HELP!!! When Do I Introduce the Bottle?

I had heard 2 weeks was too early to introduce as well. You may want to talk to a lactation consultant. My second daughter took her first bottle at 6 weeks or so. She actually took it fine; actualy preferred it to the breast. However, I think it was because she was tongue tied.

I introduced the bottle by the beginning of the 2nd week. I was not producing enough and my 9lbs baby was hungry! It took him a minute or so to get the grasp of it. You should have no problems. I do advise not to go too long in between nipple and bottle because then again he might forget how to latch on.

Hi N.!
I have a 16 month old son and we introduced the bottle at about a week! He never had problems with confusion. The only thing that I did was, I was not there in the beginning when he was given a bottle! Someone else always did it until we had a really established breastfeeding routine. He always went right to me and never had any problems! I hope that helps!

Two weeks is too extreme. I know I introduced the bottle to my son as soon as he and I were nursing comfortably. You don't want to confuse them before they have one thing down! I say go with your instincts.

N.,

I understand you frustration since we were under the impression that if our son did not latch within 2 hrs he would never. STOP panicing, we were successful at both the breast and bottle. WE introduced the bottle o our son at 4 weeks and we had my husband give it to him with fresh pumped breastmilk and he did fine. We used the orthopidically correct nipples that are flat you can find them at babies r us, but only for the small skinny evenflo bottles. It may take a few times, don't show frustion and you'll be fine. My son had no nipple confusion and we were successfully able to breastfeed till 6mos when I dried up over night for no known reason. We did and it's now a year later for us. Good luck and congrates on you new miracle.

K.

Congratulations on the new baby! The hospital nursery gave my daughter a bottle in the hospital before I could nurse her the first time. I had read that it would confuse her and she would not nurse as good, but she was a champion nurser! I would pump milk and give her a bottle 3-4 times a week before I returned to work, and at 8 weeks she would take a bottle while I worked and I would nurse before and after work and all weekend. She never really seemed to care where the milk came from. I don't think it would cause any problems as long as he's a good eater. Also, I read that it is easier if someone other than mom give bottles, but it wasn't an issue for us.

Four weeks old is what I was told when I had my baby. She took to the bottle like a champ even though I was still nursing her most of the time. Pumping and bottle-feeding gives you a much needed break during those early months. Good luck!

Congratulations!! I also have four children. The newest wouldn't take a bottle very well at all. I think we waited too long. The two that did take a bottle were given one at about two weeks (I think). It didn't cause any problems if my husband gave it to them once a day. We weren't consistent, though, so they both forgot how to do it. I say go ahead and try. If he has any problems with confusion, you can always stop giving him bottles for a while. Just don't wait too long to try again if it is really important to you that he take a bottle.

I was told to introduce around 6 weeks and you will need to continue to give a bottle about once a week so he doesn't "forget". Try the Breastflow bottles. They can be hard to find. I found them at Babies R Us and the Target in Highland Village.

We introduced the bottle at about one month (your baby needs to know how to nurse, and your milk needs to be well established). My husband gave our baby a bottle of expressed breast milk (I pumped during that feeding) every night, and she went back and forth with absolutely no trouble and no nipple confusion. I had friends though who had to try different types of bottles (we use Dr. Brown's), and some who even had to totally leave the room while their babies were being fed the bottle (if they smelled Mom they'd refuse the bottle). It can be done! Good luck!

N.,
I started introducing the bottle at 2 weeks...I read the book "The Nursing Mom's Companion" that is very pro-breastfeeding and it definitely suggests doing it that soon b/c if not it will be more difficult for a baby to be able to take a bottle. I did it only occasionally and it has worked every time (I have 3 kids now).

Good luck!

My son was introduced to the bottle in the hospital. Then I began nursing him a day or so later. He went to the babysitters at 6 wks when I went back to work, so during the day I pumped and he was on the bottle all day, and I nursed in in the morning, evenings and weekends. He never had any issues with going from breast to bottle.

I was told between 3-4 weeks, which is what we did. DD latched on IMMEDIATELY with no troubles out of the womb, so I actually would have tried it more like 2-3 weeks, had I gotten my pump a little earlier. If he's latching well, I'd try at 2 or 3 weeks. The idea is that you want him to be comfortable with BFing with no prob, but not so old that he can really have an opinion yet ;) I also agree with the other posters that you need to give him a bottle consistently and periodically, so he doesn't forget how to do it--I would pump between feedings every day, and every other night my DH would be on "night duty" with a bottle of pumped milk, so I could get more sleep, and DD was used to getting a bottle regularly. I went back to work part time at 4 mos, and we never had a problem. GL!

