#Bottles and BabiesThis week is about bottles in the breastfeeding baby!
Many moms are interested in introducing a bottle to their breastfeeding baby. The reasons vary, from sharing feeding responsibilities with their partner to anticipating a return to work to just increasing flexibility in being away from baby sometimes.
But, WHEN to do this can be stressful! If you are planning to breastfeed at the breast, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Frequent breastfeeding at the breast and nearness to the baby are key for establishing a healthy milk supply for the long term. This means feeding on demand for at least the first two weeks of your baby’s life and also holding them skin to skin often at times they are not nursing. For this reason, I do not recommend pumping to store milk or to give bottles during this time period unless there is a medical reason for doing so.
I find that around one month of age, breastmilk supply has regulated and most moms are feeling significantly more comfortable in their breastfeeding relationship with their baby. This is a great time to begin pumping and practicing with a bottle.
Can you wait too long to introduce a bottle? Yes. Around 4 months of life, your baby’s primitive feeding reflexes begin to go away. These are the rooting and sucking reflexes. They are involuntary, meaning baby does them without trying or meaning to, and they are key for helping baby learn to survive outside the womb. By beginning bottle introduction at a time when baby still has these, you can use them to your advantage. In my experience, babies are less likely to reject the bottle if it’s introduced before 4 months.
What’s your experience with this? What do you think is the right time to introduce a bottle?!
Many moms are interested in introducing a bottle to their breastfeeding baby. The reasons vary, from sharing feeding responsibilities with their partner to anticipating a return to work to just increasing flexibility in being away from baby sometimes.
But, WHEN to do this can be stressful! If you are planning to breastfeed at the breast, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Frequent breastfeeding at the breast and nearness to the baby are key for establishing a healthy milk supply for the long term. This means feeding on demand for at least the first two weeks of your baby’s life and also holding them skin to skin often at times they are not nursing. For this reason, I do not recommend pumping to store milk or to give bottles during this time period unless there is a medical reason for doing so.
I find that around one month of age, breastmilk supply has regulated and most moms are feeling significantly more comfortable in their breastfeeding relationship with their baby. This is a great time to begin pumping and practicing with a bottle.
Can you wait too long to introduce a bottle? Yes. Around 4 months of life, your baby’s primitive feeding reflexes begin to go away. These are the rooting and sucking reflexes. They are involuntary, meaning baby does them without trying or meaning to, and they are key for helping baby learn to survive outside the womb. By beginning bottle introduction at a time when baby still has these, you can use them to your advantage. In my experience, babies are less likely to reject the bottle if it’s introduced before 4 months.
What’s your experience with this? What do you think is the right time to introduce a bottle?!
