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Bottle feeding expressed milk back to breast feeding?

  • 18-10-2020 2:12pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 267 ✭✭


    Hi all, had anyone managed to go from bottle feeding expressed milk to breastfeeding?

    My little one was 3 weeks early and losing a lot of weight even after having his lip and tongue tie lasered. He didn’t seem to be able to suck from breast and had lost 10% weight at 7 days old. Was still not gaining weight after we got home. And was still jaundiced.

    Since Friday I have been bottle feeding him expressed milk. I haven’t really given him the breast as he only seems to use it as a soother and not actually take mill from me. I’m worried now I may never be able to get him back on sucking adequately as he’s used to the bottle and doesn’t have to work for his milk. He’s 8 days old today.

    Any advice from anyone who managed to get baby to breast after bottle feeding? This is my fourth baby and I have breast fed before.


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭wildwillow


    Try him on the breast at the start of a feed and persist for a few minutes. Express a little first to have a few drops ready for him.

    Try when he's hungry rather than hungry and tired. Don't frustrate him so keep attempts short enough while giving him the opportunity to nurse.

    Use a very small flow teat on the bottle so he has to work for milk there also.

    Keep calm and you are very experienced so will know your baby best.

    And don't feel guilty if it doesn't work. continue to express and relax and enjoy baby.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,514 ✭✭✭bee06


    It would be worth consulting a lactation consultant if you can or one of the Cuidiu breastfeeding counsellors (they do free phone consults). In the breastfeeding group I’m in, I know of women who have gotten much older babies back bf so it is possible.

    Edited to add: make sure you are doing paced bottle feeding because they can get used to faster flow of the bottle which is less work. Paced bottle feeding makes it a bit more work for them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,175 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Keep putting him on boob anyway. It’s fairly normal to lose 10% in first week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭Marz66


    I’ve done it and needed the advice of a lactation consultant. In my case she gave me a plan such as breastfeed for 30 mins using nipple shield, then top up with X mls expressed milk. Over time we dropped the mls expressed milk and later dropped the expressed milk and then weaned off nipple shields.
    A lactation consultant or call to an experienced volunteer from Cuidiu or LLL would be good to talk to throughout the process so you have support and reassurance.
    A lactation consultant to assess how baby is feeding at the breast or give you tips could be really good. If they find baby is feeding well, then that could give you reassurance to keep going with it.
    Look up breast compressions while baby is feeding too, which helps baby get more milk when feeding at the breast.
    It can definitely be done, and it shouldn’t be too late. Good luck!


  • Registered Users Posts: 29 Vaquita


    I did this. My little one was a bit early and failed to latch correctly so she was syringe fed then bottle fed expressed milk.

    At 4 weeks , I consulted a lactation consultant who judged that my baby was big enough for me to try going "cold turkey" and I just stopped bottles and went to breast straight away without the shield. We had an awful first 24hrs then she just took to it fine and we have been breastfeeding ever since. I went back to work and she takes expressed milk in bottles just fine with her childminder. It was scary for the 24hrs but so worth it and Im glad I had the reassurance that she was strong enough to go a it hungry if she refused the breast for a length of time.


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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,890 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    I know there is a little tube you can get to tape to your breast and attach to a bottle so baby gets milk through the tube while feeding, encouraging them to feed more..But I would definitely recommend a lactation consultant as your first step.


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