both breast and formula. Try to get as much breast milk as possible and nurse him as often as you can, but if he's not getting enough, formula is fine to tide him over. I would give my son formula while at daycare, nurse him when I was home, and use the extra breast milk for when I had to go out of town on business, and I still nursed him til he was almost a year old. Having him used to the formula is good too in case something happens and you're not able to breast feed. He'll already be used to the taste and it won't be new on his digestive system, so don't fret that he's getting one formula bottle a day. It's not a big deal! It's great that you want to still breast feed, so keep it up!

YES!! I had to do the same thing. I know itis hard keeping up--my son started losing weight because I wasn't making enough, and he was nursing (literally) half the day! It is fine--you are doing great!!

I agree with Jennifer. It is ok, but if you want to be able to nurse him to his needs, then you need to nurse- even if not much is coming out. The stimulation of it will tell your body to produce more milk. It may take 1-3 days for your body to realize that it needs to make more permanetely. But if in the end you don't feel comfortable nursing alone, don't beat yourself up about having to supplement. All the breastmilk will give your baby what it needs, even if you have to give him a bottle or so a day. Keep it up- it's a great experience to nurse...

It is fine to do that. I had to do the same thing with my little one. I pumped after I went back to work and my body just couldn't keep up with my little one. Finally my body just gave up on producing milk at about 5 months. I never had enough to freeze.

E.,

The only way that you can meet his needs without supplementing is to pump. Breastfeeding is all about supply and demand. The more you pump the more you will produce. After a feeding you should pump just to make sure he is emptying your breasts. During one of his many naps you should pump too. Trust me if you start pumping more you will have more milk than what you will need, that's when you start freezing it. Good Luck!

yes your doctor should tell you the same also there things you can drink that will help increase your milk as your doctor about them any breast milk is good good luck

I was told that your breasts will produce as much milk as your baby chooses to eat, so every time my son was hungry, I offered the breast, even if it didn't seem like I had that much. And after several days to a week, the milk supply would increase. Likewise, if I stopped a feeding, then the milk supply would reduce, but I was still able to feed on demand. I started supplementing with one bottle of formula a day when I went back to school. I'd stockpiled a whole bunch of breast milk, but then the only way I could find to keep the supply going was to pump in the middle of the night, and I REALLY needed sleep. So, once my son reached 6 months (after several weeks of school), I sent him to the sitter with a bottle of formula, because I decided there was more to being a good mother than simply breast feeding. Like getting enough rest so I could enjoy his company more! Don't worry - your son will still grow up healthy, strong, and happy whether you supplement or not! You do what works for your circumstances and what you feel works best. :)

E.,

Definitely supplement if you feel like your baby isn't getting enough, but pump around the same time you are supplementing him to help with your supply. I would actually pump every two hours although my son ate every 3-4 sometimes longer. Hang in there and don't give up. BEst of luck to you!!!

Hi E.. Good for you for breastfeeding! Yes, you can supplement as much as you'd like. I had a constant eater, so by week 5 I was beat. At her 9 pm feeding, I started giving her 2-4 ounces of formula. This kept her asleep for 4 glorious hours. Then I breast fed the rest of the time. This continued until she was 6 months old and started cereal and solid food. On occasion I fed her formula out and about until I was comfortable breastfeeding away from home (Old Navy dressing rooms are the best).

I also pumped my breasts (3-5 minutes each) in between feedings for a few weeks until my supply was good and steady. I also pumped after I fed her the formula at night. The Medela Breast Pump was the best investment. After 3 months, when we were on a schedule, I'd get up at 3 am (she was sleeping 6-7 hours at a time...yeah)and pump. My husband called me the Zombie Milk Machine. I did it for 4 months and had plenty in the freezer and used it to make her cereal and mix with solid food.

I nursed until she was a year old. We hit our stride at 4 months and never looked back. Good luck!

D.

