How to avoid breast rejection

[sharkysmom]

Ds is now almost five months and is ebf, he has never had a bottle. He is a very impatient eater, if my milk takes more then twenty seconds to let down he gets fussy! Also he eats very fast, only stays on each breast about five minutes, he is 19 pounds so I do not worry he isnt eating enough
I have a couple of events coming up in Nov. that will require me to be away from him for more then four hours the first one is a concert and I feel a bit selfish but I really want to go and I think I need the outing. His father will be home with him.
Here is my concern, I am really scared he will take a bottle and then reject my breast after that. I bought a couple of "Nuby" bottles they are supposed to be the closest thing to the breast but since he is so impatient as it is and I have a feeling the bottle will satisfy him quicker is there a good chance for him rejecting the breast after?? I would be devastated!! Are there alternatives to the bottle? Also how do you ensure the right temp. on the milk? I have a bottle warmer, will that work? Should I have DP do a trial run of the bottle before my first outing?
Any advice would be appreciated

[Lil'Momma]

When DD had to be on the bottle for the first couple months of her life, we used the BreastFlow bottles by First Years. They have an outer and inner nipple and babies can't suck on the bottle and get anything out, they have to compress and suck, like at the breast. Also, for the first little bit of suck/compress, nothing comes out for them, it just gets the milk from the inner nipple to the outer nipple, like a baby triggering a let down, so they have to work for a little bit before getting the milk, no instant gratification like other bottles. Just a suggestion.

[rivkah]

We use breastflow bottles too!

I'd be more worried that baby won't take a bottle at all. very few babies come to prefer a bottle, especially with very occasional use. Bottles may be faster, but they are not soft and warm and cuddly like mother is.

[Heba]

I agree with Rivkah. Once breastfeeding has been established, one bottle is unlikely to trigger nipple preference.

You could also consider cup feeding as a possibility (either an open cup, which is possible with even small babies who "lap" the milk when the cup is held appropriately, or a sippy cup).

[Super~Single~Mama]

I'm with the pp who said its unlikely that there will be preference for the bottle, and more likely that he will reject it entirely.

My son took a bottle or breast without preference until he was 12 weeks - then he realized that I was attached to the breast but not the bottle and refused bottles. Since then, getting him to take a bottle has been He!! Literally. He has reverse cycled, but I don't get sleep, so we have to trick him. He won't take milk from an open or sippy cup, he won't take it from a spoon, nothing works. We literally have to trick him into taking milk. It's ridiculous. And then I get home form school and he wants to nurse the rest of the night.

Good luck, and I hope that he doesn't take to the bottle over the breast, but I also really hope that he takes the bottle while you're away!

[alegna]

I left ds for around 4-5 hours at 5 months. I left him with a sippy of milk (cold fwiw- it doesn't have to be warm) He wouldn't touch it. Waited until I got home.

-Angela

[sharkysmom]

Thanks for the responses, has anyone ever tried the Nuby kind of bottle? I could get the breastflow if it's worked so well for others. So do you think a trial run would be good? Maybe with a cup of milk first, if that doesnt work then a bottle? If he doesnt eat at all he is going to be so miserable and I am not going to be able to run home...I will probably be gone about six to seven hours, he doesnt go that long without eating even at night! Now I have a new worry!!