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HOBSON725
09-06-2001, 03:54 PM
I might be asking this question way too early but I'll go ahead and ask anyway. I plan to breastfeed, but also want to bottle feed(using breast milk) for atleast 4-5 months. I want to bottle feed(w/breast milk) so my husband could help out and he has said he would like to help feed the baby too. My question is: Is this possible to do? Also, do you think after 4 or 5 months, I could switch to formula along with solids? thanks :)
~ECH

Geebee
09-06-2001, 08:30 PM
Sure! It is recommended that you offer a bottle 2 or 3 times per week after the baby is 4 to 6 weeks old and breastfeeding is established. I did this, and I think that I read this in "What to Expect the First Year".

I had to wean my daughter when she was around 4 or 5 months. Since she had been taking the bottle 2 or 3 times per week every week since she was about 5 weeks old, it was no problem. To wean, you just exchange the breast for a bottle, one feeding every 3 or so days. Eventually, all feedings are bottle.

There is some debate about which bottle works best for alternating breast and bottle. Since I read and heard from friends that Avent was best for this purpose, I used Avent and it worked great. I never tried any other. I think that, no matter what bottle that you use, the key is to have the baby suck on the bottle, like she sucks on the breast. The nipple of the bottle/breast goes in the back of her throat, her mouth is around the base of the bottle nipple, and she uses her bottom jaw to suck. (Kind of hard to explain.)

I hope that helps!

Geebee
09-07-2001, 09:29 PM
I thought of something else...you probably don't want to change to formula and start solids at the same time. If something doesn't agree with your baby, it would be difficult to tell which was causing the problem. Also, it might be too much change at one time (for you and the baby!).

I weaned to formula and then started my daughter on solids (rice baby cereal) 3 or 4 weeks later. My daughter's doctor said that she could start solids at 4 months, but there was no hurry. In the beginning, feeding solids is just an exercise, and babies still receive their nutrition from breast milk or formula.

I hope that helps!

HOBSON725
09-08-2001, 06:59 AM
Thank you BOTH for the helpful words. I am not due until December, but thought I'd go ahead and ask the question now. Thanks again,
~ECH

ksummy
09-30-2001, 09:22 PM
My husband gave our baby the bottle every now and then also. This was good for him, the baby, and ME!!! Since we introduced this early, she has never had a problem switching from one to the other. I know the books say wiat until 3-5 weeks, but were giving a bottle immediately. My baby is almost 7 months old, and I thought I might wean sooner, but my dr. recommended us continue to breastfeed since she was doing so well. We started adding 3-4 tbsp. of cereal to her bottles (when she took a bottle) at 3.5 months. At 4.5 months we started just a few solids. At 5.5 months she started eating solids regularly, drinking juice, and still has her breastmilk. But she is taking less milk due to the amount of solids she is taking. I had asked the dr. about formula, but like I said, he recommended sticking with breastmilk since it was going so well. This is fine with me because it is less of a hassle than mixing formula!!!