Introducing the bottle – when is the best time?

This collection is also very common in houses with a breastfeeding bub whose mum is returning to work. Trying to get a breastfed baby to take a bottle can have it’s challenges. Many parents try multiple bottles with little success.

So what’s the secret?

Unfortunately there isn’t one.

What works for one family may not work for another. Unfortunately that is the world of parenting. You need to do what works for you.

Some parents need their baby to take a bottle, for example, as they are returning to work.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation is that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods, while breastfeeding continues for up to 2 years and beyond.

If there is a foreseeable requirement that mum is returning to work and/or needing to leave her baby in the care of others:

Sucking from a bottle is very different to breastfeeding, P2B recommends that once breastfeeding is established, and respecting the mothers informed choice of her mode of feeding, to offer their baby, just once a day, about 20mls of expressed breastmilk.

This bottle is NOT to substitute a breastfeed or drop a feed (unless that’s what the parents want).

By offering/adding the bottle into the baby’s routine, if and when you may need to give a bottle, the bottle will be familiar and they won’t have an issue taking a full feed.

BUT BE WARNED! Another common scenario is parents do this and after a few weeks think “my bub takes a bottle” and they stop offering it. Then 1 week or 1 month later try again and the bottle is refused.

You don’t become a runner by running once. You become a runner by running everyday!

What time do you give it? That’s up to the parents.

The afternoon ‘witching’ period is a good time, especially if your baby wants to cluster feed and mum’s supply is usually at it’s lowest. The afternoon is also a great time for your partner to get involved when they return home from work. Pre bath is my recommendation!

If your little one is older, try facing them outwards with a distraction (TV, outside, something interesting to look at) and offer the bottle.
Another option to consider (age dependent) is a cup or sipper cup. Your baby doesn’t actually have to take a bottle.

whatever you choose: Just pick ONE! Pick and stick. Changing it up only confuses your baby.

Please reach out to either myself, a lactation consultant or Child Heath for guidance if you are struggling

Hope that helps!

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