bf baby and WOH @ 5wks pp

[craft_media_hero]

Re-titled: alternative feeding and 5wks pp, help!

I don't want to give an artificial nipple; my dh is intimidated by finger- or cup-feeding. They tried cup feeding today, and I thought our 3 weeker did pretty good, but dh wants to go the "breastfeeding bottle" route; whereas I am concerned about nipple confusion which dh doesn't quite seem to grasp.

I don't know what to do. My dd never had a bottle 'coz I was always with her until she was on solids, so this is all totally new to me.

My gut says to keep trying to work with dh on alternative feeding methods, but I know that him being relaxed while caring for the baby is super important, too, and the bottle will probably be easier for him (even if just mentally).

FWIW, my work shifts are no longer than three hours and only a few times a week. I have an electric "occasional use" pump, and two weeks until my first shift.

Any advice, mamas? I am worrying about this a bit.

[Devaskyla]

What about using a dropper? Or helping dh get more comfortable with cup feeding?

[craft_media_hero]

We haven't tried a dropper yet. That is a really good idea; I will utube it.

I showed dh a video of finger-feeding and he didn't seem too sold on that either. Can babies get nipple confusion from dads finger feeding (coz they are sucking a roughly nipple shaped soft object)?

I am encouraging dh to try working with ds and the cup a little every day--I've just been hand expressing about a shot glass full. I'm not sure if we have a proper cup, though? All the ones I see one utube are plastic and have a wider mouth and we have just been using a regular shot glass.

In the meantime, I'm just trying to explain to him what nipple confusion is and how babies really will stop breastfeeding because of it. It helped to have a friend over today who had to exclusively pump for 8mos. due to nip confusion and bottle preference.

But we've really got to get a feeding method down coz the days are ticking away . . .

[Devaskyla]

It's not so much nipple confusion as it is preference. Even the slowest flow nipples are faster than nursing (unless you have overactive letdown) and they take a lot less work, so babies often like them better. Finger feeding is probably even slower than nursing, so the baby is going to prefer nursing.

I really don't think the cup matters, just whatever works for you. You could also try spoon feeding the milk, although I think that would be rather messy with such a young baby.

[Ellien C]

You might pop over to the WOHM forum. Many, many of us successfully pump milk and feed with a bottle AND continue nursing. I nursed oldest until she was 4 while working outside the home for 40 hours a week. Even getting a bottle of BM, many many babies still prefer th bonding and closeness of the source.