When to introduce a bottle if breastfeeding isn't going well?

[jenfl]

DS had a tongue tie that was clipped at 5.5 weeks. He's now almost 10 weeks and we're still having difficulties.

I've been pumping to build a freezer stash so that DH can feed DS while I go out. But we haven't done a bottle yet because breastfeeding isn't "well established".

We're getting to the point, though, that I'm worried DS won't take a bottle if we wait much longer.

How do I strike this balance? How do I balance the risk of messing up breastfeeding even more versus never being able to have a day to myself?

[Katie T]

Personally, I would wait. You can always use a sippy if he refuses the bottle. I wouldn't want to risk my nursing relationship so I can go out when there are other options.

My ds took a bottle starting at about 8 to 10 wks (I work every other weekend) and at 5 months my dh called me frantic at work because ds refused the bottle. He spoon fed him till I got home and then I worked on him with the sippy cup and by the next time I worked he took it great.

I wouldn't stress it, Hopefully you find something that works for your family.

[corysmilk]

my ds was toungue tied. I gave him a bottle and he never went back to the breast. I ended up just pumping for him. it was horrable. but that is just my experience. I would have given anything to have the breast feeding back.
I guess thats not very helpful.

[SilverFish]

i'd not risk it, having had to fight that battle to get my LO back on the breast after starting bottles (preemie in the hospital)... it was a long hard ugly road and i would rather not risk it. wait until his latch is really good and things are going smoothly. if he never takes a bottle, there are other options like PPs mentioned.

also, before you know it, he'll be old enough to go a few hours between meals... you won't be stuck at home for ever! at 3 months old, my LO would much rather wait for me to come back to eat than drink pumped milk anyway... i can easily leave her for 3 hours right now, and in a few months, it might be even longer.

[JamieCatheryn]

Are you planning to go back to school or work? I'd say begin bottles when you have to, anytime you need to leave baby with someone else over a feeding time. Not to worry about getting them used to it beforehand. That's what I did with my kids.

[Llyra]

I wouldn't risk it, honestly. I've fought nipple confusion twice, with two of my kiddos, and with one of them we never did get her back on the breast, and with the other it was a major struggle. To me, the risk of premature weaning is too great to offer the bottle before you are confident the nursing is going very well. That may result in a kid who resists the bottle, but to me, the risk of the baby refusing the breast is much greater. Not every kid is subject to nipple confusion, but you never know which ones are until it happens, and it seems to me that the kids who struggle to latch and nurse well are the ones who are most prone to it.

Give it until three months at least, I would say. Most of the early difficulties seem to resolve themselves by then. And if he does refuse the bottle, there are other ways to feed him so you can get away by yourself awhile-- my DS refused the bottle, and I worked part-time from when he was four months old. He used to get his milk through a medicine dropper, and later on (around six months) we used to freeze it and make crushed "ice" and feed it to him on a spoon, which he totally loved. And then before you know it, you're at cup feeding age. My kids could all drink from a cup with help as soon as they could sit alone.

[featherstory]

Some babies never take a bottle, there are alternative feeding methods that will not interfere with breastfeeding, I wouldn't go the sippy cup route, until you were sure that you were done breastfeeding as that can interfere as well.

You can use a spoon, eyedropper, feeding syringe, nursing supplementer, a bowl(a bendable plastic bowl), or a cup. There are baby feeding cups by Ameda and Medela, or you could use a small cup or glass of any kind to feed the baby. The cups are really good at helping the baby transition to breastfeeding because they use the same techniques, but they have more control over it. Technique in any of these is important. With a cup, you put a bit of the milk to the edge and hold it in a position so the baby can "lap it up" at his own pace and volition. Put a little on his tongue and put it in a position where he can get more without pouring it into his mouth. It could help him to more comfortably develop the skills he needs to breastfeed, or just go straight to a sippy cup when he's old enough.

[jenfl]

A quick update: We tried, but DS has refused to take a bottle twice now and a cup once. I'm torn -- no worry about nipple confusion or ruining his latch, but now I have no out or chance for a break.

[MommatoAandA]

My baby never took a bottle and the oldest, I gave a bottle when the breastfeeding got rough and it ruined the relationship.

Can you nurse your baby before you leave and come back within an hour or two? Nurslings that young are really not supposed to be away from their mom for long anyway. (I'm not trying to be rude, I have been where you are)

When I gave my youngest a bottle she wouldn't take breastmilk (that was at 6 months). I was never away from her for more than an hour until then.

I want to say it's such a short time in the scheme of things. I know it seems so difficult now, but it will be over before you know it and you will wish you could get it all back.

When I weaned my youngest at 6 months, it was out of pure necessity. I was going back to work and she wouldn't take breastmilk from the bottle. So we went 7 hours without feeding and put formula in the bottles. I tried to slowly add breastmilk from my stash and pump at the same time, but I quickly lost my supply. She would not go back and forth between me and the bottle.

We used a nipple shield for nursing. It took 8 weeks for her to get her latch correctly and my nipples to be drawn out enough for her to latch without the nipple shield. We had some tough times, I had to fully expose my breast in public and apply the shield and latch her properly. I wish now, I had done that with my oldest. She had a tight frenulum, food allergies, and so many issues. Let me tell you, I curse the day I gave her that stupid bottle.

Anyway, hugs. I hope everything works out and you find a solution.

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by jenfl

now I have no out or chance for a break.

it's called being a mom, welcome to the club.

[jess152]

I hope you see that in the grand scheme of things, it's better that things are improving, even though it does tie you down. Like a PP said, when he's a wee bit older, he'll be able to go longer periods between feedings.

I started DS1 drinking out of a cup...maybe around 7 or 8 months. Just little sips of water here and there and by a year he was an old pro. It will come with a bit more practise.

[ssh]

Originally Posted by jenfl

A quick update: We tried, but DS has refused to take a bottle twice now and a cup once. I'm torn -- no worry about nipple confusion or ruining his latch, but now I have no out or chance for a break.

He might take a cup if you aren't there. Why try a substitute when the real thing is available. You could nurse him and then leave for just an hour. Also if you have a cell phone your DH could call you if your DS get's really upset.

[tinybutterfly]

Moved to the general Breastfeeding Forum since this is a commen problem.



tinybutterfly

[phathui5]

If breastfeeding isn't going well, I would hold off on the bottle.