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at what point is breast feeding established?

sorry if daft question

It is commonly known that b/f must be established before giving baby a dummy of bottle of expressed milk.

But how do you know when b/f has been established?

Replies

  • I think as long as you are both confident with latching on and lo seems to be feeding well i.e. not fussing or coming on and off and is settled and content after a feed. Also if your supply seems to have adjusted to lo's needs so you're not feeling full all the time. It's different for everyone but I gave beth her first bottle at 3 weeks because the bfing seemed to be going well.
  • I am lucky as i have been able to express from day 1 so my babies have had breast and bottle from the start and i have never had a problem.
  • i think its usually suggested from around 4 weeks that a dummy or bottle can be offered but as others say it depends on the individual.Id say once bf feels comfortable and you are happy that baby has got the latch correctly then go 4 it! it can take up to 3 mths before your milk supply has sttled and got used to what baby needs after their growth spurts in the early days,ul probably find around this time ur breasts dnt leak as much and stop feeling so engorged between feeds xxx
  • I too was very lucky that Paul took breast and bottle with no problems from day 1. he was in NICU then SCBU for 3 days and i breast fed and expressed for this time and he took either just the same.

    i started to use a dummy at about 8 weeks and only waited this long because my oh really didn't want to use one.

    i think you just have to be relaxed about these things and if you want to try just see how it goes.
  • It was at about four weeks that I felt fairly confident that we both knew what we were doing with breastfeeding. At this point we started giving lo a bottle of expressed breastmilk each evening and there was no problem switching between bottle and breast.

  • I never got it established 3 lots of mastitis in 7 weeks is no joke so i had to go to bottle feeding. I cried and cried but it was for the best. good on any one that can breast feed but ill never growl at anyone that decides it isnt for them it hurt sooo much. I will try again next time.
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