“I have a confession. This is embarrassing to admit.”
Alex Morgan is opening up about the differences between feeding baby No. 1 and baby No. 2.
The 36-year-old retired soccer star welcomed her second child — a son named Enzo — with her husband Servando Carrasco on March 30, according to People.
The couple are also parents to a daughter named Charlie, born on May 7, 2020.
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In an interview with People, published Sept. 4, the mom of two opened up about her personal experience with combo-feeding and how it has helped relieve some of the pressure that comes with motherhood.
For her first baby, combo-feeding was necessary as she prepared to make a return to the soccer field.
"What I was fixating on with Charlie in comparison to Enzo is that I really needed sleep because I was getting back to playing. I was so regimented with feeding her,” Morgan said of her daughter.
“To be able to have formula step in and really be kind of a lifesaver at the right time when I just didn't need the added stress was great,” she added of the combo feeding schedule.
On Sept. 5, 2024, Morgan took to Instagram to announce her retirement from soccer after 15 years.
She revealed her second pregnancy in that same video and welcomed Enzo six months later.
"With Enzo, I didn’t have the immediate pressure of returning to soccer like I did with Charlie, so we were able to breastfeed from the start and slowly ease into combo feeding,” she said of her son.
“The transition has been seamless, he loves it, and I’m happy knowing he’s getting exactly what he needs,” she continued.
Combo-feeding, also known as combination feeding, is the practice of feeding a baby both breast milk and infant formula, according to the USDA.
Morgan added that feeding Enzo is an “enjoyable journey” now that the “stress of feeding is out the window.”
Alex Morgan praises the combination of breastfeeding and formula feeding
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, breastmilk is the “perfect food” for a baby and contains the “right amount of nutrients” to support growth and development. Formula feeding, according to WebMD, is the “best possible alternative to breast milk.”
Most importantly, fed is best.
For Morgan, combining breastfeeding and formula feeding is what works best for her.
“I have an option I trust to feed my baby, protect my mental health, and be the best version of myself for my kids. I’m focused on the fact that I have a healthy baby and that’s all that matters," she added.
She went on to share what she has learned in her motherhood journey thus far.
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“Winning is being able to take motherhood one little bit at a time – not thinking too far in advance – knowing you won’t get this time back,” Morgan told People.
