>If nipple preference does not exist,


I don't think anyone doubts that after the use of a bottle, the baby
can end up preferring it sometimes....he 'votes' for the bottle and
not the breast as he former is productive,  is what I take the Fisher
hypothesis to be.

>  then what is going on when mom
>introduces a bottle 2,4,6, even 8 weeks postpartum and baby gradually weans
>from breast to bottle over the course of the few months that follow?  I saw
>this countless times in my work with League.
>
>Jessica Harrison Carlyon, MBA, CD, CLE

I see it countless times too.

But I don't explain it by nipple confusion/preference...at least not at first.

There are two parts to the bf relationship  - duh ; ) - and often,
the glugging down of a bottle (for whatever reason)  is interpreted
by the mother as being a sign from her baby that her breastmilk was
not adequate. Or, it is seen by someone else observing it as a sign.
Or, the baby sleeps longer after the bottle.
Thereafter, the bottle is increasingly used whenever the baby
'squeaks' more than is tolerable to mother, grandmother, partner,
neighbour, whoever.

The mother may give a bottle *even when she knows it is not a great
idea for the maintenance of bf*  but she cannot resist.

Gradually, the bottle takes the place of the breast and somewhere
along that process, the mother really is short of milk as a
result....and bingo....a formula fed baby : (

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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