How do you know when breastfeeding is “well established”?

Question

Hi ladies, 
I am a first time mom. My daughter is 2 weeks today. I am debating if I can/should start to pump and introduce an occasional bottle. Her dad would like to be able to give her a bottle to help me out and bond more with her but everything says to wait until breastfeeding is well established. How do you know? 
I feel like she has a good latch but has been cluster feeding - I think that’s common at her age. She will go for 5-8 mins on one breast then 10 on the other then take a 20-30 min break and then go another 10 mins or so. Sometimes she will go for 20 on one breast but not as often. 
Her pediatrician said I could add in bottles at our one week appt. He said there is no right or wrong time. I am just concerned she will decide not to breastfeed if I start too soon. I just feel overwhelmed. Thanks for any advice. 😕

Answer

From what I’ve read: 4-6 weeks. Mostly because that’s when your body is still figuring out how much milk to make. And the best way for the body to know that is to BF directly from the breast during that time. If baby gets a bottle - then you’re body will think baby skipped a feeding and therefore make less milk. You could always pump but pumps aren’t as efficient as babies are and so therefore it might be another signal for your body to make less milk. 
When you do introduce a bottle: make sure it’s a very slow flow nipple and also make sure to pace bottle feed (google if needed).  Because if you don’t pace feed, baby could start to prefer the bottle and then not want to latch anymore because that’s more work.

Answer

I introduced bottles of expressed breast milk to my first two at only 3 days old with no issues. However, I waited until my son (third baby) was 5 weeks after the cluster feeding stage was over for us. It’s better to wait until cluster feeding is done because your baby is establishing your milk supply and you’ll never know when they’ll want to nurse again.

Answer

Introduced bottle about 2 weeks old so husband could help and I could nap. She is almost three months and we still breastfeed all day but takes bottle in evening so my husband could bond and no problem so far. She also was introduced a pacifier around 1 week old but only likes the Mam kind.
It’s nice to be able to have option to bottle or breastfeed if we’re going somewhere. I like to be comfortable when I breastfeed and sometimes don’t always have that option so having the bottle is comforting (just remember to bring the breastmilk).

Answer

I introduced bottles at 4 days old, she’s 3 weeks now and has no issues going between breast and bottle. She prefers the breast still, but will take the bottle when offered.

Answer

We did bottle feeding almost right away with my son AND he was given a pacifier... no issues whatsoever.  I quit pumping to feed him on a daily basis just because I found it to be so much more work rather than just nursing him.. and it gave me a lot of anxiety to see my supply dip when my production regulated at 6ish weeks... I went from 5oz per pump session down to 3oz and it stressed me out!!!! 
Every baby is different but just make sure you nurse more than bottle feed so that baby can practice nursing.  The more you nurse, the more baby can practice so they get super quick at eating.

Answer

I introduced bottles really early also and my girl goes back and forth with no issues

Answer

I introduced bottles after a week to express extra as my prem daughter was slow to gain weight and we have never had problems

How do you know when breastfeeding is “well established”?

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