bottlefeeding breastmilk?

PMJacobsen

if you are exclusively breastfeeding, when did you introduce breastmilk in the bottle?  i don't want DS to refuse the breast once the bottle is used since bottles are much easier to suck from... but DH is dying to have his turn feeding....

MeantToBeWed

during the first week. she gets about 3 a week when i am out. no issues with it.

jstafin

we started a bottle every few days at 2 weeks and she did great (we used Dr. Brown's wide neck).  Then we took a break...big mistake!  Now is it pure hellll trying to get her to take a bottle.  We have gone through 5 different kinds so far with no luck. 

My suggestion is once you find a bottle DC likes, make sure you give him one on a regular basis so he gets used to it.

PMJacobsen

wow. ok. lol. i guess i am being a worry wart then!! 

PMJacobsen

thanks jsta! i will def stay on top of that...good point!

citygirl_

It's recommended to introduce a bottle between 4 and 6 weeks.

auslyn804

We just did it this week. He has had 2 bottles.  The bottles are kind of tough for him but he's doing pretty good.  He hasn't had a problem going back to breast.  I was anxious to let dh share in feeding him and then I ended up in tears that night feeling left out! 

brauchtm

we introduced bottles at 2 weeks -now ds is primarily bottle and a few times a day of breastfeeding - and he is fine with it. Takes him a minute to realize which one he is doing and then he settles in. 

Winter*Mommy

Both my kids got the bottle at 4 days.... My milk hadn't come in with DD and she was ravished, so I gave her 2 oz of formula. ?DS was jaundiced and ravished, so again, I gave 2 oz of formula.?

I BFd DD for 7 months exclusively and so far, 2.5 months with DS... and going strong. ?

The people I know that have waited a while to give a bottle (4 wks or more) have had problems with the baby not taking the bottle EVER. ??

IHEARTROBBIE

We gave our DS the bottle at around 3 weeks and he still takes one bottle a day of BM from my DH.

citygirl_

Winter*Mommy:

Both my kids got the bottle at 4 days.... My milk hadn't come in with DD and she was ravished, so I gave her 2 oz of formula.  DS was jaundiced and ravished, so again, I gave 2 oz of formula. 

I BFd DD for 7 months exclusively and so far, 2.5 months with DS... and going strong.  

The people I know that have waited a while to give a bottle (4 wks or more) have had problems with the baby not taking the bottle EVER.   

That's not true.  It's recommended to wait so breastfeeding is well-established.  Sometimes giving a baby a bottle too early can inhibit a proper latch.  Jude took a bottle just fine at 4 weeks and onward, until I stopped giving him one.

habsoilers

Winter*Mommy:

The people I know that have waited a while to give a bottle (4 wks or more) have had problems with the baby not taking the bottle EVER.   

 

We waited until 6 weeks to introduce a bottle per our nurse's recommendation. DD has never had a problem taking a bottle.

DzsGirl

We started giving a bottle at 2 weeks and he did great, but like pp we stopped for a while and now can't get him to take one.

karukaru

I guess every baby is different. We gave DS the first bottle at 4 weeks and he didn't have a problem with it. I also, do not give him a bottle on a regular basis but when i do he has no problem with it. I was worried about him prefering the bottle but that has not happened.

selsel29

I was told to wait between 4-6 weeks so that's when I'll start.

mjcleve

I did when DS was 2 days old in the hospital and we haven't had any problems switching back and forth.

lovely40

We did it the first week due to PPD and breastfeeding issues. I wish we could have waited because it made her latch issues worse. Next time we will wait the 4-6 weeks. I've heard you shouldn't wait longer than 6 weeks though or they may refuse the bottle.

superneska

We just started and ds is getting better at taking it each day. The first day he completely refused it, second he took it for a little while and today a little more. But he still hasn't taken an entire feeding from the bottle. I think it's partly because he just likes to suck on my boob:) I tried to get him to take a pacifier too but he refuses that one everytime too. Oh and we had to try a few different bottles, the playtex drop ins are the ones that he finally took.

chinorican

we made the mistake of not introducing a bottle until 3.5 mos since my maternity leave is 5 months.  i had no idea it would be this hard...we've been trying to give him a bottle every day several times a day now for over a week and the most he's taken is an ounce, and even then it takes him forever and he's very reluctant.  my LC said that they usually suggest introducing a bottle around 4-6 weeks (after BFing is well established) and being very consistent about it.

cosima

My lactation consultant says there is so much research coming out that shows the nipple confusion is not very common. Since Penny was jaundice she fell asleep so much while feeding my LC had me pump at each feeding for my milk supply and then DH gave some of it to Penny in a bottle before the next feeding. That was right before 2 weeks old. She told us to make her work for the bottle...hold it perpendicular, use an infant slow flow nipple and take it away occasionaly so that it would mimic the start and stop of breastfeeding. She sometimes chokes when drinking from the bottle but she does that in the morning when I feed her and I'm flowing like crazy. Now we are giving her a bottle every few days.