occasionally giving bottle of EBM

All4meUC wibbled

Hi there. My son is one month old and I really feel like we've
got the hang of breastfeeding. I have started giving my son a
bottle of expressed milk in order to prepare for when I return to
school. So far he seems to have no problem with nipple confusion.
He even takes the bottle from me (but I only offer a bottle at
that feeding, never both the bottle and breast).

I have given him one bottle a day a few days in a row, and then
maybe skipped a day or two before offering again. Reading the
latest discussion has started to worry me that the same problem
(bottle preference) will arise. I thought maybe by starting to
introduce the bottle at this early of an age but only occasionally
would acustom him to both but not really give him a chance to
develop a preference for the bottle. What are your opinions, and
what kind of red flags should I be aware of that might signal a
preference developing?

T has had one or two bottles a night most nights since he was 2 days
old, as for various reasons I was unable to feed him on a couple of
occasions in the hospital but could express for a midwife to give him a
bottle. When we came home we continued this and he will happily take a
bottle from DH at night and feed with me all other times. We've got
this into the routine of EBM at around 12 or 1am (I go to bed before 11
most nights) and then a regular feed around 5 or 6, and he's quite
happy. This might be because he started *so* early with bottles, and
because I don't give them, but you might be equally lucky at this
stage. People will tell you that nipple confusion is likely, but if he
does feed happily - and you'll know - from the breast when you want him
to, things could well be fine. Incidentally, I compensate for missing
the night-time feed by pumping during/after the early morning one, and
have no supply problems (but then I have slight OAL and oversupply, if
anything. I'm going to be donating to the local milk bank as soon as
I'm cleared to).

Jac

All4meUC wrote:
Hi there. My son is one month old and I really feel like we've got the hang of
breastfeeding. I have started giving my son a bottle of expressed milk in order
to prepare for when I return to school. So far he seems to have no problem with
nipple confusion. He even takes the bottle from me (but I only offer a bottle
at that feeding, never both the bottle and breast).

I have given him one bottle a day a few days in a row, and then maybe skipped a
day or two before offering again. Reading the latest discussion has started to
worry me that the same problem (bottle preference) will arise. I thought maybe
by starting to introduce the bottle at this early of an age but only
occasionally would acustom him to both but not really give him a chance to
develop a preference for the bottle. What are your opinions, and what kind of
red flags should I be aware of that might signal a preference developing?
Tracy R.


I gave my son 1 or 2 bottles a day starting when he was 2 weeks old, and
he never had nipple confusion. I would think if that was going to
happen, you'd have seen it by now, in your baby acting reluctant to
nurse. If that does happen, I'd stop the bottles for a time.

My son was happy to take the bottle, but nowhere near as happy as when
nursing. When he was 6.5 months old, he refused the bottle for good
(but you can worry about that later.)

Clisby

All4meUC wrote:

What are your opinions, and what kind of red flags
should I be aware of that might signal a preference developing?

I did the very same thing with Luke starting at 4 weeks only I always had
someone else give the bottle. He started at the sitter at 4 months and then
got multiple bottles during the day. He really got the hang of that after a
few days and then for about two weeks he was just mister cranky for the
first few nursing sessions at home. I'm guessing he wanted a bottle. I
just remained calmed and continued to offer nursing. I was also very strict
about him not getting bottles from me and not getting bottles while I was
present. After two weeks we never had any more trouble and he continued to
get the bottles until he was 12 months.
--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)

: Hi there. My son is one month old and I really feel like we've got the
hang of
: breastfeeding. I have started giving my son a bottle of expressed milk
in order
: to prepare for when I return to school. So far he seems to have no
problem with
: nipple confusion. He even takes the bottle from me (but I only offer a
bottle
: at that feeding, never both the bottle and breast).

: I have given him one bottle a day a few days in a row, and then maybe
skipped a
: day or two before offering again. Reading the latest discussion has
started to
: worry me that the same problem (bottle preference) will arise. I thought
maybe
: by starting to introduce the bottle at this early of an age but only
: occasionally would acustom him to both but not really give him a chance
to
: develop a preference for the bottle. What are your opinions, and what
kind of
: red flags should I be aware of that might signal a preference
developing?
: Tracy R.

If you are offering your son only one bottle a day, and if you hare having
no problems offering the breast otherwise, I would not worry.


I second what Larry says. DH started giving both DS and DD an occassional
bottle of ebm (same as you're doing) from about two weeks old. Neither ever
showed a preferrence. We did skip a week or two at about two months old
though and DD had to re-learn how to use a bottle. She just rolled the
nipple around in her mouth for awhile until she got a bit of milk before she
remembered what it was! Sounds like you'll have no problem with nipple
confusion with the schedule you're keeping.

Shannon

"annafine" wrote in message
om...
I've heard not to give bottles until at least 3 weeks to avoid nipple
confusion.

I've also heard that the Mother should not be in the same room when
baby is given a bottle because the Baby can smell the Mother and would
likely not take to the bottle as well.

I'm no expert here, but I'd say as long as things seem to be going
well you are ok.

Good luck!!

Let me know how things go...I'd like to do both BFing and EBM from the
beginning so DH can have his share of feedings from very early on, but
because of all I've heard/read about establishing BFing first, we are
hesitating on starting the bottle before 3 weeks.

Anna
EDD 10/18/2003

We left it until Liam was 3.5 weeks (I hadn't the patience to wait for 4),
we just give him a bottle of ebm once a day maybe every 2nd or 3rd day. We
normally bring one with us when we go out, I doubt I'll ever have the
confidence to NIP and if I have a glass of wine at night I go to bed early
and dh gives him a feed at around 2am if he wakes for it. I even managed to
go for a meet up with a group of mums and babies last Tuesday and gave him
the bottle myself!
When we first introduced it he guzzled the bottle but didn't suck on the
breast properly so I left it another couple of days but since then he has
been fine!
We've also given him a pacifier occasionally but we are getting the idea
that he isn't really interested!
HTH
Marie

annafine wrote:

I'd like to do both BFing and EBM from the
beginning so DH can have his share of feedings from very early on

Sharing feedings is really overrated, in my opinion. Some
people find it very easy to pump, but for me, spending 30-45
minutes pumping and washing and bottle-feeding and washing
(and I didn't sterilize at all, so if you did that, it would
take longer) so I could skip one 10-minute nursing session
was totally not worth it.

And until you've tried it, you won't know how easy or hard
it is to pump, or how easy or hard it is for your body to
increase supply with one less good nursing session a day, or
how well your baby will switch between bottle and breast.
(BTW, the general guideline is no bottles before 4 weeks,
not 3, and the longer you wait, the lower the odds of
problems.) So I wouldn't fill DH's head with visions of
blissful bottlefeeding until you've got nursing very well
established.

If DH wants to share, maybe you can have the front end and
he can have the back end.

Phoebe

"Phoebe & Allyson" skrev i en meddelelse
...

If DH wants to share, maybe you can have the front end and
he can have the back end.

You had me giggling over that one for sure :-D

Tine, Denmark