If you are one of those busy moms like me who work at home and have to attend the whole house, you might be thinking about introducing a feeding bottle to your breastfed baby. If you ask yourself, “When can I introduce a bottle to my breastfed baby?” read on. In this article, I will explain how and when to introduce a bottle to a newborn or a breastfed baby.
When Should You Introduce Bottle to Breastfed Babies?
Age
One of the factors to consider when asking yourself, “when can I introduce a bottle to my breastfed baby?” is your baby’s age.
You do not have to wait too long to introduce the feeding bottle to your baby. The baby will refuse it altogether if you wait too long to introduce the bottle to him. You have to find the right balance between nursing and using the bottle.
It is suggested that you introduce the feeding bottle to your baby from three to seven weeks of age because introducing it to him by eight weeks can be hard because the baby might have already been used to nursing by this time.
When You Are Ready
The next thing you have to consider when asking yourself, “when can I introduce a bottle to my breastfed baby?” is knowing when you are wholistically ready.
As moms, we tend to worry a lot. We tend to worry about our babies’ health if bottle feeding can hamper their growth and other things.
This is why you need to ask yourself if you are ready to introduce the bottle to your baby and say “bye-bye” to breastfeeding. It will save you from stress and anxiety.
Bottle feeding can wait if you feel that you are not ready or worry a lot. It is your mental health and your peace of mind that needs to be set as a priority.
How to Introduce Bottle to Breastfed Babies
You have to set the perfect timing when you decide to introduce the bottle to your breastfed babies.
Ensure that your baby is hungry when you decide to feed him using the bottle, regardless of the time of the day.
Doing this won’t give him a choice but to take the bottle immediately. Then, you can do the following:
- Hold the baby upright.
- Switch your position or the way you carry your baby halfway through the feed.
- Allow the baby to draw the nipple or the head of the bottle into his mouth.
- Encourage frequent pauses to mimic the breastfeeding rhythm.
- Make sure to massage the infant’s jaw during the process and after the procedure.
- Feed the baby until he is satisfied.
Benefits of Bottle Feeding
Ample Feeding
When deciding to introduce the bottle to your baby, you should know that there is more to bottle-feeding than just getting your hands free for some time.
It also allows your baby to be fed with the amount that is appropriate for his age. Simply saying, it will avoid over-eating and under-eating.
Improves Breastfeeding
Believe it or not, bottle feeding can also help improve breastfeeding. It enhances the breastfeeding experience, leading to longer durations and increased comfort and success.
Longer Naps for Mommy
Bottle feeding will allow anyone to feed the baby. This means, if mommy needs to rest, then she will have her time to rest. Daddy or even the nanny can do the feeding for her.
This is the ideal option for working moms and parents who don’t have enough time and energy to feed them when needed.
Can Be Done In Public
Another advantage of bottle feeding is that it can be done in public, which has proven to be a struggle for moms who breastfeed.
The world can be judgemental, and sometimes, we allow other people to get into our heads, and some of us get shy, and so, bottle feeding can be the answer to this problem.
This way, you won’t have to worry about what people think when you feed your baby in public.
Mommy’s Health Condition Won’t Affect the Baby
Bottle feeding is the perfect solution for moms with health conditions or when mom is not feeling well for the day.
It will help keep the baby safe from viruses or infections or getting the illness.
Conclusion
The question, “When can I introduce a bottle to my breastfed baby?” is a question that new moms and working moms tend to ask. In this article, I explained when you should introduce a bottle to a breastfeeding baby, how you can introduce it, and the benefits of bottle feeding to keep you informed about this topic. All you will need to do now is to follow the steps and keep the additional information in mind so that you won’t get confused, and believe me; you will need them to take good care of your baby. Find out more about baby milk.