I usually tell moms who ask me about introducing bottles that babies are in
a spectrum from the baby who when given one bottle never goes back to the
breast to the baby that flat out refuses to suck on anything but a breast.
And that their child will be in there some where, but we don't know where.
That before they decide to give that first bottle to their child will they
still feel ok with their decision if their baby never takes the breast
again.  Some women are ok with that, usually it makes them think twice. It
has been my experience from seeing my oldest dd (now 18) who never had a
bottle until 9 months of age, introduced at that time,drank from it, never
more than 4 oz but happily traded it for a cup a month later. To my
youngest dd who would suck on anything, but when I decided to wean at 9
months thought I'd give her formula at that time, she took one drink of the
formula spit it out and looked at me as if to say "WHAT IS THIS?", so she
had to have whole milk.  To my ds who was introduced to a bottle at 4
weeks, begrudginly drank from it about once a week for a month then flat
out refused.  I spent the last month of my maternity leave "fighting" with
him from 7am-5pm to take a bottle every day, which he stubbornly refused,
then I breastfed him between 5pm-7am.  I was gone from him for 14 hours 3
days a week at 3 months of age and he would only eat maybe an ounce from
the bottle (this over many many attempts, I sure that's the amount that
dripped into his mouth).  He grew well and nursed ALOT when I was home.  He
was a happy boy at six months when he could have cereal while I was gone.
I really feel that "getting the baby ready for when I go back to work" by
starting bottles early isn't necessary.  From my experiences both personal
and professional if you wait until breastfeeding is well established then
introduce a bottle it doesnt' matter if it is 6 weeks or 6 months, if the
baby is going to take it he will, if not he won't.  Barb

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