when should i start to introduce the occasional bottle?

[heather91]

Im a SAHM so have no need to regularly give EBM, but I would like to be able to leave Blake with his dad occasionally/get some sleep etc! So at what point should I start to introduce the bottle? And how/when should I express? How long does expressing take? Really clueless about this!!!

All advice hugely welcome!

 

[lau86]

i'd like to know this too! i mean everyone official that i've spoken to says 4-6 weeks at least but has anyone tried earlier?

 

[diamondgem27]

Bump

 

[Ozzieshunni]

6-8 weeks is optimal because your supply has established by then and LO will have stopped so much cluster feeding. We introduced a bottle at 6 weeks (Nuby) and LO took it very well. Some babies won't take a bottle so if you're planning to leave LO, try it once a day for a couple of days. We found my DH has to give the bottles because LO will think he's getting boob from me HTH

 

[SackBoy]

I was told once BF has been well established *shrugs* whenever that is? Whenever you feel ready.

 

[Bec27]

I first expressed at 2 weeks pp as me and my hubby went out to celebrate our anniversary. It took quite a while as the milk dripped out drop by drop...I only managed to get 1 1/2 fluid ounces. Baby took bottle with no problem. However...he got reflux and I had to start giving him medicine in a bottle after every feed (nightmare!) and I noticed that he started to latch on really poorly as the technique is different and the bottle is a lot easier for them. This made me quite sore and I had to become quite firm about taking him off and re-latching till we got it right. Once I stopped giving medicine it got better. I then went out for a meal at 5 1/2 weeks pp and again expressed. This time the milk poured out, it took a fraction of the time and I got 4 fluid ounces . My advice would be to try after a few weeks to get breastfeeding established first. Sometimes people wait too long and then baby refuses bottle which means you have no freedom at all! I loved my evening out, it does you the world of good and I feel more confident with expressing now. Going out again tomorrow night with my hubby for my birthday... can't wait! Hope this helps

 

[patch2006uk]

If you're not going to leave LO for the first 3 or so months, you can just introduce a sippy cup and bypass bottles all together. My LO has never had a bottle, even when he didn't latch as a newborn we cup fed. It's the same jaw action as BFing, so BF babies take to cups really well. I'd recommend a doidy cup.