In a message dated 10.25.02 5:52:38 PM, Susan writes:


> I want to comment on the idea of teaching mothers that they should start
> introducing bottles at two weeks, with the idea that if one plans to go 
> back
> to work, but waits too long to start offering bottles, the baby may have
> problems...
> 
> Not only do I have personal experience with this, but I manage a large
> on-site lactation support program for a major employer.  I suggest to
> mothers that they NOT try to introduce bottles in advance of their return 
> to
> work.  Why?  Because I believe the possibility of creating tension between
> the mother and her baby during that precious and terribly short maternity
> leave and even possibly bottle preference in the early days is more
> problematic than the idea that the baby may need a few days of support to
> learn to take the bottle after mom is gone.
> 
> One thing that I always say is - "what difference will it really make in 
> the
> long run if the baby learns to take the bottle on week 4 or on week 7?  I
> have had SO many mothers tell me that their baby does not want to take a
> bottle from them, but will for dad or someone else... and I believe babies
> are smart enough to realize when mom is GONE and the bottle is the only 
> game
> in town<<
> 
I understand your concern about not wanting to negatively impact the 
maternity leave and for that reason I usually suggest that Mom's continue to 
offer only the daily bottle until the first day back to work (vs. the "
ramping up" period that many back to work pamphlets espouse).   However, I 
have heard from far too many tortured parents of babies who are refusing to 
bottle fd. to "risk" your kind of approach. Generally speaking, doesn't it 
make sense that a 2-3wk old who has only brfed will take a bottle more easily 
than the smarter and more invested 7-8wk old? Having spoken to many parents 
of babies who never were successful with initiating or returning to the 
bottle despite being "the only game in town" for   screaming sessions that 
never end (and after being the parent of one!) I have found this to be a much 
trickier issue than you describe.

Susan also states;
>>Before I would be willing to tell mothers to start bottles at two weeks of
age I would need some evidence based data.<<

Is there evidence based data that support waiting until the day Mom goes back 
to work?

I also have a theory about pacifiers and bottles and hypothesize that 
pacifier use offers a protective factor over bottle refusal. This is not to 
suggest that I either support or discourage pacifier use, but only to 
question whether the pacifier using baby is more likely to successfully 
initiate and continue bottle use   because he is accustomed to the plastic.   
Any comments?
Lynn Shea Rn,Bsn,Ibclc
Franklin,Massachusetts

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html