>
> I too have seen babies take bottles in the early weeks only to
> refuse them
> in a month or two, however, in my experience this refusal, without
> exception, occurs when parents skip more than 2-3 days without
> giving their
> baby a bottle.  When this sudden absolute refusal to take a bottle
> occurs in
> families who need the baby to take a bottle, it usually causes a
> great deal
> of consternation and distress.

Ok, well,  here's my big gripe...in your previous post you suggest that
it does no harm for babies to sleep through the night and here you're
saying that babies need to take a bottle every day so they don't forget
how.  Well, if you have a two week old nursing every three hours between
7 am and 9 pm you only have a baby nursing 4-5 times/day.  Subtract from
that this bottle that you recommend these babies need to make sure they
don't forget how to take a bottle, and you've got a baby who's nursing
only 3-4 times/day!  That is not frequent enough by a longshot.

Many breastfed babies who are separated from mom during the day are able
to get by without taking a bottle.  Depending on the age of the baby at
separation and length of separation, babies are often willing and able to
wait for mom and make up for the time away later--of course then they
*must* nurse at night.

Two weeks is too early to introduce a bottle for the vast majority of
babies.  I feel that even 3 weeks is pushing it.  Nipple confusion
doesn't only present itself as a refusal of the breast.  It also
manifests itself as poor latch and fussy nursing behavior (waiting for
the MER, etc).  If these behaviors were recognized by HCPs as nipple
confusion it might make them rethink suggesting giving a bottle "just in
case" or "because you'll need one when you go to work in 3 months."
According to research in _Nursing Mother, Working Mother_ (which I don't
have in front of me so I can't give you the study), any baby under 4
months is statistically likely to accept the bottle--in other words,
there isn't a narrow window of opportunity like so many people believe.

>
> I agree in not offering a bottle before 2 weeks of solid
> breastfeeding or
> longer if the nursing has been problematic.  I have not, however,
> personally
> had a case of nipple confusion with the introduction of a bottle
> once the
> nursing is going smoothly for a couple of weeks when a bottle is
> only used
> once a day or every other day.
>

I have.  I've seen nipple confusion with older infants who have been
taking a bottle from early on.  While a younger baby might be happy to
transition back and forth, older babies often grow impatient with the
breast.  And again, I feel strongly that once a day or every other day
should in no way be referred to as "only."

Gina Gerboth-LLLL

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