I can't agree more with Lynn Shea on this issue.
Bottles are not "easier", they are more stressful to the baby's
cardiorespiratory system, we have good research on that.  BUT, if
breastfeeding is not working for a baby, and the bottle does, that baby
is going to make an experience based choice that he's not gonna waste
his time on the breast.  We can still make breastfeeding work for him,
but it can sometimes be a lot of work.  If moms think bottle is easy,
breast is hard, many of them are not willing to allow their baby even a
moment's frustration on the way to learning to breastfeeding.  Reframing
is a big part of our job.

I hope everyone interested in this subject has read Blass, EM:
"Behavioral and physiological consequences of
suckling in rat and human newborns." Acta Paediatr Suppl 397:71(6),
1994, p71-76.  Lynn is right that that artificial nipple and food become
coupled in that baby's mind.  I do use paced bottle feeding with
infants, but I try to use other supplementation methods (spoon, cup,
fingerfeeding) in the first few days of life.

--
Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC  New York City  mailto:[log in to unmask]

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