Yes it is ok, I'm a mother of twins daughters and when they were born I also breast feed them. They had to stay in the hospital longer than I did because of low birth weight. While in the hospital I took breast milk to the ICU Nursery. Once I was out of the hospital, and Lived almost 2hrs away, I'd pump at home and take it to the hospital. When the hospital would get low of my milk they then supplemented by adding formula to the breast milk, until I got them some more breast milk.
However my twins never liked the taste of the formula by its self. The hospital they were taken to near me would not even give them my breast milk, when they feed my twins they were given formula, and I didn't know until I took more milk to the hospital and saw they had plenty. I ask the nurses about it and they said that my twins were eating great, but I sat and waited while the nurse was feeding my oldest twin and it took about 45mins, and I was angry, because all she took in was 5cc of that formula. The twins at this point were almost 5lbs and were loseing weight. I made the nurse take a bag of the breast milk, and worm it up, put it in a bottle and feed it to my child...my child drained the bottle, the nurse then said "well I'll know from now on to give her the breast milk", I said to that nurse, "You give it to both of them, I'm not pumping for my health". After they got home and I tried to get them to take to me, they were to used to the bottle. I keep pumping until they were almost able to eat real food and then I supplemented their milk with the formula again.
I pumped and feed twins...your body will give your child what it needs...don't stop tring...let the baby nurse and if he still is not getting full, and you have to supplement, pump some milk and add the formula to it.

I'm a Stay at Home Mom of twins (now 11 yrs old), and have a son that to soon will be 18 yr old. Married now for 4 yrs to a good man.

Goodness yes! Many breast feeding advocates will try to make you feel guilty for supplementing. Don't let them, trust yourself! My youngest, a 10 pound boy ate CONSTANTLY! In fact, a few hours after birth his blood sugar dropped and he was given a 4 ounce bottle by the hospital... and he finished it. I breast fed both of my older daughters, but with Jack I felt like I was a prisoner. I could not even make a trip to the grocery store without having to stop and find a place to feed him. I started supplementing at about 4 weeks and it took the pressure off. He still had the breast most of the time.

You do need to be concerned with "nipple envy" It is easier to drink from a bottle, so the baby may begin to reject the breast. This was never a problem for my son, he didn't care where it came from... he just wanted to eat! Call a lactation consultant at the hospital and ask which brand of bottle they recommend for this.

Absolutely! What is important is that your baby gets enough calories and nutrients, not so much where he gets it from. Unlike wild animals who have no other options, we have the resources available to supplement and give our kids the very best for their best potential growth and development, physically and mentally, instead of just "getting by" with the bare minimum so they don't starve if a mom doesn't make quite enough milk. I didn't make nearly enough milk and I supplemented heavily with formula. Any amount of breastmilk for any length of time is helpful for their immune systems and all the other stuff breast milk is supposed to help, it doesn't need to be exclusively breastmilk. I know some people might say to stick it out and that you might produce more if you keep nursing more, but why make your baby endure being hungry if there is an alternative easily available? My baby didn't have any nipple confusion or problems latching on or anything, but in case yours does, you might check out some bottles that claim to have more naturally shaped nipples specifically made for babies of breastfeeding moms.

YES! The breastmilk is so good for him, so don't discontinue that. There is nothing wrong with supplementing. Keep in mind that he might go through a breast strike at some point because the bottle is easier to use. Don't be discouraged. Keep nursing him and he'll come back around. Even babies who are exclusively breastfed go through that! But, yes, do both! It's perfectly fine.

NO! The only way to keep up with his needs is the exact opposite: breastfeed him whenever he shows the slightest sign of hunger. Throw away that formula. WHen you feed him formula, your body is learning that he "needs" less milk, thus it produces less. It very quickly becomes a vicious cycle, and before you know it, you dry up.

You might go through a day or two or three of catching up as your body learns to meet higher demand, but it's SO worth it.

Keep up the great work!

If you have any other bf questions, contact your local chapter of La Leche League, have one of their volunteers come to your house for free, and check out their website, llli.org.

L.

I think it's awesome that you are breastfeeding your little one - congratulations!!

If you are comfortable supplementing, then by all means continue to do so. You are the mom, you know what is right for YOUR baby. I've breastfed my 3, my first one wound up on formula by 5 months, but I still believe he got many benefits from the amount of time I did invest in breastfeeding.

I've seen a few other people mention herbal remedies for producing more milk, might be worth a try if it's OK with your Dr., I always had trouble producing more that what was absolutely necessary, was never able to pump more than a few drops!!

Good luck with your sweet new baby!!

Yes! Any breastmilk is better than none.

Have you talked with a lactation consultant about building your milk supply? Check out this page about low supply: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html
At the bottom are techniques for how to increase it.

I exclusively breastfed my daughter until she was about a month old, then she would get a bottle every now and then if we went out or something. But I do know of 1 or 2 moms who breastfeed and then give formula, mostly due to the fact of not producing quite enough milk. If you pump and breastfeed him, it could help your milk supply. And be sure you drink tons of water and eat well. He'll be fine!