My younger son totally refused a bottle even when my husband would try to give it and I wasn't around. Some babies just naturally prefer Mom and that's actually quite normal - they want the physical comfort of the skin to skin contact. So, you might try giving him the bottle that way OR have dad use a blanket that has your smell.

I did wait until he was 4 weeks old to ensure I had adequate milk supply - he was also a 9 lb baby, so that doesn't necessarily mean that Mom can't produce enough - frequent nursing (2-3 hrs during the day) AND no longer than 4-5 hrs at nite has been shown to be the key to success. My son gained 1 lb per week for the first two months and then slowed to 1/2 lb per week for the next several mos and then slowed down once he got mobile.

I will note that my older son had NO problems at all with the bottle, but he did have problems latching on nursing (he was in ICU for 3 days). So, my experience was absolutely that success with one approach does not necessarily lead to success with another approach.

Also, if you can't get him to take the bottle, you might find that you feel you're spending too much time nursing early on BUT in the long run, this saves a whole lot of time - no prep to go anywhere and babies at this age are extremely portable. Even when they're older a sling works great and in my experience NO one minds a breastfeeding infant that accompanies mom for the most part - certainly, the symphony or a black tie dinner might be the exception.

Also, in the early weeks the nursing actually provices Mom a chance to get the necessary rest. Personally, I really looked forward to the time to sit still in peace and quiet and read a book or just ponder the world. Once your baby is older that will be a very rare luxury.

Good luck!

The right way is the way that works for you and yours. Some babies never take a bottle - some, once they try it, never take the breast again b/c it's too much work. Some babies have nipple confusion and work it out, some never have any confusion at all.

I would, by all means, introduce the bottle between 2 and three weeks - for one feeding, then go a couple of days with no ba, then back for another feeding. That way the baby is accustomed to the occasional bottle... but breast is what is usually there.

S.

I went back to work when my son was 12 weeks old, and my husband and I introduced the bottle to him at about 10 weeks. He never got confused and ate great while nursing or on the bottle.
Jen D.-Frisco

I had problems with my daughter taking a bottle, too. My lactation consultant said that IF a baby does not have latching issures, then a bottle should be introduced at 3 weeks. And that you should use the bottle ever 2-3 days or so, so that the baby does not "forget."

I introduced the bottle at about 4 weeks. I pumped milk and then let my husband give the bottle and I left the room.

My daughter's pediatrician told us to introduce the bottle between 3-4 weeks, once BF is established, but still early enough that baby won't reject it. She also told us to use the NUK bottles and pacifiers (also known as the orthodontic nipples), as they promote healthy teeth formation and they are designed most like the way baby sucks. We had no issues introducing a bottle of expressed breastmilk at 3 1/2 weeks, DD had no nipple confusion, and it was great that my husband was able to be more involved with DD's feedings and was able to bond with her more as well. Good luck, HTH.

Six weeks was the general rule I worked by. It worked with all three of my girls. Don't get me wrong . . . they initially hated it so there were a few days where they probably didn't eat as much. But once they got the hang of it, all three did extremely well on both breast and bottle.

I introduced the bottle at about 1 week with both of my boys on the recommedation of my aunt, a neocatal intisive care nurse and lactation consultant, former breastfeeder of 4. As long as your baby is latching on well and nursing well, you shouldn't have any problems. She recommended a bottle a day at first to help them get used to it. I always did the night time feed with a bottle because I worked nights and would miss that feeding. I always had their daddy give them the bottle while I pumped. Of course, I never could get either to take a bottle for me! Good luck! As long as you've got a good feeder, you shouldn't need to worry and the sooner and more consistent, the better!

You should introduce a bottle between 4-6 weeks.

We introduced a bottle for both of ours at about 2 weeks (this is what our pedi told us). Just one feeding a day, at the same time each day. Husband fed the baby a bottle while I pumped (for minimum disruption in the milk supply). I went back to work at 10 weeks both times and never had a problem switching back and forth from nursing to bottle.

My daughter was given bottles at the hospital & nursing. I breast fed and occasional bottles with NO problem. I did use NUK nipples. I don't know if they still have them or not, but they are supposed to be more like the real thing. Good Luck

If the baby is latching on well, see what he does with the bottle; make sure you get one that is as close to the nipple in shape, feel as possible. I was not able to really get any of my kids to take a bottle, a few times I think with the youngest, but the first two, forget it. And it really wasn't a huge problem because if I nursed them right before I left, they could go for several hours without a problem.

I think if you are anxious about it, the baby feels it and will be less likely to take the bottle so the stance that it doesn't matter if he does or doesn't will probably promote success.

The other upside is that sippy cups are so good that they can use those pretty early even if the bottle thing doesn't happen.