I am re-posting this article as part of a new "How To" Carnival of Breastfeeding.
My contribution includes information about "how to" get your breastfed baby to take a bottle (once breastfeeding is well established).
As a breastfeeding specialist another common call I get surrounds the idea of babies taking a bottle. Mom has worked hard to create a comfortable breastfeeding relationship and perhaps now she is looking for some time alone without her baby. Maybe she has an ill friend or family member and wants her baby to learn to take a bottle “just in case” she needs to be away from her infant for any length of time.
When should a bottle be introduced? What kind of bottles to use? Are all nipples the same? What is the best way to give a bottle so that baby will want to take it?
These are some of the many questions I get and I will tackle all of them and more. It needs to be said, from the very beginning, that I don’t think all babies need to take a bottle. Babies are very portable and would rather be with mom than without her. I don’t think artificial nipples should be introduced until after breastfeeding is well established; this is usually around 4-6 weeks. Any nipple, other than moms, can interfere with your baby learning how to breastfeed.
I KNOW, I KNOW! Many, many people – even well-meaning health care practitioners – will tell you that “nipple confusion” is a fallacy. I don’t mean to contradict anything you have been told by someone else and I am very happy that your care provider has never witnessed “nipple confusion” first hand. I have seen it a number of times. Because baby takes milk from a bottle VERY differently than they draw milk from the breast it can be difficult for some babies to switch back and forth between the two feeding methods in the early weeks. Once breastfeeding is well established and you are both feeling comfortable with the process then it is usually fine to introduce an occasional artificial nipple to baby by way of a bottle or pacifier.
The type of bottle is mostly irrelevant. Glass or stainless steel are your best options without ever having to use the dreaded plastic. Some parents are worried about glass bottles shattering on the ground once baby is old enough to hold it himself and pitch it to the floor while sitting in a high chair. There are silicone sleeves that are available at most department stores that help to minimise this likelihood but what we like even better, at babyREADY, are the stainless steel options from companies like Klean Kanteen™.
Not only are Klean Kanteen™ bottles adaptable into sippy cups (which is how we sell them) but the bottle adapters also work with Avent™ infant nipples. These bottles are not easy to break and they convert to sippies and to regular water bottles over time so that they can be used repeatedly for years and years. If your baby or child throws them on the floor the worst that is likely to happen is that the bottle will become dented.
Virtually all artificial nipples and their bottles are the same. None are like moms breast, no matter what various marketing campaigns will tell you. Some babies prefer bottles with a wider bottom and some babies like the smaller, daintier options. Try them all. The only thing that we usually say is that it may be healthier to try the natural rubber nipple options if you can find them. (If you live in the GTA and are looking for natural, rubber nipples and pacifiers then let us know and we can help you locate them.)
Now that I have listed the preparatory considerations we now get into the logistics of trying to encourage your intelligent baby to take an artificial nipple. Don’t be discouraged if he or she is reluctant at first. They are smart. The real thing is much softer, better smelling and easier to control the flow with.
The following are some ideas that may make it easier to encourage your baby to take a bottle from the non-nursing parent, grandparent, friend or babysitter. Try:
◊ Offering the bottle/cup when mom is out – preferably out of the house but if that is not possible then be sure that she is out of the room at least.
◊ To make sure your baby isn’t starving when you offer the bottle. If he or she is really hungry then they don’t want to learn something new; they just want to eat.
◊ Finding a new setting for feeding the baby. If mom usually sits on the sofa in the living room then go into the den and sit in a chair so that your baby is not expecting to feed at the breast.
◊ Remembering that an artificial nipple feels very different in the mouth of your baby. They are smarter than we give them credit for. If the first nipple doesn’t work after a few tries, offer a different one.
◊ Creating a soothing setting with calming, familiar music playing in the background. Talk to the baby while offering the bottle. Interact with him or her.
◊ Using a sippy adapter instead, if your baby is four months of age or older and doesn’t like the bottle. Some babies never like a bottle. It isn’t a personal affront to the parents. It is simply personal preference.
◊ Not to lose patience. This last point is the most important. Your baby will feel your stress and if you are not happy then they have no reason to be happy. Keep it light. If they want the bottle then great. If they don’t then that’s okay too.
It can be helpful to remember that there isn’t one single benefit (physiological or psychological) for your baby in their taking a bottle. It is ALL about the parents and what the parents want. The more we try to alienate them and push them away (or “make them independent”) the more dependent we usually make them.
No matter what, your baby loves you and whether or not he or she takes a bottle is absolutely no reflection on his or her feelings for you. In fact, by not taking a bottle your baby is showing you just how much value she or he places in the time spent breastfeeding and bonding with mom.
Posted by Sam
OTHER POSTS IN THE CARNIVAL:
How to Breastfeed (Or Just Look Like You Know What You're Doing)
How to Pump Successfully at Work
How to help your baby kick the nipple shield habit.
How to Get Breastfeeding off to a Good Start
How to Breastfeed Hands free
How to become a breastfeeding support professional
How to Care for a Sick Nursling
How to Increase Milk Supply Using Supplements
How to Wean a Breastfed Toddler
How to be comfortable around a breastfeeding mom
How to Get a Spouse to Help With Breastfeeding
How to (Naturally) Increase Your Milk Supply - Try Seaweed!
How to deal with family members who aren't supportive of breastfeeding
How-To” - "Using YouTube to STOP nosey questions!
how to teach your baby nursing manners
How To Improve Milk Supply Through Nutrition
How To Treat A Cold While Breastfeeding
Tandem Nursing: How to Do It Without Driving Yourself and Your Nurslings Crazy
Posts
5 comments:
My daughter was premature, and spent time in the Special Care Nursery where she was bottle-fed. She experienced nipple confusion, although some of the nurses told me there was no such thing. We were able to get her to nurse using a nipple shield, and then eventually we weaned from that when she was 3 1/2 months.
The funny thing is that after a couple of months of breastfeeding with no artificial nipples or nipple shields, she refused the bottle! She went from preferring it to wanting nothing to do with it. I will admit I was actually glad when she came to prefer the 'real thing', I felt validated. Although it was occasionally inconvenient to not be able to offer an alternative to the breast, it was a small price to pay after battling nipple confusion.
Thanks for the great post. Both of my nurslings have been happy to take a bottle on occasion, but it's well worth while keeping in mind in case the younger one decides to take a stand against it!
Wow. I would have never thought to just use a sippy adapter if they're older than 4 months. That's a creative idea!
This is a great post. I am going to pass it on to an acquaintance who needs to get her dd used to taking a bottle for when she, the mom, has surgery.
Great topic here. At what stage or age do you think that a baby must to take a bottle after a breastfeeding period?
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