Nipple confusion - a myth?

[supergolden88]

When I went to a breastfeeding workshop before the birth of my daughter we were told not to introduce a bottle in the first few weeks lest the baby get "nipple confusion" and refuse the breast.

I did just that and my daughter was exclusively breastfed for 9 months. I tried to introduce a bottle in the second or third month with expresssed milk but my daughter completely refused it. She also completely refused dummies. The longest one stayed in her mouth was about 30 seconds. Admitedly I did not insist (she would get into a state) although I tried every teat/bottle on the market. Eventually at 9 months she took the bottle but continued to breastfeed until 13 months.

This time around I need to have more flexibility. I fully intend to breastfeed again but want to be able to give expressed milk or formula if needed. Just wondering if this nipple confusion is more of a myth than gospel. Should I introduce a bottle in the first few days? Surely babies know that it is food whether from boob or bottle and can switch between the two?

[Fuschia]

I don't think it's a myth. Some babies are more likely to reject the breast and decide the bottle is easier, than others. The danger is if you offer a bottle very early on, before the baby has perfected its latch, then it may never really get to grips with bf. I think however if you are a fairly confident and determined bf-er and you are not going to be tempted to offer formula in the early days if your baby seems unsettled at the breast, then you could probably offer a bottle after a week or two (I did with all my 3)

We only offered ebm via syringe for the first 10 days, to avoid the chance of breast rejection.

Having said all this, our pattern seems to have been from week 2-6 I will express then go to bed about 9pm, Mr F gives ebm at 11 or 12. That's fine, until at about 6w the babies have all gone through a big growth spurt and been more awake in the mornings \(another good expressing time) and I have let the expressing lapse and we have stopped offering a late night bottle... and babies haven't been waking at 11 anyway... and then we haven't offered a bottle again until my return to work at 7-10m.

Child no 1 NEVER took the bottle then... both the twins did. So I am not sure it's entirely within our control anyway!

[craigy]

my belief is that it is neither a myth nor gospel but individual to the baby...

my son was a ferocious feeder from day 1 and would have attached to anything or anyone if he though food would come out of it.. i introduced a bottle at 3-4 days when the milk came in as despite his perfect latch my nipples were falling off and he never noticed the difference between that, a bottle or a dummy (which he rejected after 11 weeks so obviously worked that one out..) he did not notice when i stopped breastfeeding at 7 months or when i removed the bottle and went on to a cup at 14 months but that was just him....

this time round I intend to try the same thing but if the baby seems to be a fussy breastfeeder then i would be more likely to hold off on the bottle for longer so as not to interrupt the getting to know you process between the 2 of us..

If you really want them to take to the bottle regardless of what type of a feeder they are you need to introduce it within the first few weeks and daily from then on so as they do become used to it...

Its all such a mindfield...

[EDmummy]

Myth for our Baby No. 2. Baby 2 was bottle fed for first week in Special Care. Took to the nipple like a duck to water after that and would also interchange if needed to bottle breast milk and occassionally formula. Saying that, Baby No. 1 never, ever took a bottle - put him on beakers when he was old enough.

[GinaG3]

Remember every child is individual. Nipple confusion may affect some babies but not others, therefore do not take it for gospel nor should you believe it to be a myth.. I suppose!!

My daughter point blank refused bottles and dummies, even till this very day. Some will, some wont and all that. It would of helped for us to be able to give night feeds by bottle as it was very hard to get her latched, at night especially. She just never had any of it, she knew it wasn't boob!

As Fuschia says, nipple confusion can be set in if given a bottle too quickly. I would advise waiting for a week or so at first to lower the risk of this happening. But if you are really keen on breastfeeding (you sound like you are) you will be feeding a lot anyway, so that will help minimize confusion.

Good luck :)

[Emski]

I attended that workshop (all 4 hours of it!) and was also worried, so introduced bottle after 10wks. She took it fine, so we used it whenever I needed to go out or would be drinking - which wasn't very often. At around 5 months (I think) she suddenly refused to take the bottle. Didn't seem to matter if it was EBM or forumla. We ended up in a protracted battle with her to get her to take the bottle, which involved a lot of screaming (mainly from her...). I know many parents who've given up because it's pretty traumatic trying to force it. She did eventually take the bottle again, and now takes a cup, and I stopped bf at 7 months.

Which is just a complicated way of saying, if you want to combine bf and bottle, make sure you keep baby used to both.

[R&A]

when i was explaining my concerns about nipple confusion to a friend, she thought I was worried my nipples would start pointing in different directions :S

[nicolemodesti]

Not sure it's a myth or down to individual baby. Our son took to EBM from about 1 week old as I had to express due to very severe mastitis. My husband gave him EBM in evening to give me a break, once healed he took back to the nipple straight away. He was always a hungry feeder and latched on well so also think he would have taken anything. He breastfed with occasional EBM, when with Granny or Dad, for 6 months. At 6 months upon return to work he would BF morning and night as well as formula during the day. He gave up BF himself at 10 months. I felt that the early teat introduction helped him with EBM as well as when I returned to FT work.

Sorry don't know about dummies as we never gave him one!