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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

introducing a bottle to bf baby

18 replies

emmylou157 · 03/09/2010 01:59

hi,
My dd1 is 5 1/2 weeks old and I am wanting to introduce bottles of expressed breast milk so I can go out and dh can get involved in feeding. We tried to give her her first bottle today but she didn't really seem to know what to do with it and didn't really suck it at all. We are using the tommee tippee closer to nature stuff. Any hints as to how to introduce the odd bottle feed as I'm not sure if I can face the next 6 months wihout being able to leave her for more than a few hours.
Thanks

OP posts:
harverina · 03/09/2010 22:18

Hi, its very early days to be introducing a bottle to your baby, but I understand your reasons for wanting to do it. I had a wedding to go to when my DD was 8 weeks old so I started giving her the bottle from week 6.

The first time that I gave her a bottle I breastfed her first for a wee while. When she naturally pulled off I introduced the bottle. I only gave her 2oz the first time. I then breastfed her again.

Do you feel that breastfeeding is properly established? Do yo have any problems feeding?

soniaweir · 04/09/2010 12:17

I am thinking of doing this too so interested in how people achieved this. my DD is 8 weeks old...

Mama2b5 · 04/09/2010 15:25

Hi - I totally understand why u want to do this and if you have established your milk then yes,you can slowly see if she will take it most babies of this age will! and keep it up so when you need to go out its not a battle to get her to take bottle. i did at 8 weeks and then went away for 2 weeks never took bottles due to country and resources and struggled when i got back up until the other week when i had to do cold turkey and he had no choice but to take bottle and now is fine and holds and feeds himself! only drinks 4/ 5oz though every 3/4 hours but not worried and am glad i kept BF up for so long. i stopped due to him getting teeth and biting me! not trying to scare you just sharing my experience with you, hope all goes well and do what is right for you - good luck!

Original poster
emmylou157 · 05/09/2010 05:37

I have been expressing whilst exclusively breast feeding for a couple of weeks now and storing the milk in the freezer to make surethat I have enough milk to be able to do this. I am not having any problems breastfeeding at the moment and am planning to continue mainly breastfeeding but be able to leave her occassionally just for my sanity!

I have read that the type of teat used can make a difference does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks

OP posts:
firefliesinjune · 05/09/2010 07:55

My DD is 4 months, I havent tried her with bottle yet but will be doing so soon. Probably left it a bit late really but hey ho. My HV said that there is a type of cup you can get from pharmacy that is better than giving a bottle as your baby uses similar mouth muscles to drink from it as when breastfeeding. Ive never seen this cup but you may find it useful if a bottle wont do. Ive got a Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottle which I will try first. Worked ok with my DS.

mamatomany · 05/09/2010 13:41

Mothercare sell a bottle called Breastflow made by first years it makes them suck in the same way as a breast even imitates the let down reflex, my DS has used one since birth and switched between the boob and bottle without any problems at all.

Original poster
emmylou157 · 05/09/2010 22:19

Thanks have ordered one hopefully she will take to this a bit better.

OP posts:
MrsH2010 · 07/09/2010 11:29

I want to do a similar thing - on bottles I'd been recommended the Haberman Feeder (believe it's now called SpecialNeeds feeder - don't let the new name put you off as although it was originally invented to help special needs babies feed it apparently works wonders for BF babies, allowing them to swap from one to the other easily, and is apparently the best for anti-colic...)
Can be found online - although I'm still trying to suss out what pump/steriliser it's compatible with. Someone had also mentioned the one in Mothercare you've linked to so I'm going to check that also... thanks!

fifitot · 07/09/2010 14:01

I tried my baby on a bottle on Monday and he took 1 oz of EBF. Last night however he refused it and just chewed the teat! He is 8 weeks old. Am thinking I have left it too late I need him to get used to the bottle for when I return to work in Jan. With my DD I left it until she was 7m and she never took a bottle.

