Breastfeeding with a bottle????

Question

ok i want to try breastfeeding my baby when he is born. the only other person in my family to try it is my sister and she was nervous all the time about my niece getting enough. so i thought pumping and feeding with a bottle would be a safe way to go. ill know how much he is getting and if i need to go back to work he will be used to a bottle, plus my husband can also get up at night and feed not just me. my mother in law teaches breast feeding and is compleatly against it. i know people that do it that way and have no problem what is the big deal? i dont understand.

Answer 1

If you want to be sure she's getting enough, make yourself a note page by the changing table and keep a pen there with the diaper supplies.  Every time you change a diaper, make a mark for wet or soiled.  If it's coming out, she's getting enough in.   I pump for bedtime bottles (starting at 4 months or so) and when we go out b/c I find it uncomfortable to nurse when I'm not in my recliner.  However, washing the pumping equipment after every use is a real pain.  And those steam bags don't get the stuff clean.  You can still feel the milk fat on it even if you did kill the germs.  I have a Medela Pump in Style.  Expensive, but works great.  I can nurse her faster than I can pump.  It can take 20 or more minutes to pump out enough for a bottle (It wasn't that hard in the early months).  I can usually nurse her in 15 or less.  

But I was just like you.  Thinking I'd pump & feed her a bottle.   There's nothing wrong with it.  But I'd nurse for the first 6 weeks to get the milk supply well established and pump after.   Or pump some to freeze for later which is what I ended up doing.  You don't get as much milk pumping as you do with nursing.

What I did was pump & freeze in the first 6 weeks.  Pumped more later, but still mostly breast feeding.  And I have a paper tacked to the wall over the changing table to mark wet or soiled diapers each 'day'.  My 24-hour periods go from 6am - 6am.  Easier than midnight to midnight.  And each day had a space for wet or soiled diapers.  It gets a little mark.  If I didn't do that, I'd never know how frequently she went and if she was getting enough.  Not to mention when the pediatrician asks how often she goes.  Without that, I wouldn't have a clue.  I also have a small notebook where I write down when she eats and which side I started on.  In those very early weeks, I couldn't remember.  I was feeding every 2 hours round the clock, so there wasn't much solid sleep either.   Good luck with whatever you decide.

Answer 2

it is alot of work to pump instead of just nursing and besides your b***s usually dont produce as much as when u nurse

Answer 3

i do both but it is taxing to pump milk all the time.  i nurse for 15 minutes on each side, then i feed the baby 1-2 ounces from the bottle just to be sure.  

Answer 4

Many moms pump and feed exclusively but you'll have to really stick with it and make sure to pump every 2 hours around the clock to get your supply up. Pumps aren't nearly as efficient as baby suckling so you may end up with supply issues.

I do commend you for wanting to give your baby the best though. Perhaps try doing both?? Breastfeeding and bottle feeding breast milk. It will help keep your supply up and still let others do some feeds??!!

Answer 5

I had to pump for my first born (premie). I dried up after only 3 months. So when my second was born healthy I only breastfed and was able to for the full first year. Don't wory so much. Women have been breastfeeding since we showed up on this planet. When you think about it, bottles haven't been around for all that long. Keep all of your well baby appointments so the dr. can keep an eye on the baby's growth if you are concerned.

Answer 6

As long as the baby is having wet/dirty diapers & growing then they are getting enough breast milk. They will nurse more during a growth spurt & you will produce more milk. Pumping is not as easy as it seems & you must be diligent to build up enough milk to bottle feed exclusively. (in the beginning) It can be more time consuming to pump & you will need to rent or purchase a nice electric pump.

The baby will benefit from the skin to skin contact that breast feeding provides & once you get the hang of breast feeding you will love the fact that it is totally portable & less time consuming than washing & filling bottles. There will be plenty of time to pump & store up after a couple of months if you see you are going to go back to work.

The do suggest not to give the baby a bottle as the latching on is different for about 4-6 wks I think so as not to confuse them.

Kudos for you for wanting to breast feed .... the health benefits are great for both Mom & the baby.  

Answer 7

You mother-in-law is right to be against bottle feeding if breast feeding.  I tried this with my daughter and she gave up the breast for the bottle.  Breast feeding is much harder work for the baby, and sucking from a bottle easy work - they clever little mites and will always give up the breast for the bottle.  Also, even if you did put breast milk in a bottle, because it is made up mostly of water, your baby will be ready for a feed before a baby on formula.  Formula is heavier on the tummy which enables the baby to go a little longer before the feed.  I understand how you feel about your husband being able to feed the baby too, but you have to work out the pro's and con's as I've noted to see what is better for your baby or your husband.  Breast feeding is the most satisfying, bonding, quality time between you and your baby, you couldn't get more closer.  Good luck with your new baby when he/she arrives.  

Answer 8

It is fine, your baby would still get breast-milk it doesn't matter that it is in a bottle and there are pros to it too as your husband could help feed the baby too.  I just pumped with my first son because he wouldn't latch on and had a weak suck and I breastfed and pumped with my second son and we bonded the same either way and they still got the breast-milk.  

Answer 9

At first it won't be a problem when you have tons of milk, but once the engorgment goes down, your supply will suffer if you don't put the baby to the breast.  Pumping gets out some milk and can keep it going for a while, but the actual baby nursing is what stimulates your body to keep making milk.  Most moms who feed this way only make it about six months, and some people don't respond well to the pump at all and can't get enough milk to exclusively breastfeed.  If you are feeding at the breast, you can tell if they are getting enough by making sure you are changing at least 6-8 wet diapers a day (not right away, though, the diaper count will gradually increase to that).  If so, they are getting enough milk.  Good luck however you do it, and kudo on giving your baby the best stuff!

Answer 10

I honestly think it is waaaaay too much work to pump all the time, and feed baby with a bottle!!! Plus you miss out on the mommy/baby breastfeeding bond :-)

Answer 11

Some woman are against pumping and bottle feeding because they believe the bonding experience isn't there. With my son, I decided to pump my milk and put it in a bottle. That way my husband could help with the feedings and he could bond with the baby. Another good reason to pump is, you can freeze the unused milk and store it for quite awhile. My sister in law froze her unused breast milk and was able to continue breast feeding her baby 4 months after she stopped pumping. If you are concerned about how much milk your baby is getting, it is a good idea to use a bottle-that way you know for sure.

Answer 12

It is discouraged bc it takes way more time and effort to pump than it does to directly nurse, plus the suction of the pump isnt as good as the baby's, so you may not get as much out pumping as the baby would nursing. you can still bond with your child though through bottle feeding. Also, there is nothing "wrong' with it, it's just not as convenient for the mother. But some babies feel more secure when nursed if they were previously being nursed and to suddenly get the bottle can be hard for them at first. But its still breast milk so thats good.