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Using a bottle is a totally
new skill for a baby, and requires learning how to coordinate breathing and
swallowing in different ways than breastfeeding requires. For this reason,
it is a good idea to wait at least a month or so before introducing the
bottle so your baby has time to get good at breastfeeding first. And
usually, a week or two before you head back to work gives your baby time to
learn the new skill without sacrificing breastfeeding in the
process.
You'll hear a lot of
folks say "when he gets hungry enough, he'll eat," meaning that a
hungry breastfed baby will eventually drink from a bottle when he gets
desperate enough. I prefer a "kindler, gentler" approach that starts by
introducing the bottle when your baby is NOT hungry. This way, he can
just play with it, and will eventually discover something familiar
inside. It often works better to have someone other than you give the
first bottle--your baby is smart enough to know where the real stuff is
supposed to come from!
Experiment with
different bottle nipples. Some babies do better with the orthodontic
nipples (the weirdly shaped ones); others with the more typical design.
Look for a nipple with smaller and fewer holes so that he has to work a
bit to get the milk out.
Some babies will do best
distracted by the TVor a view outside a window. Some like to be held
and danced around the room. Some like the "typical" nursing
position.
There's no ONE way to
bottle feed a breastfed baby, which is another reason to allow a week
or two before you go back to work.
For more information on
working and breastfeeding, check out Nursing
Mother, Working Mother, a new book by Gale Pryor.
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