How to introduce your breastfed baby to the bottle

Your baby can begin to drink breastmilk from the bottle once breastfeeding goes well. You have to avoid feeding your baby with a bottle if  he  is having problems nursing . It can cause confusion and cause more problems with breastfeeding.

Most  babies require certain nipples and bottles. As a result you may need to try different brands before you discover your baby’s preference. There are  many options for nipple size and shape. Milk flow  is determined by the size of the hole  at the tip of the nipple. The slower flow  bottles have smaller holes. It is important to start with a smaller hole.

How to get started

The first few times that you introduce the bottle to your baby, ask your partner or caregiver to hold the baby during feeding. If you do the feeding, it may trigger the habit of breastfeeding. This will make the process difficult. Start the bottle introduction 1 or 2 weeks before you go to work or school. The baby will need time to learn this new skill.

It is essential to plan a trial and error rehearsal if you are planing to return to work or school. Leave your baby with the caregiver for about an hour or 2.  You can return early if you need to but it helps to prepare your baby for this routine.

It is important that you breastfeed as often as you can and only pump when needed. Nursing will stimulate your body to produce more milk so putting your baby on the breast helps to keep your milk supply strong.