I have been getting so many questions about bottle feeding young babies, I thought it would be helpful to have a few pointers.
There are a few things that need to be said first.
In my practice I find that some babies are more likely to have problems breastfeeding once they have had a few bottles. These babies are usually babies who are young and weak, not able to access and drain the milk from the breast even though mum is producing bucket loads, or where mum’s milk supply is just not enough to satisfy baby’s needs.
So if
1. your baby is very new and has not been able to latch onto the breast and feed from the breast resulting in low blood sugar levels
2. your baby is younger than 10 days, is jaundiced and not producing any poos
3. your baby is younger than 10 days, cries non stop, wants to feed non stop and your nipples are shredded
4. your baby is feeding non stop and is not gaining the 20-30g a day we expect
5. you lost a lot of blood a birth and your baby is struggling to regain birth weight and settle in between feeds
you are a candidate for introducing a bottle before the 3 week mark, regardless of whether it impacts on your breastfeeding. Naturally there are other feeding methods you can try before bottle feeding such as cup feedind or finger feeding. However, if you are experiencing any of the 5 combinations above, there is clearly a problem with either milk production (you) or milk transference (your baby) and this needs to addressed quickly so that your baby does not become reliant on supplements at each feed.
If your baby is older than 10days but is not gaining the expected 20-30g a day, is feeding non stop, is not producing any poos and wees are small and dark yellow, you may need to top up but find good breastfeeding support as well so that you can correct and eliminate any problems.
If your baby is feeding well, is gaining weight well and your nipples are not sore in the least, you can introduce a bottle with little risk of problems developing with breastfeeds. Remember, everyone is different and there is not guarentee that things won’t go pear shaped, however experience has shown me that this is relatively good time to introduce a bottle.
If you need more practical advice on how to avoid feeding problems from day one and to introduce a bottle feed into your day, have a look at the Beginners Guide.
If you are concerned about your supply, have a look at the Low Milk Supply Guide.
I hope this helps.
Much love,
Geraldine
Tags: bottle feeding, breastfeeding probems, Jaundice, low milk supply, newborn babies, slow weight gain, sore nipples