Nipple confusion occurs when you give your  baby a bottle or pacifier in the first weeks of breastfeeding. The baby has a problem sucking or latching on because he uses the bottle feeding  technique on the breast.  The baby becomes frustrated and  may not want to breastfeed at all. This can result in the baby not getting all the breast milk she needs and the mother’s breast may become engorged.

What are the signs of nipple confusion ?

 
Some of the signs  of nipple confusion include the following

• the baby doesn’t open his mouth enough and therefore sucks at the tip therefore causing nipple pain
• the baby becomes fussy and irritated  because the milk doesn’t flow as easily as with a bottle
• the baby thrusts his tongue upward during sucking and pushes the breast out of the mouth
• the baby refuses the breast completely
• decreased milk supply for the mother because the baby does not latch well

How to prevent nipple confusion ?

 
These steps may help you prevent nipple confusion.

• avoid bottles for the first 6 weeks of life
• avoid a pacifier
• do not force a baby on the breast. Be gentle about it
• use artificial nipples that flow slowly
• let your health care team know that you do not want them to offer your baby a bottle
• keep your baby in your room so that you can breastfeed as needed

How can you cope with nipple confusion ?

These tips may help you deal with nipple confusion.

• breastfeed your baby when he is calm
• breastfeed your baby during the first few weeks of life if possible. Try not to introduce artificial nipple too early
• to breastfeed a nipple confused baby, you need to pump milk a few minutes before feeding your baby. This will stimulate the milk ejection reflex so that the baby doesn’t have to wait for milk to start flowing

 
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