[yogagirl]

My mw says we're not even go to go there until our six week visit but everything I'm reading says to start between three and four weeks otherwise goodluck! Anyone have experience with either one of these scenarios? I just want to be able to offer the bottle once in a while so I can go and do my own thing <b><i>quickly</i></b> while dh watches Edie.<br><br>
TIA!

 

[MsMoMpls]

No reason to introduce until 6 weeks- nursing has to be really well established. Have had no problem with my last two. The first was given a bottle in the hospital when I was under due to an emergency c-sect. His nursing was completely messed up.

 

[saritabeth]

Okay, first of all, your child is BEAUTIFUL!!! It looks like you had a great birth to boot! I'm so very happy for you!! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br><br>
I think the concern is that you don't want your baby to experience nipple confusion. Some babes go back and forth between breast and bottle with no problem. Other babies get really flustered and it can create bfing problems.<br><br>
I thought I would do the same thing. I gave my dd a bottle of breastmilk at four weeks and she took it no problem. She is now almost 7 months old and we never did a bottle again. I guess it all depends upon your lifestyle and what works best for you guys. I am a SAHM and the longest I have been without dd was 4 hours (about a month ago). She was old enough to go without bfing that long.<br><br>
Im probably going to get flamed for this, but if you want to try a bottle with your dc give it a go. If it creates problems, change it. Personally, I wouldn't feel a lot of pressure about starting before a certain time. Start when you think it works for you and change it up if there is a problem.<br><br>
Don't feel like you have to do anything one set way. It took me a while to take ownership of the mama role and just go with my gut (still struggling with that one some days!!)<br>
Anyway, best wishes!<br><br>
Congrats on your little bundle!!<br>
Sarita

 

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

For my boys, earlier introduction was just fine. I introduced a bottle around 3 weeks for both of them, just for occasional feeding. From what I know, putting it off much later than 6 weeks might give you trouble.<br>
However, both times nursing was well established pretty much right from the start. If I had latch troubles etc I might wait longer. Timothy did really well switching back and forth. Luke doesn't like bottles but that's okay...he has had only like 3 of them anyways.

 

[KoalaMommy]

My 4-week old takes a bottle or the breast, no problem. It's really helpful if she gets hungry in the car!

 

[yogagirl]

Sarita, Edie thanks you so much for the sweet compliment! We did have a wonderful birthing experience and she's a dream child to boot (she sleeps from 11:00 to 9:30 everyday so far <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"> ! I think she inherited her love of sleep from both us <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/winky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Wink"> ).<br><br>
Nice feedback everyone. I especially like the sounds of the car supplement, Hilary! She's starting to wake up in the car alot now crying. Oh well, nobaby's perfect <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> !

 

[sqoya]

I didn't introduce the bottle to our dd until she was 6 weeks. Now she's 8 weeks and still doesn't accept it. Now I'm reading up like crazy on how to handle this since I'll be going back to work in 2 weeks! Next time I'll start at 3-4 weeks as long as nursing is well established!

 

[phathui5]

So many things to decide when you have a baby! I think that it would be fine to introduce a bottle of pumped milk now as long as you're not doing it too often. (As in, ideally not every day). The thing that my clients at WIC seem to have the most trouble with is a baby who gets used to the bottle (it's easier to get the milk out) and then refuses the breast because having a bottle basically made them lazy. So just don't make it a regular thing if you don't have to. You want baby to remember that food comes from you.

 

[MsMoMpls]

Mandi- Had some trouble with Zach and my MIL got him to take it. It can't be you and some daddies aren't patient enough. When all else fails, find an old momma!

 

[Mere]

I had major problems getting my two kids to accept bottles. Basically, they wouldn't until they were about 6 months old! Luckily their daycare is very close to my work so I was able to run over there and nurse every three hours or so, but it wasn't ideal. We introduced bottles at 4-6 weeks for both of them, per the recommedations. They were resoundingly rejected.<br><br>
If I were to do it again, and as long as breastfeeding has gone as well as it has for my current two, I'd introduce a bottle right away (maybe 2 weeks?). As long as baby is nursing well and you don't give bottles regularly enough to get them too used to it, I don't see the harm.

 

[boatbaby]

YogaGirl,<br>
Your beautiful birth photos brought tears to my eyes! Congrats!<br><br>
Are you wanting to start a bottle b/c you will be going back to work?<br><br>
I say this b/c when my DS was born 6 months ago I was in your shoes. I thought, OK, I will introduce the bottle at 6 or 8 weeks and so on and so forth. But after 6 or so weeks I realized that since I am lucky enough to work from home... I didn't WANT to introduce a bottle!<br><br>
People say, oh you'll need a break and so on. And yes there have been challenging/ tiring moments. But I LOVE feeding DS from the tap only and having that special time. I love being with him non-stop. And when I DO need a break, I will feed him, pass him to DH... they go out for 2-3 hours and come home when he starts getting hungry again.<br>
I realized over time how special the nursing relationship is, and this is only going to be one nano-second of his whole life. He will be an independent, away from mom, guy alot longer than he will be my little nursing bug. I have my whole lofe to go out without him, but I only get this precious snapshot in time to be attached. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br><br>
So I guess I am saying... consider skipping the bottle altogether if it is an option for your lifestyle.

