Hi,

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but I have heard lots of people have trouble getting their baby to take expressed bottle milk becuase they leave it too long to try.

I would like DH to be able to feed bubs for various reasons, so my question is how and when do I try getting the baby to take a bottle?

TIA

Hi Vee
Congratulations on your impending birth! How exciting

Look, you will probably get a few differing opinions to this. I had to give my DD3 a few bottles of expressed milk within the first week due to cracked nipples but she won't take a bottle now. However, I wouldn't recommend (unless you have to)giving her a bottle for a while...maybe until the 8 week mark? Your milk supply is still settling within that time and expressing can interfere with what your baby demands. I suppose it depends on how much you plan to express. Not saying that it is the wrong thing to do or anything, just my opinion.
But yes, it has taken me a while to wean my first 2 DDs because they weren't interested in a bottle to begin with. Some babies can switch and don't mind going from one to another

Hope I've helped some. Other ladies may have had no problem with it at all so maybe they have some more experience with it. Best of Luck and enjoy your new baby.

Hi.

I would wait until around 8 weeks as the PP suggested. By that time, hopefully your baby should be established & settled with breastfeeding.

Introduction of a bottle too early can lead to nipple confusion, also your baby may think 'Hey this bottle thing is much easier than having to work for booby milk' and then before you know it your baby is preferring the bottle to breast and it all goes out the window

Good luck with the birth of your baby.

We waited until DD was at childcare- she was 7 months old and very hesitant to try it! It took about 6 weeks before she would take a bottle without fussing.

We offered the first bottle at 5weeks, the second at 6 weeks and since then a bottle every couple of nights. He's 9 weeks now qand has breast and bottle without issues.

I agree that introducing a bottle is a good idea in that they will get used to it and therefore allow other people to feed bubs. However definately try to wait until at least the 6-8 weeks mark. With my daughter I waited until she was about 5 months old to try and introduce a bottle - she wouldn't have a bar of it! So it meant I had to always be closeby to feed her. I got used to it of course and ended up breastfeeding her until she was nearly 2 years old!

This time with my son I decided to introduce a bottle (of expressed breastmilk) early so that he would take a bottle. I tried at 3 weeks but I was a big mistake. Ever since then I have had trouble getting him to latch on properly and feed well. I've heard that babies that very used to the bottle because it's much easier to suck the milk and not so much work. Makes sense. I wouldn't want to work hard for food either! So try not to introduce it just yet, but don't leave it too long either.