If you’re about to wean baby off the breast or would like to supplement breast milk with formula, you may have a lot of questions about the transition from breast to bottle. Although the abundance of information available today can be beneficial for parents, it can also be overwhelming. And, you can’t always believe what you read or hear.
At My Organic Formula, we’ve decoded 4 common bottle-feeding myths:
Myth #1: It doesn’t matter if you start bottle feeding baby with breast milk or formula.
Although most babies will eventually take a bottle filled with formula, they’re less likely to turn up their noses at a bottle filled with a familiar taste, especially if they’ve been exclusively breast fed.
Myth #2: You should give your baby the same amount of formula at every feeding.
Bottles make it easier for parents to know exactly how much formula baby is getting at each feeding. However, formula serving recommendations should be used as a guide only. How much formula baby eats at each feeding can vary. There are a number of factors that can affect how much formula baby drinks, such as solid food diet, gas, sickness, health conditions, and activity level.
If baby is meeting weight gains and is happy, there’s no need to worry. And remember, you should never force baby to drink a specific amount of formula at each feeding because overfeeding can lead to health issues later in life.
Myth #3: Baby is more likely to take a bottle if you wait to introduce it to him when he’s really hungry.
Although waiting to give baby a bottle till he’s really hungry may seem like good logic, it only makes it more difficult for him to accept a bottle. If you wait to introduce a bottle until baby is really hungry, he’s likely to protest. The best time to introduce a bottle is just after nursing when he’s not super hungry. Avoid trying a bottle when he’s tired or not in a good mood too.
Myth #4: The sooner you introduce a bottle to baby, the better.
Most experts agree, the best time to introduce a bottle to baby is between 3 – 4 weeks of age. At this time, he’s likely mastered breast feeding and won’t be confused by the use of a synthetic nipple. Feeding from a bottle nipple is easier than getting milk from mom, so the introduction of a bottle prematurely can sometimes cause issues with breastfeeding.
Keep in mind: you also don’t want to wait too long to introduce baby to bottle either. Waiting to give him a bottle can make it harder for him to adjust.
Helping Ease the Transition from Breast to Bottle
It’s important to remember, every baby is different and how they adjust to taking a bottle is different. Hopefully, by decoding some common bottle-feeding myths, we can make the transition from breast to bottle easier for both you and your little one.
