My son is a few days old and has mainly been on a bottle although my milk is coming in and i give him what i pump he will not latch long enough to get alot to eat. Does anyone know if once my milk comes in if he will get off the bottle???
2006-09-11 01:26:04 · 15 answers · asked by liyah's mommy 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
You want him to get off the bottle?
Or you want to combine both?
Hard to tell from how the question is worded.
Yes, if you want to get him off the bottle you can.
How old is "a few days" and how long/often is he nursing now? Have you seen a La Leche League Leader or a Lactation Consultant to help you get him latched on and eating properly?
He may not be latching on very long because you are giving him a quicker reward with the bottle. I suggest that you pump until you feel your letdown and then latch him on to the breast. He'll get a quicker reward this way.
Call LLL or an IBCLC and get someone who can work with you one on one in person.
EDITED TO ADD:
Someone mentioned not nursing for a week with a breast infection. If you have a breast infection, you should nurse right through it! This is one of the best ways to help clear up the infection and it won't hurt the baby.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/mastitis.html
2006-09-11 02:20:37 · answer #1 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
HI The best advice is offer the breast as much as possible. Consult with La leche, or local WIC ( even if you are not on WIC they may have someone you can call). Even if baby isn't hungry offer breast. The anxiety of being hungry can cause latch difficulty. My youngest fell asleep all the time within minutes of beginning to nurse. She nursed quite frequently. Never saw a bottle. And didn't begin solids until 1 year. (She didn't like expressed milk for some reason to fed her cereal). She is now 7 and very healthy. Don't worry and don't give up.
Angela
2006-09-11 08:32:06 · answer #2 · answered by ? 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some babies have a hard time with nursing at first, my daughter did. I had to do it when she was happy and comfortable to get her to latch on and actually remain for very long. Her one thing she loved was a bath. So, when I knew she was hungry I hopped into the bath(relaxed a bit) and tried to nurse, it was like magic. She really enjoyed it. The nutritionist told me that she needed to feel completely relaxed and so did I. Why don't you try to find something that relaxes the both of you and see if that doesn't help. My daughter was switching back and forth until the bath and it was difficult on both of us. But I was encouraged to keep trying, and I am very glad I did. Just keep trying, the more your child nurses, the more the milk will come in. Our bodies just seem to know how much milk is needed and supplies it accordingly. Don't get discouraged, if I could wait nearly two months to get it going, you can too! Good luck!!!
2006-09-11 09:05:04 · answer #3 · answered by need to know 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you give him only the breast, your body will regulate to how much he is eating. He may not be latching on quite long enough because of the formula.
But, it is possible to breastfeed, and supplement with formula. Ask your doctor about this; some doctors say you should wait at least 6 wks to start feeding with a bottle, to avoid nipple confusion.
Good luck!
2006-09-11 08:49:30 · answer #4 · answered by rlms_girl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is definitely possible to do both. I have had stupid lactation nurses tell me that it was positively impossible to do both in the beginning. that is a bunch of BS! my baby girl had bottle & breast at birth. I also have many friends and a sister that did it that way, and it works out just fine.It was not until my baby was a month old that she actually started to breats feed! She also went two straight weeks with no breast at all. You will find that what works for you, is best. Do what you want to do. Never mind a doc or nurse saying "don't do this, do that"! Do what pleases you & what works for you and your baby! Very Best of Luck. If you want to give breastfeeding a try, dont give up, it may take sometime as well as patience but eventually it's worth giving it a shot! Good Luck to you!
2006-09-11 10:12:29 · answer #5 · answered by Jm 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Both my kids have had both. My first breast fed for 6 months. Then wanted nothing to do with it anymore. My second loved nursing but I developed a breast infection and after a week of not being able to nurse he wouldn't go back. The truth is breastfeeding is great for your kids. But bottle feeding isn't bad for them. Do what you feel is the best for you and your family. I have had lots of people judge me for the way I did things. I have even been called a bad mom. But truth is, my kid's doctor says she has never seen healthier kids. If you feed your kids when they are hungry, you love them tons, and snuggle them...they will be just fine. Good luck I know how hard this breast -bottle debate can be.
2006-09-11 09:21:10 · answer #6 · answered by aerofrce1 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is not impossible, but improbable. Babies will often make a choice if they've had both, and that choice is usually for the bottle because there is an easier flow. Do try, offer him the breast first and then follow up with a bottle of your own milk if he doesn't get his fill.
2006-09-11 09:00:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps. You should call a lactation consultant and have her evaulate how you are getting your son to latch on. Sometimes it just takes a minor adjustment to get breastfeeding to work perfectly.
2006-09-11 11:19:26 · answer #8 · answered by HoosierMommy06 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Breast feeding can be a difficult process. The baby's suckling should cause your milk to come in better, then he should feed more.
2006-09-11 08:29:30 · answer #9 · answered by Blue Jean 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say probably not because you have already gotten him used to the bottle. You can always pump and feed it to him though.
2006-09-11 09:18:03 · answer #10 · answered by g_bug 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