How to introduce a bottle to your breastfed baby.
“When should I introduce a bottle?”
This is one of the top questions I hear from clients. Some are hoping for a break so they can get a longer stretch of sleep. Others are thinking ahead to their return to work, and eager to make sure their baby will accept a bottle when that big transition arrives.
Introducing a bottle before breastfeeding is well established can interfere with nursing. On the other hand, waiting too long can lead to babies rejecting bottles altogether, which makes it difficult for other people to care for your baby--or for you to get a bit of an extended break. So what’s a parent to do?
Here are my top tips for introducing bottles to breastfed babies.
Start offering a bottle when your baby is between 2-4 weeks. By this point, you and your baby will hopefully be settling into a peaceful nursing routine. Babies of this age tend to be a little more flexible about trying a different feeding method than older babies.
Start offering a daily “snack” bottle. Knowing that you don’t need to replace a full feeding takes the pressure off! Use a Haakaa, your hands, or your pump to collect 1.5-2 ounces of breastmilk. Milk supply is typically highest in the morning, so that’s a great time to express some milk. You can offer it at any point in the day. Try offering it to your baby when they are showing early signs of hunger. If they are super hungry and crying, wait until they are calmer.
Recruit your partner’s help. Many babies reject bottles from their primary caregiver. They are used to breastfeeding, and babies don’t relish change! Nursing is cozy and warm and feels like home. Bottles are just not the same, and it may feel confusing for you to offer one when your breasts are right there! This is a great task for your partner. You may find that you need to leave the room, or even the house! Take a shower, go for a walk. Let them figure it out together.
Experiment with timing. Some babies are most likely to take a bottle when they are just waking up from a nap and are hungry but still half asleep. Others will take a bottle when they are tired and ready to sleep--the sucking feels comforting. Other resistant babies will bottle feed with some gentle movement like rocking or bouncing.
Try a few different kinds of bottles. Babies do have preferences! But choosing a bottle can be totally overwhelming. Companies make some pretty bold claims about their products. I love this article by an IBCLC about the best bottles for breastfed babies. I suggest buying two kinds to start. No matter which bottles you buy, make sure you are using the slowest flow nipple for that brand.
Make bottle feeds mimic nursing. If you turn a bottle upside down, milk drips out whether or not a baby is sucking on it. Breasts do not do this! Babies have to work at nursing by actively sucking to stimulate your letdown. This makes bottle feeding inherently easier than nursing, leading some babies to develop a preference for that faster flow. Make sure anyone offering a bottle does a paced feed. This method of feeding slows the flow of milk down, encouraging your baby to actively suck in order to receive milk, just like they do while nursing.
Baby won’t take a bottle? Be patient and keep trying! Some babies take a while to come around to bottles. Try every day. If your baby gets worked up, or you’ve been trying for more than 10 minutes and it’s not working, move on. It’s OK. Tomorrow you can try again! Once your baby is consistently taking a bottle, keep offering one most days. Believe it or not, babies can forget, making your return to work more difficult and stressful.
Are you looking for more support around bottle feeding? I’m here to help! This can be a great task for a postpartum doula or Certified Lactation Counselor like myself to help troubleshoot. Reach out for a free 15-minute consult.
