Anyone EBF and never given LO a bottle?

KateLouise

I EBF and will be at home with her for a year so we don't have any work issues to deal with.

We're discussing introducing her to a bottle so that we have flexibility in the future to go out etc. I understand you need to introduce them to a bottle early so that they will actually accept it.

I'm reluctant to introduce a bottle at all a) because of fear of her rejecting the breast b) because I really enjoy the feeding time. 

At this stage I feel like I could happily not give her a bottle and accept that my activities will be limited around feeding the baby until she weans. (I don't plan to BF beyond a year) Am I being crazy to set myself up like this?

Anyone else never given LO a bottle? Thoughts? 

Thanks 

ETA: She currently feeds every four hours, if that makes a difference to your thoughts. 

lspinman

We EBF and wanted to give S a bottle on a rare occasion.  DH wanted to be able to help with the night time feedings a bit, sometimes I have some of my volunteer activities and cant bring S, and generally just to be able to get away.

She will not take one.  At first this did not seem like a big deal but it does make things like eye appointments, heavy grocery shopping and pedicures much more tricky.  I really do not feel like I can complain much as I love to BF but it does get very frustrating sometimes to never get long away without coming home to a hysterical baby.

I would suggest that IF your LO is a good nurser to introduce it even if you dont intend to use it often.  You never know when a date night will be your saving grace or you will need to go somewhere that you cant bring LO.

ETA- I dont think you are crazy at all!  Just coming from someone who loves to BF but has no other options I would suggest that having options may help down the road:)

somethingchangd

DS would only take a bottle for the first month, so I wound up EPing for a month.  With a lot of work, I finally got him to take the breast and he never looked back.  So I have spent the past 8 months with a baby who hasn't taken a bottle.  He also hasn't taken to solids yet (although I've had some glimmers of hope this week).

I adore my son and love our breastfeeding relationship.  But I would give anything for him to be able to take a bottle.

He still eats every 2ish hours, which means that even going to a movie with my husband (while my mom babysits) is pretty much out of the question.  And while my relationship with my son is infinitely important, I really feel like my DH and I could use some time to reconnect once in awhile too.  I feel like that would be so much more of an option if Ollie took a bottle.  Also, when I was sick with a really nasty flu, I still had to get up for every overnight feeding.  I really could've used some sleep (still can!) but it wasn't an option.

You would certainly make it work if your LO won't take a bottle, but I think you'd find it harder than you might think.  I do, anyway.

AMYfromKY

Henry was bottle fed the first 7 weeks of his life and now I EBF (with the exception of a bottle once every 6 weeks when I get my hair done).  I don't think you have to worry about her liking the bottle over you.  

I actually cringe at the thought of giving him a bottle which is why we only do it when I have to be gone for more than 2 hours.   

TabithaGoins

We didn't do a bottle, DS has exclusively nursed this whole time.  We tried maybe a handful of times to give him a bottle, he never took to it.  I never really stressed the issue either.  I'm at home with him so it really hasn't bothered me.  I'm sure it would have made life a little easier at times, but it's worked well for us.  He did land up taking the sippy cup with water or even just a regular cup better though.

sunnylife

Our DD has never had a bottle.  I pumped a couple of times with the intention of being gone long enough for her to need one when she was really little, but I always made it back before she needed to be fed.  I hated pumping, so it just got to the point where I decided not to bother anymore.  I'm a SAHM and rarely ever go anywhere without her and certainly not any longer than an hour or two.  Maybe I should work on balance a little more, but I'm just not ready to leave her much yet.

LoveEeyore

DD#1, weaned at 13.5 months b/c of  being pretty pregnant with twins, never had a bottle. 

My twins, 7.5 months, have never had a bottle.  I plan to BF to 2ish, and have no plans for bottles. 

 

wnk1029

sunnylife:

Our DD has never had a bottle.  I pumped a couple of times with the intention of being gone long enough for her to need one when she was really little, but I always made it back before she needed to be fed.  I hated pumping, so it just got to the point where I decided not to bother anymore.  I'm a SAHM and rarely ever go anywhere without her and certainly not any longer than an hour or two.  Maybe I should work on balance a little more, but I'm just not ready to leave her much yet.

This.  Our little guy's never had one... I dislike pumping... so he's stuck with me

JulieandBen

My son gets one bottle of breast milk a day or every couple days. You do what you want to do. Do you never expect to want to go out for a few hours by yourself for an entire year? If not then do whatever makes you and your husband happy.

cateye

I would recommend trying the bottle.  DD refused a bottle and it made it very difficult to do just about anything.  Even if your LO is currently nursing every four hours, that doesn't mean she always will.  I was nervous even going across the street to get my haircut because if she decided she was hungry while I was gone, that meant she would cry until I got home.  It also meant we lost a lot of potential baby sitters. 

