Bottle for a EBF baby which works better with breast than bottle:)?

[Martini~]

DS2 is EBF, 7wo tomorrow. I want him to drink from bottle sporadically and I think of introducing bottle DF. I tried couple of times during day and 5 nights in a row at night. The case is that he seems to be less effective with a bottle than with breast. During daytime feeds he takes approx 30min to gulp 3-4oz and this is not because he can or cannot suck but because he seems to lick the test not instead of gulp milk. At DF it was the same. And sometimes it took 45min for him to take 2oz. Maybe he is not hungry at those feeds which I tried but still when he was full today after bottle he stopped sucking the rest but just turn his head off.

So the question is what should I do to improve it? Should I just try? Like every day 1 bottle for different feeds? I can express without any problems 5oz from both breast within 10-15min before feed and he is on perfect easy routine with predictable feeding times. Or maybe try different bottles? I use Avent Natural test with 1hole for 0+.

Appreciate your advice!

[becj86]

Sounds like you might have a pretty strong atream of milk and he has to work harder with the bottle than the breast  Good for preventing bottle preference but maybe try a larger hole on the teat and see if that makes a difference...

[Martini~]

So he cannot block milk...?
Or smaller/slower flow so he can safely drink?

If you are right and I believe you are:) he should also be better with it with every day he grows? As will be much better with faster flow?

[becj86]

I think you have a strong flow of milk from your breast which means he can just lie back and drink without having to work too hard... give him a bottle with a little hole and he likely has to work harder to get the milk so if you give him a teat for an older baby, he might take more from the bottle (though obviously you want to strike that balance that means he'll stop when he's had enough as he presumably does at the breast). If I recall, you had a bit of an oversupply with LO1?

I guess as he gets used to the bottle as a source of milk, he might drink more but he may just refuse it if its too hard and he knows you're there with easily accessible milk.

[Martini~]

Ahhh, ok. So yes, I definitely have a strong flow and massive let down reflex. Breasts are usually "emptied" within 7-8min tops, than he just sucks. I keep him at every side for 10-15min but really I don't think he gets much after first 7-8min. With the bottle I tried tri-flow teat from Avent and he drunk much better but it was a bit too fast for him (it's a teat for 3m+) so maybe I will try just a teat from Avent with 2holes (1m+).

Good idea. I thought at the beginning that you said that it goes to quickly from the bottle and he protests. But the case it is the opposite problems seems to be more reasonable:). Will buy bigger size today.

[becj86]

Best of luck Hope you find something that works for you both

[*Ali*]

I'd consider paced feeding http://www.mamanatural.com/paced-bottle-feeding/

[Martini~]

Hmmm Ali he already doesn't like the bottle. You would say it can help?

[*Ali*]

You mentioned the bottle may be too fast for him and I know the bottle often doesn't allow for breaks as the milk just keeps coming. Paced feeding will address both these issues.

[Martini~]

Being honest I don't know where the problem lies, that's why I am starting the thread. I remember DS1 when the milk was going too fast and it doesn't look like that, because when he starts proper sucking he drinks well.

I like bec's idea that maybe it's too hard work for him to drink from the bottle (as stupid as it may sound) as he really sucks/licks the nipple from the bottle and he does it strongly but without milk coming. It seems like he either do it wrongly (so sometimes he knows how to do it, sometimes, he doesn't) or he doesn't put enough power in it. I thought that's the way he protects himself from a fast flow but it seems a good hypotesis that my let down is very strong (as I feel it) and more attractive than the bottle. He works great with the breast and even if the milk comes too fast he really gulps it quickly. 7wo and draining breast (I guess around 80-120ml) in 6-7min.

For daytime bottle I don't mind this problem. I can spend additional time feeding him and I use bottle really occasionally so even if he gets less, he will get more on the next feed. But I dream of introducing dreamfeed and when he is half asleep and not used to eating at 11pm, it was amazingly hard work to encourage him to drink anything. I mean I tried last week and it was a nightmare. 5 days in a row and no learning curve or good pattern emerging. I stopped thinking maybe he is not ready for it at 6wo, too sleepy at 11pm or whatever, but two days ago I observed the same pattern during daytime feed and thus my question.

I ordered and already have bottle with 1m+ nipple (2 holes instead of one) so I will try in couple of days. Let's see if it will help...

[*Ali*]

Good luck 😀