| Generally the advice is not to give any bottles to a breastfed baby before about six weeks. This is for two reasons. The first is that until the baby is really accomplished at breastfeeding there is a danger than he will become confused and try to suck at the breast in the way he sucks at the bottle – this can result in him not getting enough milk at the breast and/or sore nipples for the mother. Of course not all babies suffer from this but one estimate is that 95% of newborns under three weeks do.
The second reason is during the first six weeks your milk supply is establishing and the introduction of bottles can interfere with the supply. The biggest danger is when you leave milk in your breasts for a long time – so although you earlier expressed milk to give the baby – it isn’t wise to skip the feed from the mother’s body point of view. Likewise a pacifier before six weeks is also not recommended.
Here are some tips that can be used if baby is reluctant to take the bottle:
• Try offering the bottle before the baby is likely to be too hungry,
• Wrap the baby in a piece of the mother’s clothing (blouse or nightgown, for example) while offering the bottle,
• Instead of pushing the bottle nipple into the baby’s mouth, try laying it near his mouth and allowing him to pull it in himself,
• Try running warm water over the bottle nipple to bring it up to body temperature,
• Try different types of bottle nipples to find a shape, a substance (rubber or silicone), and a hole size the baby will accept,
• Try different feeding positions. Some babies like to sit propped against the caregiver’s raised legs; others prefer not to look at the caregiver and will take a bottle better if they are held facing out, with their back against the caregiver’s chest,
• Try to feed the baby while moving rhythmically – rocking, walking or swaying from side to side – because this may be calming to him,
• Insert the bottle nipple into the baby’s mouth when he’s sleeping,
• Keep trying, but remember that the baby can be fed the mother’s milk with a cup, spoon or eyedropper if the baby continues to refuse the bottle.
Best wishes,
Barb  |