Hi all,
I have to supplement when feeding my 4 week old. I have been using the Playtex slow flow nipple and it takes him an hour to drink 3 ounces. Sometimes he can't even get any out. Is it too soon to switch to the medium flow nipple?
Thanks for all the great advice. I have tried the medium flow nipple. He doesn't choke or spit up, but some does spill out the side of his mouth when eating. He finishes the bottle in about 10 minutes. Is this too fast for a 4 week old? I usually have to stick a pacifier in his mouth immediately afterwards or he doesn't seem satisfied. Does this mean he needs to eat slower?
K.,
We had a similar problem with those nipples, but the medium flow were too fast. My son choked on them. We ended up switching bottles and that solved the problem. Good Luck.
Okay. So your breastfeeding, and supplementing? How long is he breastfeeding for? Maybe he is tired, and by the time the bottle comes along, his mouth is tired of sucking, so he had kinda given up.?! Do you pump? If I were you, I would invest into a double electric pump(I know...expensive), but you can rent them. Pump into the bottle. I would not swich nipples yet! Just my opinion.
I use the Avent bottles, and they have sizes 0-4. I started my son on pumped BM when he was 5 weeks old, and I moved pretty quickly to the size 1 nipple. If you think he can handle the medium flow, buy one pack of them and give it to him to see how he does. It will be pretty obvious if it's too much, because he will probably cough or choke, so pay VERY close attention as soon as the nipple hits his lips! That way you can avoid a coughing fit!
The PP may be right also, maybe he is still full for a bottle. Are you offering it in place of a feeding or right after? If it's before a feeding or replacing a feeding, I would definitely try the second size up. An hour is a long time for 3oz. Or you could even try making the hole a LITTLE bit bigger on the slow flow and see if that makes a difference. Good luck!
K.,
enjoy the hour feedings ......
switch if you would rather do laundry !
ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY ..
a grammy
Hi K.,
Congratulations on your new baby! If you are supplementing in addition to breastfeeding, then you will want to stick with the slow flow nipple. If you switch to a faster flow, then your baby will be more likely to get nipple confusion and will start to prefer the bottle over the breast. If you don't mind my asking, why do you need to supplement? I would be happy to help you get to the point where you no longer need to supplement and can breastfeed exclusively. Please email me off list if you would like assistance. I also maintain a blog where you can read about breastfeeding advice: http://mommynewsblog.com and I have written two articles to help breastfeeding moms which you can see at http://www.breastfeedingtips.net and http://www.pumpingtips.com.
J.
try a medium flow and see how your child does. If you see after a few feedings that the baby is having trouble then go back to the slow flow. All children are different so you just may have a fast sucker!! Good luck!
I would try the medium flow & see what happens. If things don't improve try a different nipple type (different material or different shape). My oldest would only use a rubber (browm) orthodontic (sp?) nipple. I haven''t yet figured out what nipple my youngest (7 weeks old) likes. I too am breastfeeding. I no longer NEED to supplement, but I would like to be able to go out & leave him with a sitter occassionally. I know we will figure it out eventually & so will you. Have patience. Also, you should not be the one feeding him the bottle. You need to leave the room or preferably the house. If he knows you are there he will hold out for "the good stuff".
Good luck.
Hi K.,
My guess is no. I have a 10 week old daughter and she needed to go to bottles at 4 weeks also. It's tough, so first of all, I support you in your struggle in being forced to supplement! Babies need to suck and if you go to a faster flow nipple he won't have to suck as much, thus making it even more difficult to breast feed. I am JUST starting to put my daughter on #2 nipples, and they recommend 3 months for that.
I am also a stay at home mom until next January! Congratulations and best of luck!
I had the same problem with my girls. I believe it was due to their poor sucking ability. The medium nipple was too fast for them so used the Dr. Brown nipples on my playtex bottle.
Hi K.
Are you supplementing in place of a feeding at the breast? If so, like another poster said try the faster nipple and see what happens.
If you are supplementing after a breast feeding, it sounds like he is full and doesn't need the supplement, but likes sucking on that bottle for an hour. If this is the case, ask your pediatrician because you may not really need to be supplementing. An hour is a long time for a bottle.
Hi K.,
Contact your local La Leche Representative if you are
breast feeding. See what they say about your concerns.
Hope this helps. D.
I switched to medium flow when my son was 3 months old & he stopped breastfeeding because he was so impatient (the milk in the bottle came out so much faster than the breast). I was determined to breastfeed for at least 9 months, so I pumped and put it in a bottle & ended up lasting 10 months. I didn't switch my daughter until she was 7 months old and already self-weening (but I pumped until 10 months again). Just weigh your options & figure out what is most important to you. Hope that helps =O}
Probally not too soon to switch. I agree with the other mom to just try it and see if it is too much. Like she said, you will know if it is coming out too fast!! Good luck!!
