We believe you should always know the source of the information you're reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Or has that theory been discounted by the pediatrician and your mother-in-law, leaving you more confused than ever?
Nipple confusion is a term used to describe babies who are used to sucking from bottles and have a hard time getting back on the breast. To breastfeed, your baby needs to master the fine art of taking your nipple far back into her mouth and then using her tongue to pump out the milk which can take a minute or so before it starts flowing.
With a tilted bottle, a baby has gravity on her side: She can suck with her lips and get all the milk she wants right away. So the baby suffering from nipple confusion may not be befuddled so much as opinionated. She prefers the bottle. Bottle preference is far from guaranteed though. In fact, most babies have no problem switching from breast to bottle and back again — and some do so with ease from the get-go. But others, particularly those who take a little longer perfecting the art of suckling at the breast, do find it hard to transition from breast to bottle and then back to breast.
Which is why most experts agree that you should wait until your newborn gets the hang of breastfeeding before you break out the bottle. For breastfed babies, three weeks is the sweet spot for bringing out the bottle.
That allows for enough time for your milk supply to get well established and for your newborn to really master the technique. If you haven't hit your groove with breastfeeding by the three-week mark, ask your pediatrician if you should wait a little longer before introducing the bottle. To encourage your little sipper to switch more seamlessly from breast to bottle, stick with these strategies.
When my son was an infant he refused to eat he still does sometimes. He was jaundiced. Before we were able to leave the hospital he had to eat, which meant the lactation consultant brought him a bottle…and cue the nipple confusion.
Bottle-feeding is easier for infants. From that moment, he did not want to breastfeed. Then I decided to use a nipple shield to wean my newborn off of the bottle.
The nipple shield is a small piece of silicone that fits over the nipple. It is used for latch on issues or for mothers with particularly sore nipples. I decided to use it to reintroduce him to nursing as his latching and sucking abilities got stronger.
It feels similar to the bottle nipple and though my son resisted at first, he eventually figured it out. I let him nurse with the nipple shield for about a week. After the first week, I let him nurse for a few minutes with the shield. Then I whipped off the shield and presented him with my bare nipple.
He fussed. I put the shield back on and he finished nursing. Keep in mind that I continued to pump and store milk during this entire month to retain my milk supply. During each session I would take off the shield when he was nursing contentedly and try without it. Each time, I increased the amount of time he would have with the bare nipple. But patience is easy to find when you want your baby to breastfeed. Baby tries to use the bottle-feeding technique on the breast and has difficulty latching-on and sucking.
This can cause mother and baby frustration. Nipple confusion can even lead to baby refusing the breast. When baby latches onto the breast, he opens his mouth wide and draws the very stretchable nipple and areolar tissue far back into his mouth. Babies suck from a bottle entirely differently. The bottle nipple does not need to be far back into the mouth, nor is the milking action of the tongue necessary.
Baby can lazily gum the nubbin of the rubber and suck with only his lips. When the milk comes out too fast, baby may thrust his tongue forward and upward to stop the flow from the nipple. Milk keeps on coming during feedings from bottles—whether or not baby sucks—so there are no pauses to rest during bottle-feedings.
Nipple confusion occurs when babies apply the lessons learned from bottle-feeding to nursing at the breast. Babies who get bottles soon after birth may thrust their tongue upward during sucking and push the breast nipple out of their mouth. Baby becomes accustomed to the immediate flow of milk that comes from the bottle. Yes, and no. All rights reserved.
This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Reduce the number of times you offer a pacifier or bottle. There's disagreement about whether you should offer pacifiers or bottles to a baby that prefers the bottle to the breast.
You may want to feed your baby a bottle once or twice a day instead of for every feed. Watch your baby for hunger cues and try to breastfeed before your baby gets upset.
If your baby is already really hungry, they're probably upset, which will make breastfeeding more challenging. Try to breastfeed your baby as soon as you notice any of these common hunger cues: [3] X Research source Sucking their fist or fingers Waking from sleep Fussing but not crying Waving their arms. Express a little milk before offering the breast to your baby. If your baby is used to the fast and immediate flow of milk that comes from a bottle, they may get frustrated at the breast.
Manually express or use a pump so your milk lets down. Then, let your baby latch on so they're immediately rewarded with breast milk. Adjust your breastfeeding positions. To make it easier for your baby to nurse, lie back with your baby on you so you're tummy to tummy.
Your baby will feel supported and close with you so they can feed easily. If it's more comfortable, try the cradle hold where you lay the baby horizontally in front of you while supporting their body. Check your baby's latch to ensure they're sucking effectively. Your baby's mouth should be wide open when you bring your baby to your breast so they're able to take more of the areola in their mouth. If the baby's latch is good , you'll soon hear swallowing. Method 2. Spend more time skin to skin with your baby.
Your baby will feel more comforted and relaxed when they're in direct contact with you. Plan on snuggling with your baby for a few days to encourage your baby to breastfeed frequently.
0コメント