Introducing the bottle

cowpoly959 · May 2014

I have been breastfeeding and I will be going back to work and plan to feed pumped milk. I had my husband feed a bottle yesterday and today. He's three weeks old and this was when the ped recommended we start. I pump from both sides and feed it to him immediately after at the normal time of a feeding. He acts like he is starving like 20 minutes later and so fussy until I give him the breast again. Is my pump not getting enough for him? Is he just comforted by the breast? Too soon to tell? Any advice would be so appreciated

pistolpackinmomma · May 2014

I say too soon to tell. He may still be getting used to the bottle. Does he finish the whole bottle? He will be more efficient at the breast than your pump so there is a chance that your not pumping as much as he eats at the breast. Try pumping after the first feed of the morning. You will have more milk then so if needed you can make a larger bottle and see if that keeps him satisfied for longer.

RachelCA29 · May 2014

At the hospital the lactation consultant told me that a baby's latch is far more efficient than any pump, so the same length of feed as a pumping session will not be the same amount of milk for baby. We're already using a bottle for 1 feed a day at 6 days (he started day 1 on bottled formula in the NICU so the fact that he's completely on breast milk within 5 days is a point of pride for me). I find that he is kind of fussy and spits up more after a bottle feed, even if the amount of milk is approximately what his stomach can hold. He seems so much more content and settled after a breast feeding session in general, even though we are using those Tommy Tippee "closer to nature" bottles (he wouldn't take a Phillips Avent natural latch bottle).

LunaBug924 · May 2014

We have found that DD sucks a bottle down a lot faster than nursing, so at first she would do the same thing you described because she wasn't getting the sensation of feeling full. So now when DH gives her a bottle he feeds her very slowly, burps her very often, and keeps her upright for 10-15 minutes after so that everything can settle in her stomach. If she is still looking to comfort suck, he offers the paci. All the while, this method is much more effective if I am not in the room. I seriously believe that she can smell me and then she can't be consoled by anything other than some boob time.

Keep at it. Remember this is a learning process for you and LO. Good luck!

KBowen715 · May 2014

They burn more calories breastfeeding from the breast, so they are generally more 'tired out' after a session on the breast. I know after we give little man a bottle of BM, he acts hungry still (even when it is a large bottle) because it takes a fraction of the time to eat a bottle as it does to feed at the breast. We have been breastfeeding, then giving the bottle, generally in the evening. This helps him sleep longer and allows me some pumping time for storage milk.

sarag0116 · May 2014

How much are you putting in the bottle? Kellymom has a way to estimate how much the baby may eat at each session. It's just as estimation but it may help.

mcnava · May 2014

I try giving a pacifier after I finish eating. Just because it seems like he still thinks hes hungry even though he might not be. It gives him a little time to figure out his stomach.

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