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nipple confusion?

  1. #1
    dueJuly is offline Registered User
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    nipple confusion?

    Hi there,

    I've read differing views about nipple confusion and am looking for some first hand advice.
    I plan on exclusively feeding breast milk, but am considering pumping and giving from a bottle occasionally so Dad can be involved, too.
    What experiences have you had introducing a bottle right away as opposed to waiting until baby (and mommy!) has mastered the latch?
    Does giving a bottle too soon promote nipple confusion or should it be given as an option immediately so baby learns to like both?
    Thanks for your help!


  2. #2
    LLL_Sarah is offline Registered User
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    Quote Originally Posted by dueJuly View Post
    Does giving a bottle too soon promote nipple confusion?
    Yes, I help mothers every week who have given bottles too soon. Some manage to overcome the problem and other don't but the solution is to go back to full breastfeeding for a period of time.

    It is much easier to prevent this problem rather than to correct it. Please, please wait until both the baby AND you know exactly what you are doing with the breastfeeding. This is usually around four to six weeks and for dyads with problems it will be longer.

    Remember that if your baby does have problems swapping between breast and bottle later (refusing a bottle is an indication of a problem) then introducing bottles too early WILL cause a problem with the breastfeeding.

    It often takes about a week for the problem with nipple confusion to be apparent and it then takes at least that long to overcome the problem.

    Best wishes,
    SARAH
    La Leche League Leader
    www.lllhk.org

  3. #3
    hkaussie is offline Registered User
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    My baby had to have expressed milk and formula very early on (like in the first week) because I had to go back to hospital and couldn't bring him with me. We fed him from a cup instead of a bottle. It's not completely straightforward but at least you don't have the nipple confusion.


  4. #4
    JandIinHK is offline Registered User
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    i know personally 10 mum's who introduced a bottle too late and couldn't get their babies to take a bottle and had to breast feed until 10-12months until the baby took a cup. Because of this we tried my baby girl on a bottle (with expressed milk) every few days from week 3 until week 7. However we left it a week and she forgot how to be able to take a bottle and now (6 months later) still can't take a bottle, because you suck a bottle and you lap from the breast. As much as i love breast feeding my baby, in 7 months i've never been more than 4 hours away from her and you start to crave some "me time" you only have to look on this site to find people looking for ways to get their baby to take a bottle. my advice is once you have the breast mastered,start giving your baby one bottle a day. the best time is meant to be the 11pm feed because when you get to the point of dropping a feed this is the first one to go. start xpressing in the morning and give her some of this milk. this will also help your milk supply. (hope this helps)


  5. #5
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    rani is offline Administrator
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    We also introduced the bottle at 6 weeks. Dad wanted to be involved with the feeding. So it was his job to give D his last feed of EBM at 10pm. We only gave him 1 bottle day, and didn't have any problems with nipple confusion.

    Last edited by rani; 06-16-2008 at 09:48 AM.

  6. #6
    dueJuly is offline Registered User
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    Thanks for all you replies.
    I guess I don't have to run out right now and but all the equipment. I have a few more weeks.
    I've been reading The Baby Whisperer and she thinks nipple confusion is a myth:)


  7. #7
    Tracey Nicole is offline Banned
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    have read the same book love - not sure on myth but from all my reading the key thing i pick up is that all bubs are different!

    once bella and i are cool with breastfeeding (hopefully that is immediately :-)) If possible, I plan to introduce a bottle a day like BW suggest.

    talk to you soon. duty calls. tb


  8. #8
    capital is offline Banned
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    I don't think it is a myth, anyone who actually works extensivley with moms with BF problems won't think that is it a myth. I would ask yourself whether the author has years of experience working with BF mothers. Definately wait. The prevailing wisdom is to wait 6 weeks, I would suggest waiting 4 weeks (assuming BF is going well and baby is graining well) then introducing a bottle every few days. I waited 6 weeks and had no luck getting mine to take a bottle at all, so the second time I waited 4 weeks and used a bottle a few times not that well, then waited a week and never again would he take a bottle. Also if you are only using it rarely anyways, pumping is a real pain in the butt, a lot of work, so for me it was just easier to BF that pump and fight the bottle.


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