 

[yogagirl]

Thanks Boatbaby! Checked out your pics too and what a super cute family! That is definately food for thought - skipping the bottle all together. I do work from home so that's a good point. I was just thinking when I go back to teach yoga or soapmaking, leaving Edie with dh for a couple of hours or to take a yoga class or do something hedonistic like get a massage. I'm just worried she'll be inconsolble (sp?) if left without access tofood. Is timing everything then? I really couldn't bear to be away from her more than a few hours anyway.

 

[flowers]

I am thinking about these things too! Solomon is 10 weeks today. I stay at home and will eventually return to making teas and salves (from home) so I wasn't concerened about pumping/bottle. My cousin who has a new baby too started at 5 weeks just so she could get a break but I just felt at five weeks I wasn't ready. Ohh I would love to go to a yoga class or run an errand without bundling up a baby every time (it is sub zero freezing in New England this week!) but when Ireally consider it I just think of a rubber nipple and how the nursing relationship has been thus far (awesome) and I just continue with how it has been. My midwife didn't express milk or leave her kids until they were 6 months and we have a wedding in Colorado this summer so I was thinking by then I would like to have the option of pumping. I know it will be difficult but I have read tips like having me leave the house and having dh be the one who comforts and uses the bottle. I don't know...we will see.<br><br>
I also haven't done it because I am almost afraid that once I do have the option of pumping I will do it more than I really want to. We have tons of support and willing babysitters and I fear it will just get to easy to say...sure I ll be at that quilting class or...yeah lets go to lunch...my mil will watch him etc etc. I just want him to know that at the begining of his life he had me wholly for his every need and then as he gets older he will become more independant...but he is only 10wks!!! just a baby!

 

[boatbaby]

Thanks yogagirl!<br>
And Flowers, my grandfather's name was Solomon. I never met him, but it's a great name!<br>
We're at 6 months, never a bottle, never a paci, not once. Sure I'd love to go to yoga class again and things like that. And if I timed it right with my DH I could. But the way I look at it, I will have my whole life to go to yoga, have my freedom, do what I want, and put me first. I can make a couple of years of sacrifice, and the rewards are so wonderful! Soon he'll be off to friends' houses and activities and this and that and I'll be wondering where my babe is?<br><br>
All I am saying is, you can be bottle free and it's not a bad thing. It's just a different routine, and so far I love it!

 

[flowers]

boatbaby, lil Z is so cute!!!<br>
yeah that is how i feel...in the whole this is so short of a time and if there is no real reason why?

 

[becca011906]

Ok here's my .02 With my first baby we had an awful time getting him to nurse for the first 24 hours then he stoped nursing again when my milk came in so i took a trip to a LC and things good all better, but 1.5 weeks he was nurseing well FINALLY! I was told not to introduce the bottle till he was 6-8 weeks to insure that he wouldn't get confuseed again. So we waited, he REFUESED the bottle from then on out and I was working evenings 4pm-10pm 4 days a week and attending school 8AM-12PM 5 days a week. My dh was very understanding with him while i was working would bring him to my work on my breaks about 8:30 or 9 so he could nurse to sleep... I wasn't ideal but i was able to nurse him for 11 months. he finally started taking a sippy cup at 9 months and then self weaned at 11 months... I don't regreat any of it at all...<br><br>
DD1 we didn't want things to go down hill so i introduced the bottle to here at 3 weeks (we had no problems getting started nursing from day 1). Well i ended up weaning her at only 6 months and really beleive it was b/ci started the bottle to soon... ( i also had to have oral surgery and that was anothe reason i weaned) No flaming please it's something i really regret to this day.<br><br>
DD2, nursed well from the start. I wasn't going to let early weaning happen again, so i didn't give her a bottle till around 8 weeks or so. She will now take it willingly without any problems at all... she is a dream baby also, sleeps all night, never fusses (unless she's hungry ), takes 3 long naps a day, will play happy on the floor while i do things, she is an all around dream.<br>
With all that said it all depends on the baby and what your instincs are telling you thoes are the best indcators of all!!!

 

[guestmama9972]

I introduced a bottle to both my dd's when they were about 4 weeks. Like you, I wanted some occasional away time from dd#1, or at least I thought I did. It turned out that I just couldn't leave her! So, she rarely had a bottle. DD#2 is a different story. I had to go back to work (dh was a full-time student) when she was 8 weeks old so I really wanted her to take a bottle. She never liked it, but if she was hungry she'd take one for dh, not the caregiver.<br><br>
I think it depends on the baby, too. DD#1 was a very intense baby who LOVED to nurse. She resented the bottle taking the place of her precious boobs! Dd #2 was a little more laid back. Your baby will give you cues about what is going to work best.<br><br>
Good luck and congrats!

 

[Galatea]

My ds has only had a bottle of ebm once and that was a few weeks ago (he is 9 months old). I think that if you don't have to work out of the home, there is no need. You get these ideas from society that you will need to "get away" but that need never seems to materialize. Plus, any time that ds was little and I did need to go somewhere, it was always short enough that he would be fine while I was gone. Then, once they are older and you are more okay with being away from them, they can have some food to nibble on if they get hungry. People go on and on about getting away from the baby, and IMO, no one here at MDC is really one of those people. I would not introduce a bottle unless I absolutely had to. Also, about the car, I never find it to be a problem. You can nurse a little before you get in the car and the baby will be fine. Whenever ds cries in the car, it is b/c he is bored, not hungry. You will see as you go, but I think that unless you have a clear need to be away for more than 3 hours on a regular basis, don't think about a bottle.