Nipple confusion question

Tanya0624 · September 2015

So I have read that if you plan on breast feeding, you shouldnt introduce a bottle until around 6 weeks or so because it can cause nipple confusion and baby will most likely choose the bottle because its easier.... So my question is, does that include introducing a pacifier as well?

LLynde5 · September 2015

FTM and I took a breastfeeding class and the lactation consultant said use the pacifier if it is the only thing that will sooth but try to use it as little as possible. Not sure if that helps?

smnewby · September 2015

LLynde5 said:
FTM and I took a breastfeeding class and the lactation consultant said use the pacifier if it is the only thing that will sooth but try to use it as little as possible. Not sure if that helps?

Our breastfeeding instructor gave us a similar recommendation. Only use pacifier/bottle w breast milk once breastfeeding has been well established. She also recommended against them unless you find them to be the only thing that will sooth baby.

maiatene · September 2015

My son had a pacifier since day 1 and he was bottle and breastfed for the first few weeks of his life and there was no nipple confusion. I know a few babies who reject the boob after the bottle because bottles are easier but they came around because that's where the food was.

mommy_wife_nurse · September 2015

Our breastfeeding class recommended waiting 4-6 weeks before a pacifier and bottle. However, I know moms who have pumped from the beginning and introduced both at 1 week old and never had issues.

nbpa3027 · September 2015

I think that so much of this has to do with your kids personality. Both of mine were both breast and bottle fed from day one and they also had the pacifier from the day they were born and we never had any problems switching back and forth.

I have quite a few friends that waited until the week before starting daycare to introduce the bottle and the babies would not drink out of the bottle at all--as in would drink maybe 3 oz or so the whole day at daycare, and then nurse all night to make up for the calories--super miserable for all involved.

I am planning on starting with the bottle and pacifier right away again.

silly514 · September 2015

Definitely kids personality. My dd was primarily breastfed, never cared for pacis (and there were many times I desperately wanted her to take one) and took expressed milk in bottles without much issue at all.... I've heard totally different stories from other moms though...

leah665 · September 2015

I've heard much of the same as stated above. You can also get low flow bottle nipples I think. I also learned in my BF class that when you do introduce the bottle it shouldn't be you who does it. Have your partner do it.

MamaOwl15 · September 2015

As far as pacifiers, I've heard to wait 3-4 weeks, though we have DS a paci from day 1 with no issues. He decided he wasn't into pacifiers once he discovered his fingers, though.

For using bottles, I've heard to wait till around 6 weeks (and if you're going back to work, give your kid time to get used to the bottle!). There are lots of slow-flow nipples on the market and bottles designed to be more like a breast.

Granted, you may NEED to use a bottle. My son wouldn't latch well, so I bottle-fed and nursed him. Initially, he preferred the bottle, but eventually he got the hang of nursing and preferred that. I used Breastflow bottles with slow-flow nipples, so he still had to work to get milk or formula from the bottle.

sweet+cheeks · September 2015

I think your milk supply and flow factor into it as well. I had a ridiculous oversupply and LO had to gulp to avoid choking. She hated bottles because the flow was too slow by comparison. She had a pacifier from day two (after not sleeping for a full 24 hours). And we didn't have any issues with confusion. I would tend to think the guidelines lean towards being more cautious rather than hard and fast rules.

ameares721 · September 2015

My baby girl is 12 days old and self soothes by sucking on her arm (too funny!) we reluctantly tried a pacifier but she rejected it so we just let her self-soothe with her hands/arms. We will probably try the bottle around week 5 or 6 per the recommendation of the lactation consultant so we can get the hang of using stored breast milk and having others feed her. My husband is so excited to feed her! Seems kind of crazy that I'm the only one who has fed her, ever!

krae771 · September 2015

I waited 4-6 weeks for both bottle and pacifier. Not sure if it made a difference but I wanted to limit any possible confusion issues. If you are going back to work, I would start the bottle a few weeks before you go back to get the baby used to it.

midge519 · September 2015

With my daughter I got The First Years Breastflow bottles and they worked wonders. She only had a bottle maybe 10 times total and always from someone other than me but the first time she got a bottle we had to put a blanket against her face and the hand holding the bottle also had to have fingers on her face to imitate the feeling of her being against my skin. She wasn't a fan of pacifiers as she preferred a wider pacifier but the only ones I could find were 6+ and they were too long so she'd gag on them. As she got older she liked to have her pack every so often but they were more of a toy for her than anything

cbutler0045 · September 2015

I know everyone has different opinions. The breastfeeding class I attended said to wait until the baby was 3 weeks old before giving a paci or bottle, but I took an online Medela course and they said to wait at least 6 weeks. I also talked to my midwife and she stated that if the baby has established a good latch and has been breastfeeding well for about 1-2 weeks then most babies will not have nipple confusion. I have also been told that many babies struggle with ever taking a bottle if you wait too long to introduce them to one. My breastfeeding class gave out this sheet about preparing baby and yourself for returning to work and introducing them to a bottle. I found it very informational and thought I would share!

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