Nipple Flow...either Too Fast or Too Slow!

Updated on March 31, 2012
D.R. asks from Utica, MI
5 answers

Hello!

My daughter is almost 7 months old and we use the Playtex Drop In bottles. Lately, the slow nipples are way too slow, but the medium flow nipples are too fast! I tried them a couple of months ago, and it made her very gassy and spit up a lot (on top of the constant formula dribbling out of her mouth). So I switched back to slow flow. Now, I absolutely cannot use the slow flow because not only does it take forever for her to drink her bottle, she seems very frustrated that its coming out in such a slow rate! When I tried the medium flow nipples again, she no longer is gassy or spits up, and only once in a while milk will come dribbling out of her mouth. The trouble is, NOW she gets diarrhea from drinking it so super fast! I know its from the nipple and drinking so fast because she has no other symptoms, and when I switch back to the slow flow (to her frustration), she does not get diarrhea. I've tried the Avent bottles and we seem to have the same problem. Before I spend a million dollars trying to figure out which bottle has the perfect-flow nipple for my baby girl, I thought I'd ask you mamas and other caretakers out there for your ideas! Thank you in advance!

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More Answers

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J.L.

answers from St. Cloud on

Well, that's weird :P If I were you I'd stick a pin or needle through the slow flow nipple, so the hole is an eensy bit bigger, but not as big as the medium flow. Otherwise, how long are you trying the medium nipple flow? It may take her body a little time to adjust.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Detroit on

Take a pin or tip of a knife m open the slow flow nipple more

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from Kansas City on

I've had the flow issue with lots of babies (I do daycare). I've never noticed the diarrhea problem though.

One suggestion is to put a little (1/4 to 1/2 tsp.) of rice cereal in the formula. That will thicken it up just a little and might help.

M

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T.W.

answers from Syracuse on

Hmmm, I used Playtex Drop-ins as well in conjunction with breastfeeding. We started with the tan breastfeeding nipple that was a super slow flow, took forever. From there we went to the clear nipples that had a 1 on them, then 2...then 3.

I would do what Jessie L. suggested and try making the whole a tiny bit bigger, don't spend money on more bottles.

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Either do as other mamas suggested and make the hole bigger on the slow flow nipples or transition to a sippy cup. My sister went to a straight cup, not a sippy, at 7 months due to her mouth hurting from teething so it's not impossible, and doctors advise offering a baby a sippy cup between 6-8 months to get them transitioned off the bottle by around a year.

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