Breastfeeding questions ...

[Loulabelle]

Just wondering if anyone can answer the following questions ...

1) if you expressed milk so you could give your baby a bottle, how long did you wait before doing this? I am worried about letting my oh feed her using a bottle as I've read about 'nipple confusion' and don't want to do anything that puts breastfeeding at risk.

2) did/do you give your baby a dummy? Again I'm worried about nipple confusion but think she may need something to help her settle as she is crying alot lately unless she's being fed or cuddled.

Thanks in advance for any advice xx

 

[Esoames]

I missed the boat trying to get Isla to take a bottle. I waited until 6 weeks as it was too late by then and she's never taken a bottle since lots of mummy's on here give bottle and breast so i think it's just my baby thats awkward!

I also never got her to take a dummy but I'm secretly pleased it's one less thing I have to take off her when she's older.

Emma x

 

[Loulabelle]

Thanks Emma! I know what you mean about the dummy, I'm not really keen on trying one as I know I'll have the battle of removing it in the future! As for not taking the bottle, I hadn't really thought of that, I've been too concerned that she'd take bottle then reject breast!!! Suppose I should just give it a go!! Thanks again x

 

[xxbeckyxx]

I gave Lizzie a bottle at 4 weeks and tbh I wish I'd waited as I do think it was the start of a slippery slope for us! She gradually got worse and worse on the boob and now only has bottle during the day. HOWEVER, it would've been an absolute nightmare for me if she'd refused the bottle at all, so I guess it's swings and roundabouts!

She first took a dummy at about 6 weeks - I did try it before then but she 'choked' on them (I think it was her way of refusing it iykwim).

 

[mikid]

Ella had a bottle and dummy at four weeks... Never had problems going from breast to bottle to dummy except in the last couple of weeks when she's started getting frustrated at the breast. I think that's down to me not producing enough now aswell as it not coming out as easily as a bottle more so than nipple confusion.

Good luck hun, if you can get her to take a bottle it's nice to have the flexibility of someone else feeding her, but beware... some babies just don't take to it!

 

[frankie707]

George started one bottle of expressed milk in the evenings at 6 weeks, he still only has one bottle in the evenings but he takes it fine. He's never had a dummy, didn't want to use one and luckily never had to.

 

[GemmGirl]

My lo had first bottle at about 4 weeks. I used the tommee tippee closer to nature bottles and have never had any problems with confusion. I am still mixed feeding at 81/2 months. I also used a dummy at about the same time but at about 3 months he refused this himself and has never gone back to it. I am so glad as I don't like the idea of struggling with trying to take it away from a toddler. Sometimes, though, I think it would make teething easier if he wanted a dummy!! Don't suppose I can have it all ways though, eh?

 

[Baby Bean]

I waited until I was sure ella was well established at breastfeeding before either. She wasn't keen on a bottle so I rarely use them - only if I'm out and have to leave her with someone. A dummy was the best thing I ever introduced - she was a real comfort feeder and when I introduced her dummy at 5wks she started sleeping through the night!

 

[Minchin]

we bottle fed using EBM from 4weeks and no probs with that. Gave a dummy at about 2 weeks and no nipple confusion. Owen rejected the dummy about a month ago when his top tooth came through and is now dummy free! Funny little pickles arn't they!

 

[JJ Mum]

We were breastfeeding but had to top up in hosp with bottle to help flush his antibiodie related jaundice (wasn't something we wanted to do), dropped it when came home and just expressed to use a bottle for oh once a day and he took to it fine. My boobes were going berserk with too much milk and leekign all over the shop , HV said stop expressing for a few weeks to allow boobs to settle and devon to work out how much he needed - mistake!!

I now am counting down to take that tickets in 4 weeks and he will not take a bottle !! we are now trying beeker of milk every day with dad and hope they can thrash it out on the day, and overnight stay!! so worried about it...

I would try to introduce early and use regulary , but try to keep expressing to keep supply up when feeds reduce even if you dont use it, as some of the ladies supplies seem to drop off a bit making baby find boobs harder work later on.

 

[isobel84]

Noa had a bottle first time at 5 month, I never expressed n I never gave formula before that. I'm glad I waited so long as he get so excited by the bottle I feel rejected. Noa was offered a dummy at 3 weeks but refused it, he's now constantly sucking his thumb tho. Xx

 

[Esoames]

Isla sucks her thumb too and her fingers. She loves it!

 

[Sam's Mum]

Sam first had a bottle at 5 weeks and never had any problems with them - would drink warm or cold milk from any sort of bottle. I thought Toby would be the same, waited until he was 6 weeks and he has never had a bottle I couldn't even get him to attempt to suck on it So it's definitely worth trying earlier than that!

My two have never had dummies, but I know so many breastfed babies who have from quite early on and they haven't caused any problems x

 

[flexilexi394]

I gave Sofia expressed milk at 3 days old as I was so sore. But have breastfed ever since and now I feed 1 bottle a day, she's also had a dummy from 3 weeks old but still likes to suck her thumb which bugs the hell out of me! X