When a mother is nursing her baby, the goal is to help the baby to become accustomed to nursing. Often, that transition is accomplished quite easily. However, there are some cases where you will need to make the baby take a bottle. If you happen to be one of those moms, don’t despair. There are steps you can take to ensure the best outcome possible.
First of all, don’t freak out. You were planning on breastfeeding your baby for some time, and now you find yourself in this situation. Don’t freak out. This is perfectly normal. The baby just isn’t used to taking a bottle. It may take some time.
Secondly, don’t freak out if your baby is crying when you put him or her on the breast. Babies are not natural bottle feeders. They will naturally try to get the nipple of an adult they are curious about.
Thirdly, if the bottle doesn’t fit into the nipple quite right, don’t freak out. The baby may be trying to fit the bottle in by hand, so don’t worry. You will probably have to keep trying until the bottle is securely in place. Once it is, and it feels right, go ahead and let the baby suck on your breast.
Fourthly, remember that breastfeeding babies should not be placed in the bottle at night. It is very hard for them to wake up at night to have their mouth full of something they don’t want to eat. This doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t bottle feed at night. You just have to make sure your baby isn’t hungry when you are feeding him or her.
Fifthly, you may want to consider using disposable bottles for the time you are breastfeeding. The advantage to this is that you know exactly what is going into your baby’s mouth. Disposable bottles also save you money. I don’t really understand why some women object to disposable bottles being used, because after all, how much money can you spend on a bottle of formula? I personally make sure I only buy a good brand and throw the rest away.
Sixth, I suggest you don’t try to force your baby to take a bottle when he or she is not ready to be breastfed. The baby will resist and may even try to spit up. Just ignore him or her and don’t put any weight on the arm or the leg until they are ready to take on the responsibility themselves. You can be successful at getting your baby to take a bottle when they are ready.
Seventh, if you are going to give a bottle to your breastfeeding baby, make sure it is something he or she really likes. A favorite brand by itself doesn’t always mean it will be accepted as well as a new one. Also, keep in mind the preferences of your partner and of course your baby. This is a new experience for both of you and may take some getting used to. When you get used to it, you can then move on to trying out different brands. Once your breastfeeding baby gets used to having a bottle occasionally instead of always having the bottle in his or her mouth, you can start planning the perfect day for when he or she can have a feed.
How to get a breastfeeding baby to take a bottle isn’t hard at all once you know what to do and how often to do it. You may need to go through a few bottles before your baby learns how to take one without problems, but it will happen. Once he or she does it on their own, you will never have to worry about this again. You will be able to have the best feeding time possible because you will be able to read your baby’s moods to determine exactly when he or she will want a bottle. It is easy to accomplish.
You may find that you are wondering how to get a breastfeeding baby to take a bottle after a few tries. However, don’t worry; this is actually common. The baby needs to take one every half hour or so, depending on how hungry he or she is. Once your baby has gotten used to taking a bottle, it will be much easier for you to do it all the time.
You won’t have any problems with your baby if you just remember to be patient and consistent. As long as you can provide them with the food and water they need, your baby will be okay. When bottle-feeding, you will need to keep the bottle sitting still by gently rocking it back and forth. If you ever wonder how to get a breastfeeding baby to take a bottle, all you really need to do is practice. You will get the hang of this and make the process faster and easier as time goes on.