Bottle nipple size

na24

Cordelia is an okay nurser now, but not great, and not entirely reliable.  Sometimes she seems to forget how to nurse well and I have to give her a bottle of EBM, but mostly she's doing pretty well.  If I had to give her a grade, I'd give her a B, B-.  

We're using Dr. Brown's bottles with the intro-level nipple (Level 1, I think).  

At some point do I move her up to Level 2, or do I keep her on Level 1 so that it doesn't make it too easy for her to get milk from a bottle?  I'm worried that if it's too easy from the bottle, she won't keep wanting the breast.  Or is that a silly worry?  So far she hasn't really been terribly fussy with her bottles, but she does fuss sometimes.  I had thought it was just gas or something, but another post made me wonder if it's a nipple-size issue.   

ErinNConnorsMom

Kate is nearly 9 mos old and still using a level 1 nipple on her Avent bottles.  If I were you, I would hold off until Cordelia is a little older before trying to switch nipple levels.  At her age, her fussiness at the bottle is likely b/c of gas.  You may want to try burping her more often, since she swallows more air when she bottle feeds than she does when she breastfeeds.  Good luck!

ETA:  Wishful thinking does NOT, in fact, make Kate 1 month younger than she actually is.  We're headed toward 10 mos old, not 9!

jane.says

I was under the impression that because your nipple flow never changes, you could remain at a level one for bottles for a long time, if not forever. I think it's a valid worry that your DD could refuse the breast if the bottle is too easy, esp. since she has occasional difficulty nursing. I'd stick w/ the slow flow. 

Meg41208

I *just* switched my DD to medium (level 2) nipples yesterday.  She hadn't been finishing her bottles at daycare- she was getting bored and taking too long to drink them and by state law they have to throw out bottles an hour after they were heated.  That seems to have solved the problem. 

If I were you, I'd stick with the slow flow until your DD is an established good nurser.