Breast / Bottle Feeding
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22726
Printed Date: 11 September 2025 at 4:35pm
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Topic: Breast / Bottle Feeding
Posted By: flakesitchyfeet
Subject: Breast / Bottle Feeding
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 2:49pm
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There is proabably already a thread exactly the same as this, but with my 6 day overdue fuzzed up brain I can not find it for the life of me!
The thing is, I have every intention of breast feeding my baby for the first six months at least. I get all of the advantages etc, and my budget is going to love me for it. However... I have a husband desperate to take her to work with him occasionally, (he manages a kindy and it will give me a break), a few events to attend, and a very self conscious personality. So express and bottle feeding seemed like the best option But.... The experts (m/w and antenatal classes) have all said to not bother with the bottle at all until 4-6wks to avoid confusion etc. Eeeek! Its nearly enough to make me cry, the idea of knowing I am going to have to feed around certain people is some situations is nearly enough to make me go bottle from the start, and I know that its not nearly as good for the baby. So my question is, is it really that bad to bottle feed EBM to your bubs if they are under 6wks of age? Edit: We have the advent and NUK bottles with the 'special' teats -------------  http://lilypie.com"> |
Replies:
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 3:17pm
Six days over! Hurry up bubba, your parents want to meet you! 
I know 'they' all say it's bad, but my little guy had a bottle before he got the breast (in SCBU) and we didn't have any problems with nipple confusion. Course he started refusing the bottle at about 3 months but that's another story! There are a couple of other threads, I'll see if I can find and bump for you. ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: flakesitchyfeet
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 3:42pm
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I appreciate that! Thank you so much weegee!!
------------- http://lilypie.com"> |
Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 3:57pm
| I'd stick to breastfeeding exclusivly for the first 2 or 3 weeks so you have a chance to get the hang of it, but at 3 weeks my nipples were so sore and bleeding that i was feeding my girl expressed milk from a bottle for at least 1 feed each day, and once my nipples healed i went back to just breastfeeding (2weeks later). there was never any confusion on her part, her dad got to feed her, I'd say just express at least once a day from early on so there's some milk in the freezer for your partner. P.s. we used the lovely wide teats too, they're great! |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 4:06pm
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I used the bottle that came with the pump and tommee tippee(cause they look close to breast) and he had no issues.. ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 4:10pm
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I gave my my girls bottles from the first day I BF them. They were prem and underweight so topped them up with EBM for the first 6 weeks.
Each one to their own and do whatever suits you best. Just remember if pays to express at the same time you give EBM in order to keep your supply up if it will be a regular occurrence. |
Posted By: Leahsmummy
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 4:26pm
My lil one had the top up of ebm from bout 2weeks old we used tommee tippee and she had no problems with the boob & bottle but for other reason she is now fully ff. Good luck with the whole breastfeeding thing and come on bubba mummy wants to meet you  -------------   
Angel Baby Dec 09, We will love you forever. |
Posted By: Troods
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 4:33pm
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Hi my girl was 8 wks prem and underweight so she had bottled EBM as well as BF while in NCU, and for the first 6 weeks after she came home, and we had no problems with her confusing breast with bottle - I think she was happy so long as she got the milk. We gradually stopped the bottlefeeds altogether when she was about 10 wks old then exclusively BF until 6 months (which, like you, is what I intended to do anyway) but when we tried to reintroduce the bottle again (formula), she wouldn't have a bar of it (that's another story ). But at 7.5 months we finally managed to get her to take the bottle again, and now she happily takes both bottle and breast with no probs. We originally had Avent bottles when she was smaller and they were fine, but we had to resort to the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottle when we tried to get her to take the bottle again, but now she's back to the Avent ones and happy with those. Like Tishy said, do whatever suits you best, and most definitely remember to express at the same time bubs has the EBM, to make sure you keep your supply up.
If you do decide to hold off until 4-6 weeks, don't fret about having to BF bubs wherever you happen to be - gosh I've had to feed in all sorts of places, like DH's work and even funerals  When bubs is hungry and your boobs feel like they're going to explode, you just do what you need to do and soon forget about everyone else  ------------- 
 Missed MC July 2011
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Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 25 November 2008 at 9:00pm
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I think the main reason why people (like myself, also - I help to run a breastfeedign support clinic) would say to hold off to that 4 to 6 week mark is that it takes that long for baby to learn to feed from you, and for you to get the hang of it, and adding the extra thing for the mouth makes things confusing.
