He can't drink from wide-mouth bottles

[SusanaLaLoca]

I've been both breast-feeding and formula feeding my 11-week old DS since he came home from the hospital (because the docs and nurses said I'd starve my baby if I EBF since I could only pump 1/2oz at a time... that's another story). Anyway, we've been using Dr. Brown's 3.5oz glass bottles. He's outgrown the bottle and now we need larger. I bought the Dr. Brown's wide-mouth bottles, and he has no idea how to eat from it - milk leaks out the sides of his mouth, then after a while he just gets frustrated and acts like he doesn't know what to do with the weird, fat nipple. I have a tall, plastic Dr. Brown's bottle that's 8oz too and we're using that, but I liked the size of the wide-mouth bottles - easier to wash, shorter/easier to store/travel with... I'm trying to up my supply and get him on more BF and less formula, so I'd like to use a bottle that would help me in my efforts and not promote nipple preference... any suggestions? PS - we like the Dr. Brown's because they worked wonders with DS's gas.

[Dar]

The more bottles he gets, the less milk you'll make. If you want him back on the breast fulltime, I'd ditch all of the bottles. Have you considered getting an SNS and using that rather than any bottles?

[StoriesInTheSoil]

Originally Posted by Dar

The more bottles he gets, the less milk you'll make. If you want him back on the breast fulltime, I'd ditch all of the bottles. Have you considered getting an SNS and using that rather than any bottles?

I think that an SNS is a great suggestion for you, OP! Also, are you in contact with an IBCLC to help you to get your supply where it needs to be? What measures are you taking to get him onto the breast and off of formula currently?

Maybe posting in the Breastfeeding forum could get you some assistance

Good luck!

[SusanaLaLoca]

I have considered the SNS, but I haven't had the time to invest into buying it and figuring out how to use it just yet (holidays and all...). As well, I'm not the only one feeding him currently so I will still need to use bottles. I know I won't be able to EBF, but if I can flip the ratio to less formula/more breastmilk, I'll be happy. I was briefly working with a LC while DS was in the NICU, but I haven't since then since I can't afford it and insurance doesn't cover it

I did post this in the breastfeeding forum, and got good advice there re: BFing... but was now wondering if anyone had any recommendations re: the bottles.

[34me]

i couldn't find one on-line but when my 13 yo was tiny he hated the playtex nipples for the bottles we already owned. Somewhere I found an adapter that went on the playtex bottles that changed the nipple type. Does anyone know if such a thing still exists?

[nukuspot]

Kind of off the subject but I am a bad pumper. I can only get 1/2 to maybe 1 oz (a few times I hit the magic 2oz number after like a hour of trying) when I pump....But I EBF and my baby is thriving, 8.5 months and chubby....

So don't let your pump output make you think that when you BF you are giving the baby the same tiny amount. It just doesn't work that way for some people.

[Mrsboyko]

Check out breastflow bottles. They have a 2 part nipple system that mimicks how letdown works in BF'ing. DS has been using them at day care since he was 6 weeks old. On weekends and evenings he has never had an isue with being EBF so i call them a success.

[Blueone]

I hear lactaids are easier than SNS. Maybe look into that instead.

However, if you want to continue with bottles try playtex. My son wasn't able to eat from Dr. Browns wide mouth until now (he's 5 months). I swear that the stage 1 flows on that one are much faster than they should be.

We used the small Dr. Browns 4 ounces until he was about a month then switched to playtex with the latex nipples up until he was 4 months, he stopped liking those and went to Dr. Browns wide mouth nipples.

[sunshynbaby]

I agree with PP that pumping is NOT a good indicator of your actual supply. Babies are so much more effective than a pump! Diaper output is a better indicator. Maybe you could try other brands of a wide mouth bottle? I remember reading on Kellymom that you should use the slow-flow infant nipples even as babies get older. I would also go on Kellymom to ask for help in increasing your supply and getting off formula. They are very helpful there.

[Pookietooth]

You can try cup feeding -- you can use a shot glass -- or a medicine dropper until you get an SNS
http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...tion&Itemid=17