Question for those who bottle feed?

[britt1986]

How old was your LO when you switched them from stage 1 (slow flow) to stage 2 (medium flow) nipples? DD will be 3 months old Thursday and seems to be having a tough time getting enough out fast enough on slow flow, but when I give her a medium flow she chokes a lot. So, what do I do?

 

[KAH1990]

I actually switched mine when sd was about 3 weeks old as he wasn't gaining weight very fast and was only taking around 2oz per feed as soon as we switched he fed so much better! But now at 5 months we are still on size 2 teats he seems to be getting on fine with them so won't be changing them just yet. We did try him on vari flow but he just chocked on them. Sorry no real advice I never really had any trouble when we switched over

 

[Gem1302]

Just after 3 months I think, he started to hate bottles (was teething too though) and had suddenly started drinking lots more in one go so he would be feeding for ages. Was much happier when we changed to size 2 x

 

[Gem1302]

Can you try a variflow teat?

 

[britt1986]

Can you try a variflow teat?

Can I ask what they are? I am in the US if that makes a difference.

 

[Gem1302]

Can you try a variflow teat?

Can I ask what they are? I am in the US if that makes a difference.

Which bottles do you use? They have a special cut which allows the baby to control how fast the milk flows x

 

[Smiler82]

I reckon leave it a week maybe, then try the next size up again. My son stayed on stage 1 for aaaaaages, honestly it was weeks beyond what the teat packet says! Then we switched to 2 and he struggled, so went back to 1 for a week then tried again and he was fine. Then he was on stage 2 for way longer than what the teat packet said, switched him to 3 and he choked, went back to 2 for another week or 2 and then he was fine

 

[Equreuil]

Malcolm was right around 3 months when I moved from a slow to a medium flow. What I'd do is that if he did start to gag or if a lot started running down his chin, is I'd take the bottle away for a few seconds to give him a chance to breath and then offer it again. Aside from that, it was just a short adjustment period.

Of course, I also found, he did better with the standard neck bottles rather than the wide neck ones.

 

[spunky84]

LO switched over around 4.5 months, but was way overdue to switch. I really think she should have switched around 3.5 months.

She rarely spits up, but once she outgrew the slow flow she was constantly spitting up and choking on her milk. Also, a ton would flow out of her mouth. I've googled a lot recently (as we're planning on switching to fast flow) and all of those signs say it's too fast, but for LO, it was opposite. Once we switched to medium flow, all those things stopped.

I'd say give it another week or two if your LO is still having issues with the medium flow. Or, as someone else suggested, maybe try a variflow. I've never used them, but I read a lot of about then when I was looking up switching to fast flow.

 

[Sams123]

We changed to stage 2 at 8 weeks then stage 3 at 5 months xx

 

[Cccbb61013]

With my first I changed early because he was using the formula for reflux that is thickened with rice. With my second, I did around 3 months. But he did the same as yours. Struggling with the slow flow but choking on the medium. I poked holes in the slow flow which helped for a little bit. My first had ear infections a lot when he was younger & I read sucking to hard on a bottle can cause them so I was paranoid with my second & wanted to avoid him having to suck hard at all costs.

 

[lam_76]

I just changed to medium flow this week and my lo is coming up for 11 weeks. He finishes his bottle so much quicker now and brings his wind up better since we switched!

 

[Louppey]

Variflow here. Switched at 2 weeks.

 

[Cariad_x]

We were advised by the midwives in the transitional care unit during our stay to start using stage 2 teats right away (LO was in hospital for 5 days due to jaundice).

My nephew only ever used stage 1 - he could never adapt to the stage 2 teats.

I'd try again every week or so and see how your LO goes.