Unknown

[DoodleAlley]

I know for some people my plans will be frowned on but I want to introduce one bottle feed to my breast fed baby in the next few weeks.

She is only two weeks old but after issues last time getting a bottle accepted I want to avoid missing the boat.

I had intended on choosing the first feed of the night to allow dh and I to both get a rest but it seems this is a peak time for my milk and seems silly to then replace a time of good supply with formula.

Has anyone replaced one feed and if so have any suggestions on a good time to do this?

[DoodleAlley]

Bother I forgot a title. Apologies

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Hate to tell you this doodle but just because Lo takes a bottle in the first few weeks doesn't mean they will always take a bottle. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

[Smartiepants79]

We have given our 18 week old DD 1 bottle a day since about day 4. My husband gives her a bottle at around 11.30 before he comes to bed. It gives me a chance to go bed when I want and a bit of a rest,it works very well.
It is usual I think to have a good supply at that ime of night so I'm not sure what to suggest.
I would say it is more likely to succeed if - you choose one time of day and stick to it
Your husband gives the bottle- mine loves being able to do this for her it really helps him bond and feel part of the experience.

Be prepared to try different bottles/formulas if you are serious about it as babies can be choosy.
Also be prepared for the success to be short lived. We did the same with our first daughter but she started to refuse the bottle at8 weeks. We didn't put up much of a fight and she never went back.

[DoodleAlley]

Yeah I realise it's not foolproof as we dabbled with DS and bottles and he then rejected it at four months which was why we are going to try a set time.

Ideally a night one so dh can do it to allow me a rest

[georgyporgie]

We swapped the dream feed at 11pm (which my dh did) - I expressed at about 10 and then he used that. From about 3 weeks. Though we did try formula, ds didn't like it, though he doesn't mind it at all now.

He hated tommee tippee though, and the only bottles he would take were MAM, which were brilliant.

However! At about 22 weeks (he's 28 now), ds was ill briefly with D&V so wasn't happy with a bottle and subsequently will not entertain one now. (DAMMIT!! ) Having to try a combination of no spill TT trainer beakers and a doidy cup with his meals now to try to get him back into having milk from something other than me! Not a great success at the moment so whatever happens, keep the bottle going.

[georgyporgie]

erm, 28 weeks, not 28, just for clarification!

[Smartiepants79]

I know several people who have tried mix feeding and none of them experienced a preference for the bottle- the complete opposite in fact!

[thompson369]

I have done this with dd3 since she was about a week old. Got me through the tough first few weeks and I'm still bf now at 17 weeks whereas with dds 1 and 2 I stopped after about 2 weeks as I thought it had to be "all or nothing". I let her clusterfeed of an evening but then at about 9pm dp gave her the bottle. I must admit I don't still do this every night and sometimes instead she will have a bottle (formula or ebm) at other times of day if I am out and about without her. It worked for me, I took the view that I'd try it and if it helped me up continue bf then great, if she were now to start refusing a bottle I wouldn't be too bothered as she now goes a few hours between feeds so I can work round her.