When I first started working in the NICU as part of my LC job this was a
big problem also.
I told the staff that their current practice was dangerous as it was
possible to forcefeed with a bottle before the baby was able to
coordinate sucking and swallowing. As milk comes out of a teat when the
bottle is tipped up, milk went into the babies mouth whether the poor
kid was ready or not. I said that there was a real danger of aspiration
using this technique.
If a breastfed baby is capable of taking the breast into its mouth
sufficiently to breastfeed then it is capable of coordinating suck and
swallow.
Luckily no-one asked me for references and we have not given bottles to
breastfed babies since.

Regards,
--
Carolyn Westcott RN IBCLC Southampton UK
mailto:[log in to unmask]

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