best nipples/bottles to avoid nipple confusion?

elizabethwig · August 2012

shortly after i give birth, i'll have a string of non-pregnancy-related medical appointments that could last several hours each. i'm planning on breast feeding, but i'm not super comfortable bringing my 1-3 week old into a hospital full of sickies with me so i can BF (also not sure i'd be able to during some of the appts). so i'm considering giving her a bottle on these rare occasions, but i've been told and read that it's best to avoid artificial nipples before about 6 weeks/until good BFing is established.

does anyone have recommendations for nipples they've used that didn't seem to cause problems with BF later? am i being too concerned about this?

g8trkim · August 2012

I would go with BornFree. DS would take whatever (BornFree, Medela, Nuk) and went back and forth between those and breast with no problem, but I've talked to several nurses and in their experience they liked the BornFree.

naybird · August 2012

I have to formula supplement, due to small supply, and I've been using the Tommee Tippee bottles. It hasn't messed up LO's latch at all.

Good luck!

pugznploons · August 2012

we've been using Tommee Tippees since she was 1 week old and have had no issues. But we've tried other kinds and they were fine too

rnfromtn · August 2012

We loved the Breastflow bottles. Didn't seem to cause confusion with DS and we plan to get them again for this LO.

twister22 · August 2012

Had to return to work when DS was 2 weeks old (luckily I was able to pump every 2 hours) & we used Playtex Drop Ins. I'm not using them this time around because I don't want to have to buy drop ins. I think what PP's have said works too. Honestly, it depends on your baby. If your LO does get nipple confusion and won't latch after having had a bottle, then I would get a nipple shield. GL!

penguingrrl · August 2012

We used The First Years Breastflow bottles and really liked them a lot.

amandaleigh1 · August 2012

I have been seeing lactation consultant who told me dr brown premie nipples don't cause confusion because they ate so hard to suck from and don't really spit out milk when they are bitten.

That.Just.Happened · August 2012

I have honestly NEVER known anyone IRL who had any issues with nipple confusion. They scare you so much about this in the BF literature and I don't know a single person it happened to.

DD got a bottle every night as her last feeding starting at 4 days old, and was given numerous bottles of various kinds throughout the months, sometimes several times a day. I BF her until almost a year without any problems.

We typically used the Medela bottles (that can attach directly to a Medela PISA pump) the most in the beginning.

angelfire02 · August 2012

We use the Born Free bottles and nuk pacifiers and have since the day our babies were born. Now they are 12 weeks and we are just starting to nurse (I have had serious infection issues that have prevented me from BFing). I don't think I believe in nipple confusion, we have had no issues. I think it might be a problem for some babies, but don't take the '6 week' or '4 week' rule too seriously. Do what works for you and what you need to do.

hlc820 · August 2012

The concept of nipple confusion is very debatable. My son was in NICU, and has been EBF and never supplemented. He has taken a bottle when needed since day one of BM. We have used dr browns, breastflow and Tommie tippee. He will take anything and go back to breast fine. We prefer dr browns due to leaks with others. I hated breastflow the double nipple and leaking.

ETA: your LO should be fine as long as a good latch is established.

BelleWithABlade · August 2012

We use tommee tippee and have no problems. I would strongly suggest not introducing a bottle that early. The first few weeks are critical with establishing BFing and your baby will be feeding very often to establish your supply. My LO was eating like every 30 min to an hour. Without this you could be setting yourself up for failure. I had some appointments as well the first few weeks and I took my LO and BF's him. Everyone was very accommodating.

Bonnesetter27 · August 2012

Nipple confusion is actually a misnomer. Babies aren't confused by the nipples they just (may) prefer bottles because they are faster. My son had "nipple confusion" BUT I had to supplement at every feeding and my supply was almost non-existent from birth so of course he would rather have a bottle that gave him what he wanted and faster. If you have to give a bottle a few times in the first weeks I am sure that it will not confuse your baby. Confusion happens when they constantly have bottles.

dcunningham2 · August 2012

penguingrrl:
We used The First Years Breastflow bottles and really liked them a lot.

So did we. But I looked in BRU and Target for new nipples and neither store had them - I'm wondering if they're a discontinued item now?

MBain09 · August 2012

dcunningham2:

penguingrrl:
We used The First Years Breastflow bottles and really liked them a lot.

So did we. But I looked in BRU and Target for new nipples and neither store had them - I'm wondering if they're a discontinued item now?

I buy all my Breastflow bottles/nipples from Amazon. I've not been able to find them in stores either.

rbrooks2013 · August 2012

pugznploons:
we've been using Tommee Tippees since she was 1 week old and have had no issues. But we've tried other kinds and they were fine too

This! Tommee Tippee!

rnfromtn · August 2012

MBain09:
dcunningham2:

penguingrrl:
We used The First Years Breastflow bottles and really liked them a lot.

So did we. But I looked in BRU and Target for new nipples and neither store had them - I'm wondering if they're a discontinued item now?

I buy all my Breastflow bottles/nipples from Amazon. I've not been able to find them in stores either.

Target has them online. I am hoping to find them at Burlington Coat Factory maybe. If not, I will just order them for this LO.

wifeofaussie · August 2012

DD went back and forth between bottle and breast from day one without issue. We used the Playtex Drop Ins. Honestly though, nipple confusion was news to me, I didn't even learn such a thing existed until DD was several months old.

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