Breast/bottle/dummy confusion?

[thelilbump]

Hi girls.

Just a quick question, I’ve heard about breast/bottle confusion and that it’s not recommended to use bottles or dummies whilst breast feeding. I was wondering how does the ‘confusion’ manifest itself? I have to give my 2 week old daughter expressed milk as I am having an anaesthetic later this week but I’m getting worried about using the bottle. If she does get confused what will happen? Will she just not go on to the bottle or back on to the breast? Or will it become more difficult to get her to latch on to the breast later?

We’ve also had to give her a dummy but I’ve noticed just recently she’s hurting my breasts more but this is perhaps because she’s getting stronger than the dummy? Any ideas?

Thanks ladies.

 

[Whisper]

When they have a bottle or dummy they have to keep their lips closer together, but when feeding from the breast they need their mouth open wide as possible. So the pain you are experiancing is probably from her mouth not being open wide enough and she is sucking on the end of your nipple more....?
This has happened to me and i wish i had never given her the dummy! You can correct it but it takes time and patience on both parts. It is totally possible for her to go totally back to the breast i think toria managed this successfully, perhaps she can give you some advice on what she did.

Oh the other reason is with the bottle she doesn't have to work for the milk, whereas with the breast she does. Some babies like the easier option.

 

[thelilbump]

yes, actually, i did notice she seemed to be taking less of the brown part (is it areola?) but if i hook my fingers underneath my breast and thumb over the top and pinch, as i had to in the beginning stages of bfeeding, that seems to help her take more. I thought the painful stages of breast feeding were over !!

I am getting worried about giving her the bottle, i've got tomee tippee closer to nature bottles so i hope they do their job and help her revert back to the breast after. I have little choice in giving her expressed milk tho, rather that than a starving baby!!

 

[Heather.78]

hey hun I was talking this over with my health visitor today because she also was a mw and she said they will do both and it shouldnt be a problem, because I botle feed for quite awhile I did have alittle trouble with latch on when I switched to breastfeeding( I think she became alittle lazy because the bottle pretty much gave her milk and now she has to work for it) but its safe to say she now will do both really well, which is nice because hubby likes feeding her sometimes and I can just express it and take a nap

 

[Sarah88]

If u get a bottle that helps copy the shape of the mothers nipples then u should b right. I give Savannah a bottle of expressed milk over the night, I use the Advent ones and she still breast feeds alright

 

[thelilbump]

thanks ladies! Tomorrows the dreaded 'bottle' day so lets see how it goes!

please don't get confused princess

 

[creamcakes]

Hi,

I am sure as a one-off you will be fine, but if you are really worried about this in the future you can always cup-feed your baby to avoid nipple confusion. Even really little babies can lap milk up from a cup, sort of like a cat! Your health visitor should know about this but might not: a lactation consultant could definitely show you. My daugher was cup-fed in hospital for a while.

Lucy