| It is better for your child to be dependant on you and learn to trust you and your breast will always be there. ↑ |
| I am breasfeeding prodominently, but have run to the bottle 4 or 5 times in the 10 days since my daughter Charlotte has been born. Sometimes she feeds and feeds and it has got to the point where my nipples have bled so have used a bottle to get her to sleep while I repair my nipples with nipple cream and a nipple protector. I have found that after 2 or 3 hours I am able to re-use that breat with less discomfort. ↑ |
Hello Tan,
I personally wouldn't recommend it unless you have to, like if you worked outside the home, or like in Anne-Marie's situation.
But if you do decide this is what you want to do, I would wait at least until after the 6th week or second month... no sooner. This way your Little One has the skill of nursing fairly well established, and will be less likely to refuse going back to the breast. ↑ |
Hi Anne-Marie!
Good for you on handling your situation in that manner! I have heard of women discontinuing breastfeeding over such difficulties. What a lucky baby you have! And what a great example you are for others. ↑ |
Breastfeeding takes time and effort in order to become properly established. If you use formula milk then your baby will come to prefer this due to the larger volumes and taste. Breastfeeds tend to be little and often - esp. in the beginning. I used to give my son bottles as I was too tired to breastfeed and he quickly preferred the formula and refused the breast.
Your baby will also become confused as feeding from a nipple and a teat are different skills. The baby has to learn to work with you in order to gain the skills necessary for successful breastfeeding. A bottle is too easy for the baby and he will become lazy and reluctant to keep up with the breastfeeding skills.
If I were you, I'd try solely breastfeeding to begin with and perservere with that. If you decide that you don't like it or can't manage then you can switch to the bottle.
Breastfeeding isn't just a case of plugging baby in and giving a feed - it's a little more complicated than that. ↑ |
Ohh hot tip I discovered. I expressed today, it was only about 30ml/1pz but it isbetter than formular if your nipples are just too sore to continue in one sitting or your baby has emptied your breasts you have a back up supply.
If push comes to absolute shove and you are just to dam knackered to feed, hubby can have a go and at least it is still your milk.
I agree with Fiona on a couple of points. Teats from a bottle releases the milk much quicker therefore less effort is required to get a feed, so going back onto breast baby expects too much too quickly and will give up.
My advice to myself is to only go to the teat in worst case senario. I endure the pain cos the long run effects of breastfeeding far outway the shortfall of a little tenderness. ↑ |
