Breastfeeding and bottle/pacifier question

MrsMAF · October 2011

Ladies, I am soley breastfeeding for the time being. I will eventually introduce a pacifier and a bottle of pumped milk but since my little guy is only 1 week 2 days old I don't want to do it too soon and then it interferes with his latching. How soon did you intro the bottle and pacifier, and were there any ramifications with BF'ing after?

dana316 · October 2011

I think you can do a paci anytime...as long as you don't have supply issues.

I've read that you should wait until 4 weeks to introduce a bottle to prevent nipple confusion or bottle preference.

Gorgeous baby, congrats!!

ALY1981 · October 2011

I waited 4 weeks for both and had no problems. Sweet siggy pic!

etoyama · October 2011

Such a cute little man you have! We introduced a paci at six weeks though I think it can be done earlier. Hasnt caused any issues. I haven't ever pumped or used a bottle with DD though I know I should at some point soon. I'm just being lazy

kittylove · October 2011

My LC said to introduce both at 4-6 weeks. The bottle should be given once a day so that she gets used to it.

ladychicago · October 2011

My pedi suggested introducing a bottle at just 2 weeks, but BFing was well established for us by then (no issues with latch, etc) and she was back to her birth weight. We did at two weeks, then, and had no problems with BFing or nipple confusion.

kkfeb04 · October 2011

I think DS was about your little guys age when we introduced a bottle (he was having issues gaining weight, he was down 1 1/2 lbs at his one week checkup) since I wanted him to gain some weight. The pacifier was introduced in the hospital. We honestly had no issues going between the breast and the bottle but I had to use a nipple shield due to flat nipples so that could have had more to do with it. I was able to wean that at 4 weeks and he still had no problem going back and forth between the two.

LCS040209 · October 2011

Evelyn is almost 2 weeks and we have already introduced both with no issues. She usually drinks 1 pumped bottle in a 24-48 period.

povo · October 2011

Bottle somewhere between 8-10 weeks

Pacifier around 5 weeks

No problems at all.

Cassian · October 2011

We had to introduce a bottle at 3 days old because my colostrum/milk was sluggish due to a breast surgery and it created nipple confusion issues that led me to EP for the first 7 weeks before transitioning back to the breast full time. It took 7 weeks for her to get over the confusion. We introduced the paci at 2.5 weeks because at that time she was still getting bottles and we didn't think it would hurt.

FWIW, my LC says to wait to do either until after 6 weeks, as it takes about 6 weeks to for your supply to really establish. She said to have all sucking needs met at the breast so your supply is stimulated. But lots of people don't ever have a problem.

hall_ky · October 2011

DS was in the NICU so they gave him a paci and also bottles. He does ebf but I do use a nipple shield so I don't know how that impacts it. It did take me 5 different brands of bottles to find one he would take when we reintroduced them at about 3 wks. He now has no trouble moving between the boob, bottle and paci. I also have been weaning him off the nipple shield and he has been latching great!

whispergrrl · October 2011

Ellie was given a paci in the hospital on our second night there (they offered to take her to the nursery for a few hours so I could rest, and they gave her a paci there). We also introduced a bottle on day 2 because she wasn't latching on still, and even the lactation consultant suggested supplementing that day (and until my milk came in).

We didn't have any problems going from breast to bottle (3 different types of nipples, even) to paci - until we had to take a 4 day break from her nursing (due to thrush and really badly cracked./bleeding nips). Since then, we have had issues going back to the breast - but are slowly working back up to it.

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