Dealing With Nipple Confusion (Preference for the Bottle) (Introduction to Weaning Problems continued)
Babies usually take to bottle feeding during the day relatively easily if done right and gradually. At night, when you are around, try giving your baby the bottle in the dark when they cannot see you. You can also try warming the teat just a little so your baby is more relaxed. If none of these methods work, you can try a different teat. The current one you’re using may be too big for your baby, or they may not like the way the milk flows.
Follow this system with gradual weaning. You can offer the bottle every other day in the beginning before making it an everyday process. Ease your baby into bottle feeding slowly, and you are less likely to encounter any problems.
A baby that is given the bottle before four weeks of breastfeeding, say after one week or two weeks of breastfeeding is likely to prefer the bottle over the mother’s nipple. Sometimes this is called a nursing strike, as the baby refuses to nurse from the mother’s nipple. The reason for this is that feeding from the bottle is easier for some babies, and they can get used to how the milk flows out of an artificial teat.
Artificial teats do not require proper latching for milk to flow; this can be a relief for the baby because as soon as the nipple goes into their mouths, they begin eating. After having tried the easy method of feeding, they may not want to struggle with their mother’s nipple, and having to wait for the milk to “let down” and start flowing.
If you want to continue breastfeeding your child for several months, it is advised that you do not introduce them to the bottle till after six weeks from delivery. This will give your baby time to learn how to properly latch on and feed from your breasts. This isn’t to say that when you introduce the bottle there will be no nipple confusion. It will just be less likely.
Nipple confusion with preference for the bottle can lead to the end of breastfeeding. If your baby is old enough (five or six months,) you can try giving them expressed breast milk through a beaker or cup. This can ensure that there will be no nipple confusion, and you can continue breastfeeding if you want to. However, if your goal is to wean, then nipple confusion with preference for the bottle actually works in your favor.
Sometimes nipple confusion cannot be avoided because your baby’s need to be given extra supplements or the mother is unable to feed during the first few weeks. If you need to give your baby supplements before they reach four weeks of age, try giving it to them with a baby spoon or medicine cup, and avoid pacifiers. If you are trying to breastfeed your child, pump some milk in order for the initial “let down” to happen, and when they start feeding from you, it will be similar to the bottle.
Next Article: Consequences of Nipple Confusion
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