Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I am so torn right now. I have a bottle ready for him for tonight but I am afraid it will make the already tough nursing situation even worse. The lactation consultant suggested I give him one bottle just to regain my strength and get some sleep and to give my chest a rest. But all I ever heard was no bottles before 3 wks. Has anyone succ. introduced a bottle early on and did it impact BF?

Thanks so much...this is so hard!

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

We supplimented a few times when DD first came home from the hospital. My milk wasn't coming in quick enough... so we had to feed her! I am EBF now. I am lucky though, I have had no BF issues and DD latched on like a champ. So....

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

yes we did because i was a mess from the BF emotionally.. i had a bit of PP and it was mostly from BF so my OB said give her a bottle immediately with BM and my DH did and she was fine. I was so scared of her being nipple confused and not want my breast but I was CRAZY she was FINE do it ou need to for you and DS

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I had a c-section and could not feed her the first night in the hospital and they gave her a bottle.... she wouldnt latch again in the hospital so she had bottles until we got home.... then once my milk came in she latched like a champ.....

Now, I cannot get her to take the bottle

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

When I DS was exactly one week old he had one 2 oz bottle of formula- the only formula he's ever had. I went to my post-op Dr's appt for my c-section and my Dr sent me to the emergency room because my blood pressure was so high. I was there for at least 5 hrs before they released me. My mom gave him the bottle while I was in the hospital.

We didn't officially introduce the bottle until about 4 wks.

You have to know your DC though. I knew from the beginning that my DS loved to $uck and nurse. It really depends on the baby.

If you decide to give the bottle, make sure that you give a slow flow nipple. Here are some tips for bottle feeding a BF infant:

link

Message edited 9/6/2007 9:53:06 PM.

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I had my DH give my daughter a bottle of breastmilk when she was 2 weeks and 2 days old. She did great and hasn't had any nipple confusion. He continues to give her one bottle a day almost everyday. It is great b/c it lets me either go to sleep early or sleep in a little so I can get more than 2 hours of sleep at a time. They say it is better to have someone else give the baby the bottle b/c they know their mother's scent. I've stayed out of the room everytime DH has given her a bottle but I'm not sure it would even make a difference-she just wants to eat and doesn't care how she gets it!

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

Posted by LUCY
Now, I cannot get her to take the bottle

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I did. Per the ped's suggestion. DD wasn't at her birthweight at her 2 week appt. I was getting worried plus I was sleep-deprived. The ped suggested we give her a bottle at night to hold her over longer so that I could rest and produce better milk. It worked for us.

Around 1.5 months, I went back to EBF and she still kept up the 4-5 hour period of sleep.

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I was told be the ped that nipple confusion is rare but the bottle and pacifiers can make the baby 'lazy' since they don't have to work as hard with a bottle or can tire their mouths with a paci.

I EBF and waited till 3 1/2 weeks to give DD a bottle. What I did do that the lactation consultant recommended (they are so helpful, if you don't have one I recommended that highly) is us a plastic syringe (that the consultant gave me) and slipped it in the corner of her mouth as DD was BFing. The consultant showed me how to use it so that DD was actually drawing the milk out of the syringe while latched on (vice me squeezing the syringe.) It also helped DD associate my boob with dinner.

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

Posted by chelle

We supplimented a few times when DD first came home from the hospital. My milk wasn't coming in quick enough... so we had to feed her! I am EBF now. I am lucky though, I have had no BF issues and DD latched on like a champ. So....

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I had to supplement in the hospital and a couple of times at home the first week because my milk did not come in as quickly as needed. DS was born at 7 lbs 14 oz and went down to 7 lbs 2 oz so his pediatrician asked me to supplement. The nurses in the hospital gave him his 2 am bottle. DS is 5 weeks old and I EBF now.

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

Our ped suggested we introduce the bottle at one week so he gets used to both. DS never had a problem latching on from the minute he was born. We actually waiting for 2 weeks and I pumped with a manual pump for 1-2 bottles per day.

He never had a problem going back and forth between the bottle and the breast even to this day at 11 weeks. If it's food he will take it. Now he is mostly on the bottle but I still BF so he does not "forget" just in case I need to BF and have no bottle available.

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

Thanks ladies! I think you have convinced me that this is ok and I am going to experiment this afternoon....hoping it works out!

What bottle/nipple did you guys use? I have the evenflo glass bottles but all the nipples that are compatible seem too fast? Any suggestions?

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

My LC told me that when giving the bottle I should let him only take one or two sucks and then pull the nipple away a little bit. It makes the bottle a little more work so it's not easier than the breast and the baby won't learn to prefer the bottle. She said you don't want them to be continuously sucking away. We had to do this a few times and my DS had no problems at all. Good luck!

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

yes, my nipples were sore and one was bleeding... so I started giving him bottle to let them heal a bit... well, he never went back to my breast, he screamed his little head off in frustration.. I guess eating from the bottle was so much easier for him, oh well... I still pump though...

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

I let the nurses feed him overnight while I was at the hospital, so I could get some rest. I knew when I got home it wouldn't be that easy. We had no problems latching or supply

Re: Did anyone who EBF give DC a bottle before 2 wks?

My DS had a couple of bottles before he was 3 weeks and we didn't have any difficulty.