Should I persist with the bottle every night til he gets used to it? It's a bit of a fight and tbh by the time I've done it I could have fed him myself! However I do need him to get used to a bottle.

Should I just do the occasional one or wait til he's older? Any suggestions?

Original poster
emmylou157 · 07/09/2010 15:32

From my research it can take a few attempts to get them to take bottles and the general consensus is that they take bottles better from someone who is not mum. Will let you know if this breastflow bottle is any good.

OP posts:
Original poster
emmylou157 · 08/09/2010 09:13

Hi, thought I would give you an update the mothercare breastflow bottle came yesterday and she took to it pretty much instantly. She had 2 ounces from the bottle and then latched onto me with no problems to finish off her feed. Hopefully if we keep giving her the odd bottle feed every couple of days she will get a bit more used to it.

This has made me so happy as the prospect of not being able to express and bottle feed was worrying me, also has made dh happy as he can now feed her as although he didn't say it I could tell he was wanting to be able to.

thanks for the advice!

OP posts:
barkfox · 08/09/2010 09:51

Glad to hear this has worked out for you emmylou -

Wanted to share this - the advice from my MW was to introduce a bottle before 6 weeks, if we wanted the option of feeding expressed milk. She said after 6 weeks, BF babies can be very reluctant to take a bottle (don't know how to deal with a teat), and some just never do.

She also said don't just give them one go on a bottle and assume if they take it fine, then they now 'know' what to do. If you leave it a month and expect them to take the bottle without a fuss, you might have problems. So you need to give them a regular go on it - just like you are intending to.

Being able to feed a daily bottle of EBM has been a LIFESAVER for me (DS is 8 weeks old), and definitely a big factor in keeping him exclusively BF-ed so far. I see a lot of posts from frustrated mums on this board who are trying and struggling/failing to introduce a bottle, for all sorts of reasons, after a few months. It seems unfair that there isn't more info about feeding expressed breast milk around. I know not everyone can express - and some don't want to - and there are issues of 'nipple confusion' for babies who are tricky feeders anyway. However, I do think there's a bit of an unnecessary downer on it sometimes, from hardcore BF-ers. IMO, if it keeps a baby on BM for longer, esp for mums returning to work or just dealing with bits of Life that make BF-ing hard, or gives a sleep deprived mother a much needed extra hour of sleep, then surely it's worth it.

fifitot · 08/09/2010 10:35

I used a Breastflow bottle last night and DS too about 2oz which is a result! Going to try and express enough every day for this and get DH to give a bottle when I am doing DD's bath. If it works out I will be very pleased!

Mama2b5 · 14/09/2010 23:31

i agree that you should keep up with regular offers of the bottle. my ds refused so i gave up, and had to suffer with constant bitting it was only when it got too much i decided to only offer him bottle a day later he was holding it himself!!!! it does work key is to persist!

ayjayjay · 15/09/2010 10:01

Sorry I've got no tips for the OP but wanted to say that I agree with barkfox. I introduced a bottle of EBM a day from 2 weeks. DD is now 9 weeks and still EBF and I've and have had no problems feeding from either the breast or the bottle.

I think the whole nipple confusion thing is over hyped. I don't think one bottle feed a day when coupled with 8 plus breastfeeds is going to make a baby forget how to use her mum's boobs.

Being able to feed EBM has been a saviour to my sanity and made the evening cluster feeds more bearable. It's even allowed me to have a much appreciated night out with the girls.

soniaweir · 15/09/2010 15:30

Ive just tried to give my DD (10 weeks) a bottle for the first time and she was having none of it. she was just chewing the teat although i did give it to her after a boob feed as she seemed like she wanted more...any advice what to do next - just persevere?

Mama2b5 · 15/09/2010 19:51

I started at 7 months and had to tackle teeth!
It will work out for you soniaweir, yes just keep on trying daily and soon you and lil baby will be in sync! all the best!

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