“I was one of the moms who waited ‘til about two weeks before I went back to work to introduce the bottle. It did not go well. We went through six different types of bottle. I had seen Minbie before but I held off thinking that she would get the grasp of one of the other bottles. She didn’t.”
Moms face many uncertainties and doubts when it comes to child rearing. This is particularly true with feeding a baby and the big question: when to introduce a bottle? Opinions vary on when is the right time to start a baby on the bottle. Several factors have a bearing on this, two of which are milk production and nipple confusion.
- It takes 3 to 4 weeks or even longer for a mother’ s milk production to be fully established at a level that is adequate to nourish her baby well. If a baby is supplemented with other milk before this happens a mom runs the risk of low milk production. Breast pumps can help through this stage to support breastmilk supply.
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Babies who are bottle fed too early sometimes reject the breast. Thus, it is advisable to wait until your baby is well established on the breast: feeding and latching well.
Circumstances dictates…
Delaying bottle feeding, however, may not be practical in all cases. Maternity leave time varies from country to country. In some countries maternity leave allowance is two years or even longer. While others allow a maximum of 6 weeks. Six weeks is very little time for a new mom to be home with her baby, let alone introducing a bottle.
Katy our mom mentioned earlier had challenges getting Ila to feed due to delaying introducing a bottle. Her circumstances required an earlier start back to work rather than later. “About a week after I went back to work and she wasn’t eating the whole day while I was gone, I decided to get on Facebook where I had originally seen Minbie… It was worth every penny. I was so excited when I got home and it had been delivered...She took to it immediately.” Ila did not get nipple confusion, she went straight back to breastfeeding.
So, what are the options for having a good breast and bottle feeding program? Circumstances often dictate this. If you have a limited timeframe it may be best to start two to three weeks after breastfeeding has been established. To counteract nipple confusion start with a nipple similar to the natural nipple and start with a slow pace.
The next issue was milk supply. To keep your milk supply up try using expressed milk when bottle feeding. For more details on expressing and maintaining a good milk supply, you can visit our blog page here.
Solution for working moms…
A working mom with a breastfeeding baby walks with her baby’s food supply. That supply can be harvested and left for her baby, but it only works if the baby will take it. If the baby decides the only way she will take that liquid gold is via the breast it creates pressure and stress for the family.
A solution brings a world of relief as in the case of Katy. She puts it this way: “I can’t tell you the relief I felt in that moment, I cried, Minbie has seriously changed our lives...Now my sister, my husband, and my dad, who all watch her, have had successful feedings with her as well. It’s amazing to know that she has a full belly while I am at work. If I had any advice for new moms who have been struggling with the same situation I would say don’t hesitate in buying the Minbie. It’s been a life changer for us.”
These words of Katy’s are very heartwarming. It may be very difficult getting your little one to take a bottle when necessary but it can be done with the right solution. Katy’s success can be yours too.
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