Bottle to Breast Advice?

Question

Hi! Looking for advice on transitioning from bottle to breast....

My daughter was born 5 weeks early and spent her first week in the NICU--I was in the ICU and unable to try nursing right away. Then, due to the size differences in her small mouth and my larger nipples, an LC said we needed to wait to try latching until she was bigger.  A few days later, a different LC said to try a nipple shield every few feedings.

Not long after leaving the hospital, she developed thrush and we were told to stop trying to nurse while it was present.

Finally, after different meds, the thrush has cleared but we're back to square one with nursing.

My daughter is 10 weeks old now and used to the bottle (she's always had breastmilk--I've pumped exclusively).  Any advice for transitioning from bottle to breast?  Since she's bigger now, I'm hoping we can learn together.  I see lots of articles on the reverse, but want desperately to nurse.

Any tips/tricks/thoughts for going bottle to breast would be appreciated!!

Answer

Our son couldn't latch for the first two and a half weeks, so the lactation consultant had us start every feeding "practicing" with nipple shields, then going to his usual bottle - usually it went well, but sometimes he would refuse to nurse. Good days and bad days; worth sticking with it, though! I assumed we'd be using the shield for months until he figured out his tongue again, but just today he's started nursing without it! (Seventeen days old - not as long a period as your little one, but it can be done!) We realized, after he'd gotten used to instant gratification from the bottle, he'd get really frantic at the breast if he was "too hungry" to be patient. So the lactation consultant recommended giving him an ounce or so by bottle, to satiate the starvation feeling, and then fill him up on the breast - and that did it, for us! A slow transition; no miracle tricks, but a lot of training and stubbornness (from both of us), and steps forward and steps back, and now we're on course for success. I hope it works well for you both! Thinking all the middle of the night feedings where we won't have to heat bottles will make it all worth it. Highly recommend a lactation consultant if you have access to one that can work with you! Good luck!

Answer

My little one spent 6 days in the NICU. And we had to supplement with formula since my milk took forever to come in. We had trouble bf once we got home. My midwife, pediatrician, and LC all said to offer breast first. Your baby is used to getting milk quicker and easier than breastfeeding so you may want to try pumping a little bit before feeding so it's not as hard for them to get milk. Keep trying, keep trying, keep trying. It's hard but you will be so glad you did.

Answer

One important thing to do is give the breast after the bottle. Baby will learn to associate fullness with the breast rather than the bottle and therefore will want it more. Good luck!

Bottle to Breast Advice?

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