[Mod-LadyCoconut]

[x-posted from my PR]

I want to hear how it went the first time you gave your LO a bottle of pumped milk. Tell me everything! How old was your baby? Who did it? How'd your LO react? how much did they eat? etc. etc. etc!

I feel like I remember reading somewhere that 3-5 weeks is the best age to introduce a bottle if you want them to take it but not get nipple confusion. Wait too long and they won't take it, do it too soon and they won't want to go back to the breast. I bought one of the 'breastflow' bottles that seems to be the most like an actual breast. I'd like to be able to 'watch' but I'm worried if I'm around she won't be interested. I also don't really know how to tell when she's definitely hungry and not just wanting a boob, kwim?

So tell me everything! Thanks!

[KatiInCT]

DH gave Osric his first bottle at 5 weeks. I pumped downstairs while DH fed Osric upstairs. We do it for his last feeding right before bed. We used the Medela bottle and have been feeding about 3-4 oz at that feeding each night (DH does about 6 out of the 7 last night feedings per week). According to DH Osric took to it like a pro.

One of my friends recommended using the Adiri bottles which are more breast shaped but they are so expensive. We have the Medela bottles, some Dr. Brown bottles, and some Nuby bottles. But have only tried the Medela bottles. We have tried more than 4 oz and Osric tends to lose interest and/or fall asleep with barely any left so for now it seems to work well.

We will see how it goes for regular daily feedings when I go back to work in a week. DH is worried about knowing how many ounces to bring with him when he goes out during the day and how to keep it and reheat it. At least when home and more is needed he can just get more from the fridge/freezer.

[LisanAndy]

I didn't give Rylie pumped milk until she was 5 months old and that's when I was weaning her. She had a hard time keeping it in her mouth the 1st day, it would run all down her chin, but once she got used to it she loved the bottle because she didn't have to work hard for it anymore LoL. She's been on formula since 5 months and she's doing great!

[soImarriedAnerd]

London was about 4 months old. Troy gave it to him while I was out of the house getting my hair done. We wanted troy to try it while the food source (ME) was gone so he couldn't smell me and get confused, now he doesn't care, but then we just wanted to see how it went.
We have born free bottles with stage 1 nipples. He took it fine with no issues about 4-5 oz if I remember correctly. He has taken it a couple times since also with no issues. I try to be out of the room when he gets it but a couple times we didn't have much of a choice.

We tried all bottles on the market, I even shipped the adiri from USA I tried breastflow as well.

Out of them all I would recommend Avent first... if it is refused, try the Breastflow. Go with a slow flow teat so that she will still prefer boob over bottle (she can control how much she gets from your boob, but a bottle is constant, free-flowing). Kirsty did good with the Breastflow, but I eventually sold all my bottles cos she never took any of them, then I stuck with the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature ones, not sure if you get those there?

[fromGirltoMommy]

I wish I could give you advice sweetie but Kennedi was a nipple shield from 3 days old cuz of nipple confusion so shes taken all bottles/binks/nipples whatever no problem. I will say that I LOVE the Dr Brown bottles. I didnt get them cuz I was only gonnna do very limited bottles but my sister got them and Ive been trying them out with Kennedi and I LOVE them (actually am gonna stop at the store and get some of my own today) doesnt matter to Kennedi but it literally sucks all the air out, where as my other bottles we were constantly having to pull the bottle outta her mouth so she wasnt getting as much air.

When Kennedi does get a bottle even now if I can help it I do NOT give it to her. I dont want her to get confused. Good luck sweetie, make sure you update us on how the bottle went!

[~*sierra*~]

my SIL pumped and bottle fed almost immediately and the nipples we found to give a good slow boob-like flow were Nuby Nipples. They go in at the tip of the nipple, rather than just being a hole at the end of a rounded out nipple which i think made him work a bit harder for his food. he would feed for the right amount of time and drank it all and hardly spit up at all. if we got the wrong nipple on there he would usually choke because the flow was too fast.

[**jessie**]

I don't have any good advice for you. I pumped from day 1 because Jax wouldn't nurse. I do know that several members of my pr introduced a bottle very early on so their DH's could do one nighttime feeding and none of them had any trouble with nipple confusion.

I have tried tons of bottles and Jaxon likes any that has some sort of vent system because he is a lazy eater and doesn't like to fight against the negative pressure of regular bottles. I love the Playtex ones (Drop Ins and Ventaires). Playtex makes loads of different shaped nipples, so you are likely to find one that your baby likes. I tried Dr Browns and they tended to leak a bit, which was super annoying. Many gals in my PR have had similar troubles with those bottles.

As far as knowing when baby is hungry and when he just wants to suck, I usually offer the binky if I am not sure. If that is not what he wants, he tells me loud and clear, lol!

[Mars]

I don't have any advice. Amara was 3+ months when I introduced pumped milk in a bottle. She took it like a pro without any hesitation.

[freesiangel]

Xander was 4-5 weeks old the first time we gave him a bottle. We use Dr. Brown's and LOVE them! Just make sure if you plan on primarily breastfeeding that you continue to use a Level 1 nipple, even after the baby gets older... I made the mistake of trying a Level 2 nipple and it took me three days to get him back to nursing without screaming because he wanted the bottle! lol.

[Resi]

Damon gave Oliver a bottle of pumped milk when he was about 5 weeks old. I left the room because I heard it's best not to be around or baby will get confused. It was hard on me because I didn't want him to have a bottle! I think Damon gave him 2 oz of milk but it might have been more. It's hard to remember. Oliver took to it but he always took awhile to eat from a bottle compared to his fast nursing. He never had an nipple confusion. We were lucky that he went back and forth so easy.

We used Green To Grow wide neck bottles with a slow flow wide nipple. Never changed to another nipple size..

[niknok]

Born free bottles here. I also had DH do it, and I left the room. I think Drake was about 4 or 5 weeks old. He had no issues.

[misfitinmn]

Ben was 2 weeks old when he had his first bottle - we had a wedding to go to and I wanted to practice with it before we went. We used Playtex drop-ins for him. He really didn't care - he took it okay without any confusion, but he never got attached to it. He was able to switch between bottle & breast with no issues whatsoever! Thank goodness, because I had enough milk for octuplets!