i have been exclusively breastfeeding, but started pumping a couple days ago. my daughter was fussy tonight and she fed until i believe there wasn't anything left so i warmed up a bottle of breast milk for her and put it in the avent bottle for newborns, but it just poured out into her mouth. more of it came out than went in, but she did take a bottle from me! that part was great. my question is what is the best nipple or bottle to get for her that has a slower flow, or should i get the nipples that don't have a hole and use a straight pin to make one for her?
With my daughter, we did the same thing. I pumped when she was about three weeks old so my husband could feed her on occasion. We used the Dr. Browns bottles with Stage 1 nipples (when you buy the bottles they automatically come with Stage 1 nipple so you don't have to buy them) and she did great with them! Good luck!
my dd is 7 weeks, I started pumping when she was about 3 weeks. I just use regular bottles and nipples, (the newborn stage) and they work fine. She is able to go back and forth between breast and bottle with no confusion at all! It actually seems like she nurses better since I started doing both, but it could be her age making it easier.
We are currently using Dr. Brown's with the premie nipples for our 7 week old twins because they both have a tendency to get gassy. We started with the Avent bottles too and found they were gulping and overwhelmed, so our night time doula recommended the Dr. Brown's with the premie nipples and they are doing much better!
Always go with slow flow, but you also need a bottle whose nipple feels and acts like the breast. I have only known one that can actually pull it off perfectly, and that is mimijumi. http://www.mymammasmilk.com/Mimijumi.html
I've been using BreastFlow by First Years since my son was about 3 months old and they work great. He didn't like the avent at all...
I recommend Second Nature brand bottles/nipples. I BF 4 and this brand makes the babies use the same muscles they use when BFing. The milk does not pour out of these nipples, they have to work for it, so it also has less chance of creating nipple confusion (or preference, because bottles ARE so much easier)
I have a 9 1/2 month old and he has been using Avent bottles and Born Free bottles since he was born. I think you should use slow flow or the #1 nipple which has a smaller hole. I think for Avent bottles, their nipples goes from #1, #2 and so on. Born Free bottles are really good but there are three parts so just more parts to wash but I didn't mind. Sometimes it depends what works with your baby too. I am sure your little one will let you know : )
Try holding her in a more upright position with the bottle almost parralel to the floor. Make sure there is some milk in the nipple so she's not sucking in air. In this position, she will have to work to get the milk out like she does at the breast and it won't just be pouring into her mouth.
we love the dr. brown's bottles - and i always kept the stage one nipples even when they were past stage one. its a slower flow and it gives them the opportunity to actually suck, so their nursing is less affected by bottle use.
Best of luck Mama!
The sucking action required to breastfeed is different than the sucking on a bottle nipple. When I worked in daycare the AVENT bottles seemed to work the best for babies switching from the breast to the bottle. If you are switching completely then try a few different types until you find one that works well for your baby. If you are continuing to breastfeed, please be aware that babies can have nipple confusion going back and forth between the breast and the bottle. Good Luck
You definitely want "slow flow" nipples if she's only a month old. Check to see if the Avent bottle possibly had a fast flow nipple on it? You can buy different nipples, and keep the bottle you have. Otherwise, try the Breastflow bottles (my daughter loved them when I was nursing) or the Playtex Drop-ins. They are cheap, but after having to switch to formula, she liked those bottles the best! Also, I have heard that you should never pierce the nipples yourself with a pin, because small pieces of it can break off and be ingested by your baby.
Definitely get the slow flow nipples. Try the premie ones they may work a little slower. Give your baby time though. You are switching her from the breast to a nipple on a bottle and they can obviously tell they are different so it does take a little time to get used to it.
I used the Playtex drop ins for my 1st and now my 2nd daughter. My 1st daughter did excellent with them and rarely got gased up. Now, my 2nd daughter is doing good with the bottles, but she is getting more gassy, but she is on soy formula too compared to my 1st daughter who went on regular formula (I do supplement with formula because she eats so much).
I would honestly try the premie nipples (you can get them at walmart) and if she is spilling them still, then it's probably just a waiting process for her to get used to them.
Good luck!
