When to introduce the bottle?

name1109 · January 2013

I have been BF exclusively. I go back to work in a month and will be pumping and BF. Has anyone introduced a bottle yet? My doctor said wait for 2 months. I'm worried that at the 2 month mark we will only have a week to ensure she will take the bottle.

Any advice? TIA

MeaganG11 · January 2013

Most LCs say wait at least 4 weeks. If you have a lactation consultant, or access to one, I'd ask her opinion.

Jacqui105 · January 2013

My LC said to introduce at a month. DH has been putting it off-DD1 hated the bottle so he is scared. I told him Sunday no excuses, he will give DD2 a bottle.

Jackiemxoxo · January 2013

We introduced the bottle at 2 weeks because I came down with a kidney infection post partum and needed some sleep so I pumped so DH could give DD the bottle. I was surprised at how much DD refused the bottle. It took us 3 different bottles and 3 different tries for her to finally take it. I actually had to give it to her first and then she got used to him giving it to her. I was afraid at first of nipple confusion but I didn't realize that she might refuse the bottle. Now we have no trouble switching between the breast and bottle but I would say if you are past a month then I would try the bottle because if you wait too long they might not take it. But you got to do what is comfortable for you, most importantly, if you have breast feeding established pretty well then they should be fine switching back and forth.

RissKay · January 2013

DS has been taking bottles since he was just a few weeks old. I would pump and then give him to DH to feed so that they could bond in that way, and I could get some rest on the weekends when DH would watch him. I would suggest starting now, and doing it a few times a week. Try around with different bottles/nipples if your LO seems to have issues with it. Good luck!

dee12807 · January 2013

We introduced it a week ago so 7 weeks old. She does fine with it when H feeds her, but if I try of she hears me it becomes an issue. Also, DD was taking a paci from day 1 so I wasn't worried about the whole 'nipple confusion' thing. If you have good BFing habits established I don't see a problem with it.

AimeeL85 · January 2013

I think pedis and LCs err on the side of caution with this and I understand that...my personal opinion and experience with my 2 is that it's ok to introduce it occasionally as soon as you're confident that BFing is well established and you're not having any problems with it. I would definitely introduce it sooner than 1 week before you go back to work - not all day, but maybe once per day.

jsoubel · January 2013

My LC said to wait until week 3 and then be sure to give at least one bottle a day, every day. If you start and then stop (because it's going well), baby may have a hard time picking it back up again. We've been doing this with our LO, and, while she doesn't love the bottle, she takes it.

mama2many · January 2013

What i was taught with my first by a doula/lactation educator has worked beautifully for all of mine.

Between 3 & 4 weeks, start with one bottle a day for one week. Some babies are picky and won't take a bottle from mom so this is a prime opportunity for Dad to join incare this way. After the first week, make sure to give at least one bottle a week (even if you'll be SAH ) to keep it familiar.

I have seen friends wait til 2 or 3 months only to have baby refuse to ever take a bottle.

lawjjg522 · January 2013

Lo had a bottle the first wee k home before my milk came in and now she gets one about two times a week. She never had "nipple confusion".

ObLaDi · January 2013

Mine started at one week. I was initially planning to wait a month, but was so effing tired and really needed to pass off a feeding to dad. He's gotten a bottle a day since then and done great with it.

NoeliaV · January 2013

mama2many:
What i was taught with my first by a doula/lactation educator nbsp;has worked beautifully for all of mine.nbsp;Between 3 amp; 4 weeks, start with one bottle a day for one week. Some babies are picky and won't take a bottle from mom so this is a prime opportunity for Dad to join incare this way. After the first week, make sure to give at least one bottle a week even if you'll be SAH nbsp;to keep it familiar.I have seen friends wait til 2 or 3 months only to have baby refuse to ever take a bottle.nbsp;

This sounds good to me.

We were told to wait 6 wks to be sure BFing was well established and now we're having a really difficult time getting her to take a bottle.

I think as long as you're sure BFing is going well and LO doesn't show signs of nipple confusion, then go ahead w/ the bottle.

I'd actually be more hesitant on the pumping, personally, since oversupply and a fast letdown are tough to correct, imo.

SingleMom31 · January 2013

lawjjg522:
Lo had a bottle the first wee k home before my milk came in and now she gets one about two times a week. She never had "nipple confusion".

This is us too, except that she gets one every night from dad before bed. It's worked well for us, though we have had some BF difficulties related to her being a bit tongue tied.

StefandTodd · January 2013

We still haven't. I don't know when we will...I go back to work April 1, so maybe ill start march 1 with one a week or something.

My first son was fine with a bottle when offered until a couple weeks before I went back. Then he just flat out refused. He ate nothing my first work day, and I was so worried. It was awful. But by bottle 2 on day 2, he was hungry enough that he sucked the whole thing down no problem. And he had never turned down a bottle since and now, at 17 months, he takes no bottles but still nurses 35 times a day.

StefandTodd · January 2013

I guess my point is, almost all babies will take a bottle eventually, so I'm not worried about it. It was stressful as a ftm, but now I know he will most likely eat and be just fine, so I feel less worried overall and just want to enjoy nursing him as much as I can, as often as I can, while I still can 3

edilo · January 2013

SingleMom31:
lawjjg522:
Lo had a bottle the first wee k home before my milk came in and now she gets one about two times a week. She never had "nipple confusion".
This is us too, except that she gets one every night from dad before bed. It's worked well for us, though we have had some BF difficulties related to her being a bit tongue tied.

Have you thought about getting her tongue clipped? My DD was a little tongue tied as well, which caused some latching issues in the beginning (not enough to prevent her from nursing well, but caused me a lot of pain and nipple damage -blisters, bleeding, etc). The doctor clipped her tongue the day after she was born and all of our BF issues resolved. I was able to watch the procedure and it was really fast and "easy." DD hardly bled, didn't cry at all, and actually visibly relaxed - extending her tongue all the way and "experimenting" with movement right after the clipping.

Notwifezilla7 · January 2013

AimeeL85:
I think pedis and LCs err on the side of caution with this and I understand that...my personal opinion and experience with my 2 is that it's ok to introduce it occasionally as soon as you're confident that BFing is well established and you're not having any problems with it. I would definitely introduce it sooner than 1 week before you go back to work - not all day, but maybe once per day.

I agree. I made the mistake of not offering a bottle to DD2 until she was about 10 weeks and outright refused!! She never took a bottle which was okay since I SAH, but it was a PITA b/c I could never go out w/o her. DD3 has already had three bottles of BM with no issues!!! I'm so happy!!

When to introduce the bottle?

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