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GETTING BABY TO ACCEPT A BOTTLE
"What if my baby won't take a bottle?"
It should come as no surprise that babies can be very opinionated about where their milk
is coming from. A bottle and an artificial nipple are not the same as a breast, even if the
bottle is offered by someone cradling the baby in secure, loving arms. Nevertheless,
babies can and do learn to drink from a bottle when mother is not around.
But what if baby refuses bottles? Some breastfed babies won't settle for anything less than
the breast. Don't panic. This is a problem that can be solved. You don't have to change
your plans about going back to work. And you won't have to starve your baby into
submission either. (This wouldn't be a good idea under any circumstances!)
Here are some tricks and tips for helping breastfed babies learn to accept milk from a
bottle. If one approach doesn't work, try another.
- Don't offer your baby bottles before four weeks of age--"to get him used to them."
Undoing nipple confusion in a young baby is more difficult than
getting a slightly older baby to take a bottle. Problems with nipple confusion can
quickly lead to the end of breastfeeding. Don't feel that you, the mother, must be the
one who teaches your baby to take a bottle. It's okay to make this job your caregiver's
responsibility. Breastfeeding is an important part of your relationship with your baby.
Bottle-feeding is part of the relationship between your baby and the caregiver.
- Introduce the bottle about two weeks before you return to work. If you introduce
bottles earlier, don't make them a daily event. Baby doesn't need a bottle every day to
maintain his skills - two a week should give him enough practice.
- Breastfed babies may not accept bottles from their mothers. (Why settle for
artificial milk when the real thing is only a few layers of fabric away?) Some
discerning babies will balk if mother is even in the same room. So it may be best if
father or a substitute caregiver is the one to introduce the bottle. Ignore the people
who say "I told you so. You should have given that baby a bottle right from the start."
Bottles in the first few weeks often lead to early weaning because of nipple confusion
or interference with mom's milk supply (see "Alternatives to Bottles".) It's true that wouldn't have this problem if you had
given your baby a bottle when she was two weeks old, but the reason you wouldn't
have the problem is because she might not be breastfeeding at all any more.
- Fathers are often the logical choice to offer a baby her first bottles, but if your baby
does not accept bottles readily from dad, avoid frustration and call in an
experienced bottle-feeder. This might be a grandmother, a substitute caregiver, or a
friend with bottle-feeding experience. After baby has learned to take a bottle, dad can
take over these feedings.
- It may take some experimentation to discover your baby's bottle-feeding preferences,
and the person offering the substitute feeding will have to be patient. Bottle-
feeding is a challenge that caregiver and baby will have to work on together. It
shouldn't become a battle of wills.
- Experiment with different positions for bottle-feeding. Some babies appreciate a
bottle-feeding experience that is made to seem almost like breastfeeding: a familiar
setting, the cradle hold, skin contact, lots of social interaction. Others see bottle-
feeding as a completely different activity. They may, at first, prefer to be held upright
on the caregiver's lap, even facing outward rather than looking at her.
- Try walking around while offering the bottle. Using a baby sling can make this
easier.
- Don't wait until baby is desperately hungry or in need of comfort sucking. For
babies, as well as adults, new experiences are easier to handle when they are well
rested and not feeling anxious.
- Try nipples that resemble, as much as possible, the shape of your areola and
nipple. Use a nipple that has a wide base that gradually tapers down to the tip of the
nipple, much like your areola tapers down to your nipple. Avoid nipples that offer
only a half-inch nubbin to latch-on to.
- A milk flow of one drop per second is easy for most babies to handle. To judge
how fast the milk flows, turn a full bottle upside down and watch the milk drip. A
faster flow may overwhelm the baby who is used to the breast. A slower nipple will
give baby more sucking time.
- If baby is unhappy with one type of nipple, try another. No matter what the
packaging claims, no rubber nipple is just like mother.
- Warm the nipple under running water before offering it to the baby. Or cool it in the
refrigerator if the baby is teething.
- Instead of inserting the artificial nipple into the baby's mouth, put it near his lips and
encourage him to open wide and take the nipple on his own, as he does the breast,
with a wide-open mouth. Be sure he latches onto the wide base and not just the tip of
the nipple. If he starts using lazy latch-on techniques learned while bottle-feeding
when he nurses at your breast, you'll be sore.
- Don't bottle-prop. Not only is leaving baby unattended during a feeding potentially
dangerous if baby chokes and needs attention, but sucking from a bottle while lying
down allows milk to enter the middle ear through the eustachian tube and triggers ear
infections (especially if using formula). Remember, feeding time is a social
interaction. "Nursing" implies both comforting and nourishing, whether by bottle or
breast. Always put a person at both ends of the bottle.
Remember that there are alternatives to bottles. Babies can also be cup-
fed, finger-fed with a nursing supplementer, or they can take milk from a spoon or
dropper. Babies who have begun to eat solid foods may get much of their nourishment
from non-milk sources while mother is away.
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