Exclusive breast feeding moms

I want to introduce a bottle of pumped milk. DD will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. Most of the books I read say to wait until 4 weeks to intorude a bottle. Anyone have experience with this? I would love for someone to be able to take a feeding during the day or for DH to do one of the night feedings so I can sleep for more than half an hour at a time!

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

I'll tell you what. I absolutely regret introducing the bottle too early. I had all kinds of issues with getting DS to breastfeed after that. I know it's tough and when you don't sleep you just feel horrible but I would highly recommend waiting. Stick it out as long as possible. I will suggest 6 weeks.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

If you still want to BF but add in the bottle its best to wait the 4 weeks because of nipple confusion, if you do it to early the baby may not want to nurse anymore and only want the bottle, or the other way around.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

We introduced one bottle a week starting at like 3.5 weeks. Dh really wanted to feed the baby and the ped recommended it in case I had milk issues. It only lasted a couple weeks and dh got tired of getting up to give the baby a bottle in the morning (yes once a week ). But ds never had any issues. Just make sure you pump when the baby is having the bottle so you don't mess with supply.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

During this time, your milk supply is still being established so I would put it off for another few weeks.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

I would try to hold off as long as possible, but not too long if you can. My ped recommends 4-6 weeks.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

I gave bottles of pumped BM at the beginning when DS got really hungry and frustrated with BFing. I stopped after a few weeks b/c I realized it was contributing to latching issues. I'd hold off for as long as you can. I know the sleep deprivation sucks, but it will get better soon.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

My son was born premature and was in NICU for 8 days. In that time they bottle fed him my pumped milk. The day he was leaving was when I first got to BF. Luckily he latched on right away and now I BF and give him bottles daily. He is 2 weeks old. So it can be done!!

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

thanks moms! looks like i will be waiting another few weeks!

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

DD had bottles at least once a night in the hospital. She had no problem latching on the only thing I noticed is that with the nipples in the hospital they would pour out and milk would drip all over her because she sucked too hard.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

I did it when she was like a week old, even though my breastfeeding class said to wait til she was 3 or 4 weeks. I had a baby nurse here and she said all the BF moms she works with do the bottle, so I threw caution to the wind and we did it.

She took to it like a champ. It was great to not have to get up in the middle of the night.

ETA-- she is still great on the boob and eats great whichever way.

Message edited 3/26/2009 9:37:56 PM.

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

I introduced a pacifier at 2wks and she had no problems with that. I waited the suggested 4wks and she took the bottle like a champ. Never had nipple confusion only problem she gave me was that I was never able to give her a bottle of pumped milk. She must have realized the fresh goods were way too close!

Re: Exclusive breast feeding moms

I started using bottles right from the beginning. I was not comfortable BF in public (I'm still not), and we had visitors all the time. Plus, I wanted to be able to take advantage of giving her over to someone else to feed every now and again.

We did experience some latching issues, but I don't think it was entirely to do with the bottles...I was also dealing with flat nipples. In general, we didn't have many problems. DD also had a pacifier beginning with the 2nd day in the hospital, and still uses them, and we don't have latching problems any more.

I would say that if you want to introduce bottles, go ahead. Just make sure that you're pumping during that missed feeding so that your supply can keep up with her.