Bottlefeeding EBM

tracyhodgy · Mar 18, 2009 12:52PM

Hi all
I'm looking for some advice please. My lo is 18 days old and we have been breastfeeding. He has only been doing it successfully for about a week but sometimes still struggles to latch onto my left breast. When we were in hospital, and a few times since, I have fed him expressed breast milk using a little cup. This was what I was advised in hosp to top up his feeds as he wasn't feeding properly at first. I am now wanting to introduce breat milk in a bottle for him occassionally so that someone else can feed him but I don't know if it is too soon? Has anyone else successfully introduced breast milk in bottles at 3-4 weeks old? I don't want to try it too soon and end up messing up Noah's breastfeeding. Any advice is most appreciated!
Mrs S and Noah

Poz · Mar 17, 2009 4:52PM

I gave my lo a bottle at 3 weeks and it was fine. But I waited until I was pretty confident with the feeding and she was latching on well each time. If he had a few problems with it at first I would maybe give it a few days or a week more so that you are both really happy with the bfing.

cara_x · Mar 18, 2009 6:13AM

i gave my lo ebm at about 3weeks in a bottle(tt closer to nature) he was fine, i only give him a bottle on rare occasions. (about 4 times in his 7 weeks).

blondefriend · Mar 18, 2009 6:15AM

I gave Abby EBM from 2 weeks but she latched well from the beginning and the bottle-breast swop never really bothered her. I use tommee tippee bottles which help. If you want to introduce EBM I would try and let your OH give it to him and make sure you give yourself some peaceful time for the next feed to make sure he is still latching ok. Some advice is to give a bottle last thing at night but my view is that if he then wakes in the night and doesn't latch then it will make you stressed at the least useful time.

Good luck,
H xx

basscl · Mar 18, 2009 12:52PM

I started with bottles of ebm from 10 days. Didn't have much choice as it was bottle or tube feed at that point (long story that isn't really needed but I was bf too). He took the bottles well, even when the bf wasn't going so well and we've never looked back. 13 weeks on I'm still bf and don't have any problems with the 1 bottle feed he gets in the evening or when I've had to be away for a feed. I found he learnt the difference easily and a couple of friends that have tried to introduce bottles later on (6+ weeks) have struggled with their lo refusing all types of bottles.

Each baby is different and you will know how much it will help/hinder with adding a bottle feed. I think half of it is the way you as the mother approach the bottle feed.

Good luck

Bottlefeeding EBM

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