Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

I am pumping and will be leaving DS overnight in a couple of weeks.

I have them stored in the Medela plastic 2 oz containers.

Can I just put a nipple on the top of the container? If not, what bottle is best to avoid nipple confusion?

Do I keep the milk frozen until the moment it needs to be used or do I defrost them for my MIL and transport to a new bottle?

With DS#1 I supplimented formula or never froze the milk (just gave it to him within 24 hours) when I would leave him but since BFing is going soooo well I really want to do this as long as possible.

Thanks in advance. Please add anything that I may have missed - never done this before.

Re: Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

I don't use those particular bags but we use the Advent bottles. DS has been switching from bottle to breast pretty much since birth because he was jaundice so the ped made us supplement him. He always bf first and then took two oz of formula. He never had nipple confusion and he is now 9 weeks old and take a bf bottle at daycare. I think you can take the bm out of the freezer and place it in warm water until it defrosts. The bags usually have instructions on them.

Re: Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

If I am going to use frozen BM, I take it out and put in the fridge the night before to defrost. Defrosted frozen BM is good for 24 hours and shouldn't be refrozen. As far as nipple/bottles, my LC said there isn't one in particular they recommend. I use the very basic gerber bottle/nipple because thats all DS will take (we tried BornFree & Avent with no luck---but each DC is different) I know the Adiri bottle and First Years breast flow bottles are supposed to be like BF. I think you can put a nipple ontop of those containers, but I don't have them, so I can't be sure.

Message edited 3/29/2008 4:07:22 PM.

Re: Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

Oh, are you going to try the bottle with DS before the weekend you go away? I'm sure you are, but since you didn't mention it I thought I'd ask, that way you can make sure he likes the nipple and takes the BM okay! Good luck

Re: Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

I actually just bought the BreastFlow bottle last night...

DD took to it very well, but like one of the posters said... it's hit and miss - u have to find the one that is right for your baby.

Re: Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

Yes you can just put a nipple on the Medela container to feed DC. However, I strongly recommend you try it before you go away as DC may not like the Medela nipple.

As for what is best to avoid nipple confusion . . . . From everything I have experienced as well as read here, each child is different and it is hit or miss. One of the other posters mentioned the First Years bottles - my DD had a very hard time with those. She also didn't like Avent, or the Medela nipple. She likes the latex gerber drop in nipple but not the silicone (even though her pacifier is silicone ).

As for defrosting, wait until it needs to be given to DC. It can be defrosted by placing the container in warm water and then given to the baby.

Re: Need advice Bottle Feeding a Breastfed Baby.

You can do a couple of things - if it is frozen leave it be either of you can defrost it as needed - by either heating it up or putting in the fridge etc and letting it sit until you want to heat it up- but once you start to defrost it you need to use it within 24 hours - so I would wait until she needs it - you can definitely leave it in the little bottles but I would transfer them to another bottle when you want to actually feed the baby - DD took best to Dr. Browns but each child is different - some people prefer born free, avent, etc.