breastfeeding

Renae - posted on 06/30/2010

You already have some good advice about trying different teats, flows etc. Since his problem is gagging try Nuk and Mam bottles.

I also wanted to add that most BF babies do not like formula. You usually have to start by giving expressed milk in the bottle and then add a little formula to it. Continue to add more and more formula over about a month until the bottle is completely formula. Also some babies dont like formula with added fish oil when they are not used to it. I found that Karicare made by Nutricia tastes nicer and is a bit sweet like breast milk. Some breast fed babies also prefer soy milk - that never made sense to me since soy milk tastes nothing like breast milk - but apparently thats the case.

Many babies dont want to take a bottle from mum. Let someone else feed him (you have to leave the house because he can smell your milk from 20 feet away and may refuse the bottle).

Billie Jo - posted on 06/25/2010

May I ask why you want to wean to a bottle? Are you going to continue giving BM in the bottle or are you switching to formula at the same time?

Sarh - posted on 06/25/2010

My son is 2 weeks and 1 day old, sometimes I have to supplement w/formula. I've noticed that he does better with the bottle when someone else feeds him. Try him on the bottle w/someone else feeding him. My son as well gags on the the formula when I feed him. I think it's because they can smell our breast milk and they know that we have something better then formula. lol. Good luck!

Emily - posted on 06/25/2010

Why not just keep breastfeeding? You've made it this far.. a few more months will be a piece of cake. You don't have to wean just because he's getting teeth. Teeth shouldn't cause any problems.

Cynthia - posted on 06/25/2010

Like Kimberly indicated, weaning is a slow process. I just finished weaning my almost 8 month old. I started when he was 6 months old. I drop 1 feed to a bottle for the first 5 days, then another dropped feed with the bottle and so on. He was completely weaned by 7 months. Definitely try different bottle nipples, I use Ventaire wide (make sure to use wide nipples for an easier transition) and use the slow nipple, do not use fast because your son is used to working for his milk and the fast nipple is crazy fast, my son would polish off a bottle in 5 minutes. If you can express your milk and start off with that and then slowly introduce formula the same way you would wean him, one feed approx every 5 days. I didn't mix the formula and breast milk together because I didn't want to mess around with how much to mix it with and all that fun stuff. This worked well for us but play around with it. Also, try having your husband/boyfriend or another family member bottle feed him because he knows you have the milk and some babies just refused to take the bottle from the breastfeeding mother at first. I hope this helps, good luck to you! Just remember it's all trial and error. Try not to get frustrated & stressed because your son will feel it and it may make it harder.

Kimberly - posted on 06/24/2010

My son is almost 2 and im still breastfeeding him, if you want to Wean your son do it slowley.. One feed at a time try pumping some breastmilk and mixing it with the formula starting out with mostly Breast milk and gradually over time adding more and more formula untill he is comfortable with the tast... Weaning can be difficult and stressfull at times, Its also a long process dont expect it to happen over night. Try just doing one feed a day then every 4 days or so drop another breastfeed for the bottle or cup untill he is done to only 2 Breast feeds a day usually Nap and bed are the hardes to drop. Be patient it will happen good luck.....

Angie - posted on 06/24/2010

try using a differnt bottle, I could only breatfeed for 3wks and I dried up, so my baby take the bottle fine

Audrey - posted on 06/24/2010

Is it possible that he doesn't like the feel of the teet or is getting the milk to fast? are you expressing milk into the bottle or using formula in the bottle? I know when i stopped breastfeeding my daughter it took a while to get her used to the bottle and formula.

Rachael - posted on 06/24/2010

you could do a couple of things. try a different kind of nipple, try and move him onto the sippy cup instead of the bottle, or just go away for a couple of days and leave your son with a non lactating person you trust. he's more likely to take it from someone who does not have boobs and if he gets hungry enough he will eat it.