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Tips for transitioning from Bottle to Breast @ 6wks

Charlotte51Charlotte51 member
in Breastfeeding
Hi ladies!  I'm looking for a bit of advice, tips, words of wisdom, stories of experience, etc on how I can transition my LO from the bottle back to the breast at 6 weeks.

As a bit of background, for the first two weeks my LO was EBF but she wasn't gaining weight so the pediatrician told me to give pumped milk via the bottle.  For a week I would do a bit of both (breast and bottle) but she started to refuse the breast - would only latch for a few seconds and then just scream - and after a few days of this I was so disheartened I stopped offering the breast at all and moved to EP'ing.  LO is now 6 weeks and the pumping and feeding routine is wearing on me, plus I really miss those special moments of actually BF'ing rather than giving her a bottle so I want to give the breast another shot.

Is there anything I can do to help my chances of LO taking the breast again or has too much time passed?
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Re: Tips for transitioning from Bottle to Breast @ 6wks

  • mommatotwo2mommatotwo2 member
    It's definitely going to be challenging at this age, but not impossible. Have you been doing paced feeding with her bottles? If not, that will be one of the big challenges, if she's not used to working for her milk. Definitely get her on the breast asap and often. You can try expressing a little milk right before you latch her to give her a hint of what's in there. I'd also suggest working with an LC. Good luck!
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  • spinsoffresonancespinsoffresonance member
    I don't have experience with this. But I just wanted to say that I was in the NICU for 5w when I was born. After I went home my mom managed to get me off the bottle and back to the breast, so it is doable. Good luck!
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  • Tmgs2013Tmgs2013 member
    Through persistence (or was it stubbornness?) I got my LO transitioned back at 11 weeks. It is possible! I had a lot of support through DH, and I went to a LC at least once a week. Good luck!
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  • opheliainwadersopheliainwaders member
    I'd definitely go see an IBCLC who can give advice based on what she sees with LO. I wound up switching back to breast feeding after a host of issues, but my situation was a bit different.

    That said, one thing that helped was not trying to give the breast when she was very hungry. Can you try giving her an ounce or so via bottle, and then see if she'll latch on once she isn't SO hungry as to get mad at the slower speed?

    Also, try taking a "nursing vacation" - basically, take 2-3 days where you literally hang out in bed all day, topless, with your LO, and practice latching, nursing, etc. Enlist your DH to bring you lots of snacks and water :).

    GL!
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  • JD2007JD2007 member
    I'm in the process of doing this. My lactation consultant recommends lots of skin to skin time and babywearing. Also, she got us started on baby buffets. Basically, for a 6 to 8 hour stretch I only offer the breast, and offer it very often. Sometimes I do offer the bottle for the first ounce or so. When I give a bottle, I try to still hold her in the cross cradle position with the bottle in the boob position. It had been working well until we hit a nasty cold. I've laid off on insisting the breast to make sure he's getting enough. My twins are 8 weeks, based on their progress, I definitely have hope! Good luck!
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  • Mrs.AmyDylanMrs.AmyDylan member
    We ended up on bottles because a tongue tie. Even after it was clipped, DD still didn't latch. I moved to the nipple shield, which was the bottle-like feel for her and the proper flow of the breast. 

    After a few weeks and a kick in the pants at 6w we went cold turkey to the breast. It took about a week or so before we were totally good on the boob. 

    We did lots of skin to skin, I would hand express until I was letting down. This way she for some instant gratification. When I got totally frustrated and was ready to give up, DH took her and I calmed down. It was totally worth it because the pump, clean, bottle routine sucked. 
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  • mamasoup030mamasoup030 member
    We use a nipple shield. I BF in the beginning but then she was given bottles in the nicu when I couldn't get there from my room in time and refused the breast afterwards.

    We are at 6 months ebf and have been using the nipple shield the whole time. I don't even notice the PIA of the nipple shield anymore. I know I could transition off it but its working for us so I leave it. My LC said to do what works - it was great advice and I pass it on to you. Best of luck
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  • mamasoup030mamasoup030 member
    LadyBlue07 said:

    I pumped for the first six weeks and offered bottles. What worked for us was working one-on-one with an IBCLC. I had been meeting with a group, but until I met one-on-one we had issues. 


     Only use a shield on the advice of an IBCLC. You will still need to pump with it because it can decrease your supply.
    I agree to see a LC, but the need to pump is outdated when using a nipple shield. Technology has changed and improved. My supply has been fantastic, in fact I had a bit of oversupply.
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