But it worked out for us and I'm not even bothering getting a pump this time around.  Most people just aren't willing to give up that much freedom. . .

tak2002

Henry has had 4 bottles total. First one was at 6 weeks and then waiting a few more before the next one. My theory is that if he's that hungry he'll take it, and so far so good. Hes only taken a bottle from his daddy- never me.

leah1615

I have never given LO a bottle and I don't plan to.  I don't own a pump and I don't feel like buying one.  I have never been in a situation where I would need to be away from him for an extended period of time, so I just don't think it's necessary. 

shainababygirl

Keevs has never had a bottle, and it's never been an issue. I EBF, she eats every 2 hours, and just goes everywhere with me.I have 1 bottle of emergency BM in the freezer.

KKMMex

Just wanted to say that my younger daughter is also named Elizabeth Grace!

rainlily

We never introduced one and it hasn't been a problem for us.  I SAH with DD.  When we go out, I offer the breast before leaving and wear something that makes NIP easy.  I don't have to go anywhere without her so it hasn't been an issue for me.  DH works all the time, so it isn't like we have an active social life.  Maybe if we did, it would be more convenient if she could take a bottle. 

She can drink from a sippy cup now and eats some solids.  I will have to leave her with my mom for an all day CE class at the end of May.  I am a little nervous about it, but can rush home to nurse her in the middle of the day if it is necessary.

Soon2BMrsN

My DS refused bottles until he absolutely had to take them when I went back to work and he started daycare (he was 16 weeks old then).  We still never give bottles at home.

We probably would have given up and totally EBF if I'd been a SAHM.  You're definitely not crazy!

PlainandTall

I'm expecting #4 this summer.  I have nursed 3 babies a combined total of about seven years... have never given a bottle, have never fed formula or pumped breastmilk.  It's possible... might not work for everyone- but it's certainly one of many ways a mom can get the job done... I'm actually distressed by the new "trend" I'm seeing in todays moms to be under the impression that breastpumps and bottle feeding are a critical and essential aspect of breastfeeding. Since my oldest is 12- I'm actually seeing a huge shift in attitudes about this even in this last decade. 

 I get the feeling that here on the Bump boards there seem to be more women who only pump and never nurse... than there are women who only nurse and never pump.

stever

I'd really recommend introducing a bottle and practicing every few days with it. We stopped offering DS the occasional bottle at about 2 months. Then DH and I had to go to an appointment a few month back without DS and things went horribly at home. DS cried the whole time while my mom tried to feed him. He just wouldn't take the bottle.

We now offer him a few ounces  in the bottle every few nights, just to keep him used to it.

Traycee1242

Can I tell you why that is a really bad idea??? (and it's totally JMO!)

You have NO idea what could happen..... it's not just about being able "to go on a date night"

I had to have surgery.... I was fortunate that even though I EBF and SAH we gave LO a bottle of BM from the get go. I went into the surgery with ZERO stress because I knew he would eat and we could pick back up where we started. I had to pump and dump for 24 hours and my supply took a little hit.. only took 2 days or so to get back and running, but I definitely wasn't planning on this.

I've been reading a blog about a woman who never gave her LO a bottle... she is fighting a serious illness, her supply tanked, and her LO won't take a bottle (not to mention she has no BM stored) So added to the stress of being ill, she now has this heartache to deal with... the stress of the fact that he's starving... how much easier it would have been on her had she given her LO a bottle every now and then and had a freezer stash...

Just another way to look at it.

FWIW, we gave LO a bottle at 4 days old because he had a great latch and was a great nurser. We continued to give a bottle of EBM every few days to get him used to it. Now at 6 months old... i can go a few weeks w/out giving him one but when I do he'll take it no problem. Babies almost ALWAYS will prefer the breast. But if you don't get them to learn to take a bottle and you wait to long.. they won't be able to.

mominatrix

I'm on child #2, 3 years of continuous nursing, 0 bottles.

DD wouldn't take them, and it didn't seem worth pushing the issue.

englishviola

I am in a situation where I have concert tickets that i bought before I was pregnant with DD, the concert was postponed twice, and now rescheduled for when DD will be 8 weeks old. We've tried to get the bottle, she refuses. She won't even calm down for DH. Only me. I'm looking at a situation where $150 will be down the drain because I can't go for 4+ hours to a concert when I know DD will be at home, not eating, and most likely inconsolably crying. 

