Introducing bottles

[dronkeygal]

tl;dr: When is too early to introduce bottle and how should it be done?

FTM here with a 10 day old. Have been exclusively breast feeding and it has been going pretty well overall. Dealt with some shallow latch issues that I fixed by positioning. Otherwise, baby cluster feeds every other day it seems. I have pumped 3 times since baby was born just for a bit of stimulation and today to get some relief. I'm wondering when it is ok to introduce bottle to baby. I will be returning to work after 12 weeks so she will be on the bottle then. Meanwhile DH is desperate to help out with feeding. He and I both had emotional crying days. He felt like he wasn't helping enough and I just feel overwhelmed with always being in demand.

[casey]

These early days are just rough.

See if YH can take on a caregiving task that is just his. For us, that meant DH was (and still is) master of bathtime. He gives the bath and the massage (LO is 19m and asks for her "'sage" now). It's a sweet nurturing time for them, and it gives you some solo time. Giving bottles doesn't really help because you still have to pump, spend the same time doing that, and then have stuff to wash.

For the bottles ... wait until after 3w growth spurt and then start practicing. It will be the easiest time to pump and still in good window. Make sure to read up on paced bottle feeding.

[flcl]

Hang in there.. you sound like you're doing awesome! The beginning is so rough and I remember like all I was doing was BF every single moment of the day. I think it would be ok for you to wait until LO is between 3-4 weeks old... You can give LO a bottle anywhere as often as daily to every couple of days. When we introduced the bottle, H would be the one to give it... I would then go and pump to replace the feeding. I talked to H about paced feeding to help with transitioning between bottle and boob. kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/ Best of luck!

[melody330]

Kellymom has a lot of great links on bottle feeding a breastfed baby
I just wanted to add one thing. DS hated bottles, so we made sure that practice bottles were only an oz or two. After he finished the bottle I would finish his feeding on the breast. After a few weeks of practice bottles every other day he tolerated it more. It KILLED me to dump 3 oz of BM down the drain when he refused the rest of the bottle!

[dronkeygal]

Thanks ladies! flcl I sent that link to my husband to study. And he is definitely going to be on bath duty! LO has very dry sensitive skin now so we have only sponge bathed her twice, but he is looking forward to that task once her skin has gotten used to being in the outside world!

[nursefrizz]

Feb 18, 2015 20:25:14 GMT -5 casey said:

LO is 19m and asks for her "'sage" now.

This is the cutest

[emmyg65]

There are lots of ways for dad to bond without feeding. Here are some suggestions: www.bestforbabes.org/14-ways-for-dads-to-be-engaged-with-their-breastfed-babes/

My husband was home for three weeks and did pretty much everything but feeding: diaper changes, calming the baby, cooking and keeping the house in order. Now that he's back at work, he takes the baby as soon as he gets home and still does the bulk of the diaper changes when he's around.

[kwitt319]

I would try and do a bottle a day from here forward, esp if you are planning on going back to work. It's good pumping practice for you and for baby. Not to mention Dad will feel needed .

[toadandbuggie]

I introduced a bottle shortly after my milk came in. I would go to bed early and H would stay up when he was home from work and let me sleep without interruption with a bottle. I like being able to pump and take a bottle with me in public instead of having to worry about breastfeeding (I feel really uncomfortable about doing that in public).

I was hesitant to introduce a bottle since I read about "nipple confusion," but I also read that many babies have no problem going back and forth. I wanted to introduce him early in case of an emergency where I couldn't be around and he could only get a bottle - and that happened when I was admitted to the hospital and had to spend the night away. Thankfully I had some breastmilk frozen!

[fish8412]

Wait to give bottles until 4 or so weeks (so there is no nipple confusion and the 3 week growth spurt is over). ALWAYS pump when a bottle is given to maintain supply. Since you will be going back to work, I would go ahead and start pumping twice a day (at 4 weeks) to build a freezer stash. Your husband does not need to give one bottle every day for LO to get used to the bottle. 2-3 times a week should do. When your husband gives the first few bottles you may need to leave the room. Use the slowest flow nipple. Good luck!

[apsalartoll]

We had to supplement early on due to milk being slow to come in, and while that only lasted 2 days, we never stopped giving her bottles of breast milk. So she's been getting a bottle almost every day since she was 4 days old, and there was never any nipple confusion. I've never given her a bottle myself, though, it's always been DH or my mom.