Why Introducing a Bottle at the Right Time Matters
As any lactation consultant or breastfeeding support resource will tell you, timing the introduction of baby bottles can be very important to the success of both breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
Introduce the bottle too early, and it might interfere with getting breastfeeding well-established; introduce a bottle too late, and it can increase the risk of baby rejecting bottles.
But, by introducing a bottle at the right time, mom and baby have the best chances of enjoying the best of both worlds: an easy and enjoyable breastfeeding journey, coupled with some bottle feeding to give mom the flexibility to leave the house without worry for work, date nights, exercise, etc…
The timeline below lays out the key focus areas for feeding in the weeks after birth. Below this timeline, we cover a few important exceptions!
Why Introducing a Bottle at the Right Time Matters
As any lactation consultant or breastfeeding support resource will tell you, timing the introduction of baby bottles can be very important to the success of both breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
Introduce the bottle too early, and it might interfere with getting breastfeeding well-established; introduce a bottle too late, and it can increase the risk of baby rejecting bottles.
But, by introducing a bottle at the right time, mom and baby have the best chances of enjoying the best of both worlds: an easy and enjoyable breastfeeding journey, coupled with some bottle feeding to give mom the flexibility to leave the house without worry for work, date nights, exercise, etc…
The timeline below lays out the key focus areas for feeding in the weeks after birth. Below this timeline, we cover a few important exceptions!
Birth to 3 Weeks:
Leveraging All Breastfeeding Resources
- At Birth- Make sure that the nurse or midwife helps you establish breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth.
- First 24 hours- In hospital settings, there should be a staff lactation consultant, ask to see them within 24 hours after birth. Be pushy if you have to!
- First 1-3 Weeks- Don't expect breastfeeding to be perfect right away. That is the exception, not the norm. Instead, plan to see your lactation consultant as many times as is needed for you and baby to get into the groove. With time and support, it will get easy! [1]
Birth to 3 Weeks:
Leveraging All Breastfeeding Resources
- At Birth- Make sure that the nurse or midwife helps you establish breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth.
- First 24 hours- In hospital settings, there should be a staff lactation consultant, ask to see them within 24 hours after birth. Be pushy if you have to!
- First 1-3 Weeks- Don't expect breastfeeding to be perfect right away. That is the exception, not the norm. Instead, plan to see your lactation consultant as many times as is needed for you and baby to get into the groove. With time and support, it will get easy! [1]
3 to 6 Weeks:
Introduce the Bottle During this "Window"
Introducing a bottle between 3-6 weeks is ideal because by this time breastfeeding should be well established, and introducing a bottle can give mom some much needed flexibility. Missing this window may increase the chances of bottle rejection. [2]
How to Introduce a Bottle
- Ideally have a caregiver besides mom do this when mom is NOT home.
- Offer the bottle when baby isn't too hungry. (An overly hungry baby will get frustrated more easily and may refuse to try the bottle).
- You can also ask your lactation consultant for their tips about introducing bottles given your specific feeding relationship with your child! [2]
3 to 6 Weeks:
Introduce the Bottle During this "Window"
Introducing a bottle between 3-6 weeks is ideal because by this time breastfeeding should be well established, and introducing a bottle can give mom some much needed flexibility. Missing this window may increase the chances of bottle rejection. [2]
How to Introduce a Bottle
- Ideally have a caregiver besides mom do this when mom is NOT home.
- Offer the bottle when baby isn't too hungry. (An overly hungry baby will get frustrated more easily and may refuse to try the bottle).
- You can also ask your lactation consultant for their tips about introducing bottles given your specific feeding relationship with your child! [2]
Exceptions to the 3 to 6 Weeks "Rule of Thumb"
While introducing a bottle between 3-6 weeks is a good “rule of thumb,” there are a host of factors that may make this inappropriate for your situation, including if baby was early, what the birth was like, how you and baby were feeling afterwards, etc…
Just remember that if you make it clear to the health professionals on your care team that your goal is to have a strong breastfeeding relationship with your baby, they can help you adapt the timing of when and how to introduce a bottle to your specific situation with your child!
Exceptions to the 3 to 6 Weeks "Rule of Thumb"
While introducing a bottle between 3-6 weeks is a good “rule of thumb,” there are a host of factors that may make this inappropriate for your situation, including if baby was early, what the birth was like, how you and baby were feeling afterwards, etc…
Just remember that if you make it clear to the health professionals on your care team that your goal is to have a strong breastfeeding relationship with your baby, they can help you adapt the timing of when and how to introduce a bottle to your specific situation with your child!
References
1. Kotlen, M. (2021) ‘What to Expect from a Lactation Consultant’ VeryWell Family. Available at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-to-expect-from-a-lactation-consultant-431823 (Accessed: August 6, 2021)
2. ‘Bottles and Other Tools’ (2019) LaLeche League International. Available at: https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/bottles/ (Accessed: August 6, 2021)