 Also, I have had health problems in the past and I would like DD to take a bottle, just in case I am ill. But she won't. I'm not sure what to do either.  

somethingchangd

Traycee1242:

You have NO idea what could happen..... it's not just about being able "to go on a date night"

You know what, though?  It is ok even if it is about being able to go on a date night. 

I'm surprised to see all these PP who are ok with never giving a bottle. It is still important to me (attachment parenting and all) to have SOME time away from my LO once in awhile.  I am first and foremost his mother, but I am also still a wife and a friend and I've been unable to be either of those people very well with a baby who at 9 months nurses every 2 hours and refuses a bottle.  My DS goes everywhere with me, as some PPs mentioned - I can count on 1 hand the times I've been away from him for more than an hour since he's been born...but that's not necessarily a good thing.  Let's not forget that BALANCE is a big part of the AP philosophy.  I find it hard to believe that those of you who strictly EBF have managed the balance portion very effectively.  Lord knows I haven't.

shainababygirl

somethingchangd:

Traycee1242:

You have NO idea what could happen..... it's not just about being able "to go on a date night"

You know what, though?  It is ok even if it is about being able to go on a date night. 

I'm surprised to see all these PP who are ok with never giving a bottle. It is still important to me (attachment parenting and all) to have SOME time away from my LO once in awhile.  I am first and foremost his mother, but I am also still a wife and a friend and I've been unable to be either of those people very well with a baby who at 9 months nurses every 2 hours and refuses a bottle.  My DS goes everywhere with me, as some PPs mentioned - I can count on 1 hand the times I've been away from him for more than an hour since he's been born...but that's not necessarily a good thing.  Let's not forget that BALANCE is a big part of the AP philosophy.  I find it hard to believe that those of you who strictly EBF have managed the balance portion very effectively.  Lord knows I haven't.

I agree that balance is important... and I'm not at the 9 month mark yet... but my baby is only going to need me like this for a year or so... after that they'll be able to be away from me without anything like bfing getting in their way. 

My parents raised me in a very AP style. I went EVERYWHERE with my Mom from day 1. To my knowledge, my parents never left me at home with my grandparents to go on date night. They're still happily married. 

Will this work for everyone? No. But right now, DH and I get out, we find balance, we just have DD with us. Do I think I'll never go out without her? Probably not, but to DH and I it's important that its with her. 

I don't pump well. I have an oversupply, and if I pump it kicks it in to overdrive. Even for a day this messes Keevia's belly up. I refuse to give formula unless she NEEDS it for some reason. What will we do if I get sick? Cross that bridge when we come to it. But right now, it works.

 It sounds like you aren't very balanced, or are at least unhappy... but don't bash other people's choices about not giving a bottle. Yes, it IS okay to be able to go on a date night, but not everyone wants to. You do, and that is PERFECTLY fine!! I hope you can get out sometime soon, even if its with your LO and your husband.

WiggleBaby

somethingchangd:

Traycee1242:

You have NO idea what could happen..... it's not just about being able "to go on a date night"

You know what, though?  It is ok even if it is about being able to go on a date night. 

I'm surprised to see all these PP who are ok with never giving a bottle. It is still important to me (attachment parenting and all) to have SOME time away from my LO once in awhile...  I find it hard to believe that those of you who strictly EBF have managed the balance portion very effectively.  Lord knows I haven't.

of course it's ok to give them bottles, for whatever reason.  but i've EBF for 14 months now and i feel balanced and happy.  DH and i just went out to a movie two nights ago after DD went to bed... we often have 'date night' in the basement with Netflix... my point is just that it's all about perceptions. we like being home, we love our new family, and we do still have time together, it doesn't have to mean long outings.  it's just different for everyone.

anyway to the OP, already enuf advice on here, but do what you feel comfortable with.  my DD refused a bottle many times and we wasted money on lots of bottles/nipples till just giving up.  she got good with the sippy cup by 5 months and the regular cup by 6-7months!   if you SAH it is definitely do-able.

i do recommend getting a cheap pump (i have a single Medela Harmony manual pump) just for when you might get engorged, get a clogged duct, etc... it is cheap.  (for me, insurance covered it in the hospital)

g/l!  

Chrysallys

We tried to give DS a bottle of BM but he refused it every time so we gave up. Now that he's older and we are BLW he will drink water out of a sippycup but not BM.