Experts advise to introduce bottles to babies only if breastfeeding is not possible at all. Let us have a look at some tips for introducing bottle to breastfed babies.When is the best time to introduce a bottle to a breastfed baby? The answer to this question depends entirely on the circumstances. Some new moms decide to combine bottle feeding and breastfeeding from the very beginning. Others may choose to only breast feed. However, bottle feeding should be the last choice. It should be opted only when breastfeeding is not possible at all. At around six months, the quantity of milk that your newborn will need reduces gradually. At this stage breastfeeding alone will not suffice. You must introduce your baby to solids. During this time normally your baby will require breastfeeding only at either end of the day. To meet her nutritional requirements during day time you can introduce formula milk or feed her expressed breastmilk. In case you have to resume work, you will need to introduce the bottle quite early. This will ensure that the care provider in your absence can feed the baby as and when required. On the other hand if you are a stay at home mom it is best to breast feed your baby at least till she is six months old. In this articleGet Others to Initiate Bottle FeedingBottle Feed When Baby is HungryDo Not Feed ForciblyTry Different NipplesFeed Expressed BreastmilkHow to Bottle Feed a Breastfed Baby Here are a few things which will make it easy for your newborn to get habituated to bottle feeding Get Others to Initiate Bottle Feeding Get your husband to bottle feed your baby initially without you. In case if you are present in the same room where you baby is being fed, she will be able to recognize your smell and resist being fed from the bottle. Start by bottle feeding 3-4 times a week and stick to breastfeeding most of the time. Bottle Feed When Baby is Hungry Your baby will take to the bottle must faster if she is fed when hungry rather than when her stomach is full. This does not mean that you starve the infant for long and then feed her. Keep reasonable time intervals between feeds. This interval may vary from baby to baby. However by keeping a close check on the feeding pattern for a few days you will be able to figure this out for yourself. Offer the bottle when your baby is hungry but generally happy and not tired. Do Not Feed Forcibly Initially be very patient and continue offering bottle to your baby despite her resistance. However, in case your baby starts screaming and crying uncontrollably it is best not to bottle feed her at that time. You should wait until another time to bottle feed her. Try Different Nipples Keep a variety of nipples to try out different ones in case your baby rejects the first one. Infants have strong likes and dislikes from the time they are born. Hence, you must be prepared to offer choices to your newborn. Feed Expressed Breastmilk While starting on a bottle introduce your baby to expressed milk first is possible. Since the taste of this milk will be the same as the one she is used to being fed she will adjust to bottle feeding much more easily. When you are ready to introduce the formula, begin by adding a very small amount to breastmilk. Gradually as your infant gets used to being bottle fed increase the quantity of formula. An excellent alternative to bottle feeding is feeding from a sipper cup. Some infants take very easily to sipper cups rather than a feeding bottle. This will also save you the trouble of weaning her from the bottle later on. Switching over to bottle feeding is a big change for your infant. You must be patient and not rush into it. Your baby will get used to it over a period of time. However, if your baby is strongly resisting being bottle fed do not force her. Give it a try after some time. In the meantime check out her response to being fed from other alternatives like sipper cup or an ordinary cup. What is the best time for introducing bottle to an infant? How to initiate bottle feeding to the baby? What are the alternatives to bottle feeding? Discuss here.
Experts advise to introduce bottles to babies only if breastfeeding is not possible at all. Let us have a look at some tips for introducing bottle to breastfed babies.When is the best time to introduce a bottle to a breastfed baby? The answer to this question depends entirely on the circumstances. Some new moms decide to combine
bottle feeding and breastfeeding from the very beginning. Others may choose to only breast feed. However, bottle feeding should be the last choice. It should be opted only when
breastfeeding is not possible at all.
At around six months, the quantity of milk that your newborn will need reduces gradually. At this stage breastfeeding alone will not suffice. You must introduce your baby to solids. During this time normally your baby will require breastfeeding only at either end of the day. To meet her nutritional requirements during day time you can introduce formula milk or feed her expressed breastmilk.
In case you have to resume work, you will need to introduce the bottle quite early. This will ensure that the care provider in your absence can feed the baby as and when required. On the other hand if you are a stay at home mom it is best to breast feed your baby at least till she is six months old.
How to Bottle Feed a Breastfed Baby
Here are a few things which will make it easy for your newborn to get habituated to bottle feeding
Get Others to Initiate Bottle Feeding
Get your husband to bottle feed your baby initially without you. In case if you are present in the same room where you baby is being fed, she will be able to recognize your smell and resist being fed from the bottle. Start by bottle feeding 3-4 times a week and stick to breastfeeding most of the time.
Bottle Feed When Baby is Hungry
Your baby will take to the bottle must faster if she is fed when hungry rather than when her stomach is full. This does not mean that you starve the infant for long and then feed her. Keep reasonable time intervals between feeds. This interval may vary from baby to baby. However by keeping a close check on the feeding pattern for a few days you will be able to figure this out for yourself. Offer the bottle when your baby is hungry but generally happy and not tired.
Do Not Feed Forcibly
Initially be very patient and continue offering bottle to your baby despite her resistance. However, in case your baby starts screaming and crying uncontrollably it is best not to bottle feed her at that time. You should wait until another time to bottle feed her.
Try Different Nipples
Keep a variety of nipples to try out different ones in case your baby rejects the first one. Infants have strong likes and dislikes from the time they are born. Hence, you must be prepared to offer choices to your newborn.
Feed Expressed Breastmilk
While starting on a bottle introduce your baby to expressed milk first is possible. Since the taste of this milk will be the same as the one she is used to being fed she will adjust to bottle feeding much more easily. When you are ready to introduce the formula, begin by adding a very small amount to breastmilk. Gradually as your infant gets used to being bottle fed increase the quantity of formula.
An excellent alternative to bottle feeding is feeding from a sipper cup. Some infants take very easily to sipper cups rather than a feeding bottle. This will also save you the trouble of weaning her from the bottle later on.
Switching over to bottle feeding is a big change for your infant. You must be patient and not rush into it. Your baby will get used to it over a period of time. However, if your baby is strongly resisting being bottle fed do not force her. Give it a try after some time. In the meantime check out her response to being fed from other alternatives like sipper cup or an ordinary cup.
What is the best time for introducing bottle to an infant? How to initiate bottle feeding to the baby? What are the alternatives to bottle feeding? Discuss here. 
