How do I introduce a bottle to a breastfed baby?

Exclusively breastfeeding your baby for 6 months is recommended by the Department of Health and the World Health Organisation, ensuring your baby has the healthiest possible start to their life and providing endless health benefits for years to come for both of you.

Breastfeeding should be fully established before you introduce a bottle (4-6 weeks).

Weaning a baby onto a bottle can be quite a challenge and some babies take to it quicker than others.  Also, what works for one may not work for another, so it may be a case of trial and error, but these are my tips:
 
Try the bottle at the same time every day, say tea time, and preferably with expressed breast milk in it.  A little routine is good at this age, but nothing too strict.  Try to give it to baby when he is not desperately hungry, and try to make it a happy affair.  It may be easier for another person to feed him rather than you. If baby doesn’t take a complete feed or gets distressed, stop and try again the next day.  Don’t worry - just keep building it up over time and try and stay calm and relaxed.

If your baby is approaching 6 months, you’re probably better to go straight to a free flowing cup rather than a bottle.  Bottles are discouraged from 12 months to allow for healthy oral development. 

How do I combine breast and bottle feeding successfully?

Here are my tips for mums who want to continue to breastfeed as well as giving a bottle:

• Make sure the majority of your baby’s feeds are still breastfeeds - keep the bottle feeds to a minimum (1-2 maximum per day).
   
• Continue to breastfeed in the evening and at night. The hormone that makes the milk is higher during the evening / night-time and needs to be stimulated - this is done best by breastfeeding.
   
• Ensure that your breasts don’t get too full if you miss a feed.  Getting too full tells your body it is producing too much milk, and it will cut down your supply.

This will ensure that you maintain your milk supply to meet your baby’s needs.

Last Updated: September 15, 2008