Bottles - when to move up to faster nipple?

schmoodle · August 2009

Toodle is only 2 months but I think he might need the faster nipple - is that really abnormal to move up early, and how do you know when they're ready?

Lately he seems to not be eating as well from the bottle, either stops sucking/falls asleep quickly, dribbles it all over himself, or refuses it, and then gets hungry again sooner than he was before. I don't think my supply has increased enough that he doesn't need as much formula, either. I DO know that he is getting WAY more efficient at sucking at the breast, so I wonder if that increased power/speed necessitates a faster bottle nipple. He also seems way gassier and I've heard that when the nipple is too slow they tend to suck in more air. Thoughts?

TakYelgif · August 2009

We moved DS to the faster nipple around 10 weeks, he was getting really frustrated with the slow nipple and crying through most feedings.

Susanann · August 2009

I think I waited until around 10 weeks but I think DD was ready at 7-8 weeks. When she finally started falling asleep without finishing her bottle and showing signs of fustration I changed her.

LucyPevensie · August 2009

A faster nipple may cannonball the increased success at the breast that you two are now experiencing. The nipple on your boob never gets faster - but a faster bottle nipple may convince him that the boob is just too much work to bother - so tread carefully if you'd like to keep putting him to the breast. Maybe a different type of slow nipple?

manda429 · August 2009

oh no... Jake is still on a slow nipple. I delayed it to prevent weaning, but he self-weaned a few weeks ago. I tried giving him a faster nipple yesterday and he was losing a lot of milk so I went back to the slow nipple. If anyone has any suggestions, I'll take them.

mrsolsenk12 · August 2009

We moved up to a faster nipple at 8 weeks however at that point we switched DS to Enfamil AR (The rice based formula). Since it is thicker, he needed the faster flow just to pull it through the nipple.

LovingLife_06 · August 2009

We too switched DD around 10 weeks, but I wish we hadn't. I think it affected how well she nurses because she now gets really frustrated with the breast. Seems like she prefers bottles because she gets the milk faster. I agree with Lucy's comment above.