Breastfeeding vs. canteen-feeding

For nursing moms, having the flexibility to switch from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding and back once more seems similar a dream.

It would make a lot of activities much simpler — similar a dinner out, going dorsum to work, or just taking a much-needed shower. Merely if you lot're dreaming about making this a reality, you may as well have concerns.

What if your infant has a hard time learning to drink from a bottle? What if your baby all of a sudden refuses to breastfeed? What if your baby experiences nipple confusion?

Luckily, you don't demand to worry also much. Most babies don't have trouble going from the breast to a bottle, and back to the chest. But continue in mind that breastfeeding is a learned behavior. Information technology's best to avoid offering a canteen before yous both get confident at this skill.

Here's what you should know most nipple defoliation and what you tin can do to avoid information technology.

What is nipple confusion?

Nipple confusion is a wide term. Information technology tin can refer to a baby who refuses to feed from a bottle, or i who tries to breastfeed in the same mode they feed from a canteen. For a baby, the action of nursing involves coordinated movements of the mouth and jaw.

In fact, these movements are unique to the act of breastfeeding. For something that babies make look so easy, there'south a lot going on.

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, these are the mechanics of breastfeeding:

  • To properly latch on to the breast, a babe opens their mouth very wide so that the nipple and a big role of the areolar tissue can accomplish deeply inside.
  • A baby uses their tongue and lower jaw to do two things at one time: hold the breast tissue in place against the roof of their mouth, and create a trough between the nipple and the areola.
  • The baby's gums compress the areola and their tongue moves rhythmically from front to back to draw out milk.

Drinking from a bottle doesn't crave the aforementioned technique. The milk volition flow no matter what a baby does because of gravity. When a baby feeds from a canteen:

  • They don't accept to open up their mouth wide or create a tight seal with properly turned-out lips.
  • It isn't necessary to depict a bottle nipple securely into their oral fissure, and there's no demand for the back-to-front end milking action of the natural language.
  • They can suck but with their lips or "gum" on the rubber nipple.
  • If the milk flows as well quickly, a infant can stop it by thrusting their tongue upwards and forward.

Signs of nipple confusion

If a baby tries to breastfeed in the same way they feed from a bottle, they may do the following:

  • thrust their tongue upwardly while they're sucking, which can push button the nipple out of their mouth
  • fail to open their mouth broad enough during the latch (in this instance, they can't get much milk, and their mother's nipples will exist very sore)
  • get frustrated their mother's milk isn't instantly available because it takes a minute or two of sucking to stimulate the let-down reflex

The last scenario can be an issue with an older infant. One case is a baby whose mother's milk isn't as readily available because of a schedule change like returning to work.

Longer stretches between breastfeeding can reduce your milk supply. A baby may begin to show a preference for the immediacy and ease of a bottle.

How to avoid nipple confusion

The best way to avoid nipple confusion is to wait to introduce bottles until breastfeeding has been well-established. This usually takes somewhere between four and six weeks.

You may exist able to introduce a pacifier a footling sooner, just it's still all-time to expect until your milk supply is well established and your baby has regained their birth weight, usually after 3 weeks.

If your baby is having problem breastfeeding afterwards y'all introduce a bottle, try these tips.

  • Stick with breastfeeding if y'all tin can. If that's non an pick, try to limit bottle sessions to when you aren't around.
  • Brand certain to practice good breastfeeding techniques so yous and your baby are both comfy.
  • If your infant seems to get frustrated because your milk isn't readily available, remedy that past pumping a fleck to jump-start your allow-down reflex before you nurse.
  • Don't expect until your baby is ravenous to breastfeed. Try to fourth dimension it so yous both have the patience to get things right.

What if my baby refuses to breastfeed?

In the case of an older baby who shows a preference for the bottle over the chest, continue your milk supply up by pumping regularly when yous're abroad.

When y'all're together, make time to nurture your breastfeeding relationship. Nurse more often when you're home with your baby, and save the canteen feedings for when yous're away.

What if my babe refuses the bottle?

If your baby refuses to feed from a canteen altogether, there are a few things yous can attempt. See if your partner or a grandparent tin give your baby a canteen. If that's not an option, try to keep bottle-feeding sessions low-stress.

Reassure your baby, and keep the mood playful and calorie-free. Try to mimic breastfeeding every bit much as you can. Brand certain at that place's lots of cuddling and eye contact. You can besides switch your baby to the other side halfway through the feeding to change it up. If your infant gets upset, take a break.

Experiment with different kinds of nipples, too. Look for those that will supply your baby with plenty milk to keep them interested. Once your infant is exposed to the canteen and understands that it's some other class of nourishment, information technology won't take long for them to get on board with the idea.

The takeaway

There are resources available if you need aid navigating bottle- or breastfeeding. Talk to your medico if you need a recommendation for a lactation consultant, or reach out to your local chapter of La Leche League International.