Three Tips for Bottle Feeding and Breastfeeding Together

Three Tips for Bottle Feeding and Breastfeeding Together

 Almost all breastfeeding moms have times when they need to be away from their babies, whether they are working or just want to go out for a "date night" every now and then. And that means your baby will need to eat from a bottle, not the breast, in your absence.There are some concrete actions you can take to make bottle feeding and breastfeeding work well together.

1. Buy the slowest flow bottle nipples.

"Many moms fear nipple confusion, but mostly what we see is flow preference," says New York-based lactation consultant Leigh Anne O'Connor. "If the bottle is too fast, then the baby does not have to use his muscles the same way he does at the breast. With this in mind, I encourage a slow flow bottle."

2. A good milk supply = a happy baby, so make sure you pump every time your baby receives a bottle.

It can be hard to keep up with pumping, especially while you're busy working, but pumping as frequently as you breastfeed is important for keeping up your milk supply. A hearty milk supply will keep your baby happy and content at the breast.

3. 3. Make your breast a happy place.

Perhaps the best advice I can give a mother who wants to make sure her baby doesn't begin to prefer bottle feeding over breastfeeding is to make sure to keep to make your breast a place of comfort for your baby. Breastfeeding is not just a feeding method—it's a way to bond with your baby.

Keeping that in mind, and remembering to offer the breast for comfort as well as food, will help keep your breastfeeding relationship alive despite the separations you and your baby face.

You can use this Hand-free breast pumping 2 in 1 bra:

iLoveSIA Front Buckle Non-wire Nursing Bra