I promise you, after you have had your bub (you tned to lose all dignity, lol) you will probably not feel too self concious feeding bub once you have got the hang of it. I personally also wouldn't be sending a baby under 6 weeks off out into a workplace if I could avoid it. Hope your bundle dosen't keep you waiitng too much longer! Good luck! ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: flakesitchyfeet
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 1:23am
Thanks Guys :) And those other threads were useful, thanks weegee! I knew I would've missed them 
Just to clarify the workplace thing, I have an anxiety disorder originally caused by a head injury about 2 1/5 years ago. I will be a SAHM, with support, but there is going to be the occasional day before she is 6 weeks old that I will need half a day out/off etc, we have planned for that on advice from close people around us. DH's work is incredibly flexible, he is the manager of a private kindergarten owned by the inlaws with awesome teachers we both have known for a very long time. We are incredibly lucky in that respect, it's better then me putting her into other care on those days 
Meanwhile I guess I hold off on the bottles of EBM for as long as I can, although the thought of that makes me uncomfortable  Every child is different though and if it makes those first six weeks smoother, so be it.
------------- http://lilypie.com"> |
Posted By: my2girls
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 2:39pm
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With DD1 i had sore nipples from about day 5 and had to express and bottle feed for some feeds on and off, it never made any difference to me, it actually made things easier because she was adaptable to either breast or a bottle of expressed milk and i fed her for 12mths.
with DD2 i have breast fed the whole time so far (6 1/2) months and she wont even take a bottle (i have been trying her to take some expressed milk in a bottle because she bit me and made my nipple bleed and im trying to get it healed!) so i think its good to have a variety |
Posted By: my2girls
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 3:06pm
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I have just found this bottle, it looks interesting, might have to give it a go myself?
http://www.breastmates.co.nz/adiri_breast_bottle_nurser.html |
Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 3:33pm
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Hi Flake,
I had one super sore nipple from day one. So I used a nipple shield on that side and nothing on the other. I also found the nipple shield was great to use when feeding in front of others as it didn't take ages to latch her properly, just stuck her on and away she went. I think using the shield as well as the naked nipple helped her get used to different things from early on. I used a bottle when she was just over 2 weeks and she's fine with either. In saying this, all babies are different and I think Jody would suck onto anything when she's hungry! Also, yes, all dignity goes when you have a baby lol, I thought there would be no way I would whip a boob out in front of anyone except DH and maybe mum, but I really don't care who sees it now! Although sometimes I spray milk everywhere lol that's a bit embarassing! -------------   
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Posted By: Chickoin
Date Posted: 26 November 2008 at 3:36pm
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PS; use avent bottles.
PPS; some 'experts' recommend trying the bottle early as bubs may not take it if it's too late. So much conflicting advice, just do what feels right chicky -------------
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Posted By: BessieBear
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 11:11am
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i'd just like to say that i went into pregnancy thinking there was no way i was going to do the EBM bottle feeding. or even dear to formula feed. ------------- Sarah Mum to, Boy 07/2008, Girl 03/2010, Boy 05/2012, Angel 07/08/2014
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Posted By: M.i.s.s.y
Date Posted: 27 November 2008 at 1:53pm
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we started Jade on 1 bottle a day of EBM in the evenings from bout day 5 & she was fine. she still has tht but now we use formular so i have all nite off so 2 speak.
shes happy 4 any1 to give her it-even i can & i got told tht babies will refuse a bottle if they smell breast milk... its all so confusing, but just do wotever u find works 4 u, ur dh & of course ur precious babe. All the best 4 the birth (if u havent already delivered ) -------------    
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 28 November 2008 at 8:24am
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hey flake I totally understand the feeding in public thing with my boy''s it made me feel horrid I hardly went anywhere till I put them full time on the bottle fotmula by 4-5 week's.(did not really know about expressing or how easy it could be) now with #3 I am happy to feed in public, but like other's have said do waht you can. Wait as long as possilbe for the bottle if you can, but don't beat yourself up if you have to do the EBM thing early.
And hurry up baby!! ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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