Introducing a bottle - when & which feed?

[migandtig]

I am 5 weeks into BF and intend to give it at least another 3 weeks exclusively; but I know I don't want to do it forever.
Ideally I'd just like DS to be able to have a bottle on the odd occasion I need / want to go out, for the next 3-5 months. Then move to total formula from 6 months.

So...

When is too early / too late to try to get DS to take from a teat?
Hoe often do they need to have a bottle to be sure they will take one when needed e.g daily, weekly...
If you started with making one feed a day a formula feed, which feed did you choose, and did it reduce your milk supply at that time of day?

Thanks

The two children I most successfully bf didn't have any formula until they were 12 weeks... but I know some people do mix feeding a lot earlier.

you can never be sure they'll take one when needed.
some happily take one from the get go and then refuse later
others refuse steadfastly and then change their minds later.

there's no hard and fast rules i'm afraid, you;ll have to just play it by ear!

my first happily took a bottle from birth, ds2 wouldn't have one until he was about 9 months, and ds3 has just accepted one at 6 months.

why stop bf at 6 months though? it's so much cheaper than formula!?

We had to mix feed dd from 5 weeks due to my work - we were told that it was less confusing for dh ( or someone other than you) to do the bottle feed.

I still bf dd until she cut her first tooth at 8 months and Dh did the bottle feeding. We only got into bother when I started to try bottle feed her.