Drop-in system VS Regular bottles....

I got a sample pack with a bottle that is the drop-in system. It's a Playtex bottle. I didn't buy this, a lady from the health department brought it by my house with some coupons for baby stuff and some magazines she thought might be helpful to me.
My mom has been buying me regular bottles with an anti-colic system. I've also been buying them. I've been buying Dr. Brown brand (Which I've read nothing but good things about), and some other brand I can't think of at the moment. The drop-in bottle I got didn't say anything about being anti-colic. My mom told me she heard that they were actually easier to get colic from.
Do any of you have experience with both and can you tell me which you thought were better?

By the way....I DO plan on breastfeeding, the bottles are for when I want to pump out milk and give Preston a chance to feed Alexis. He said it'll be special bonding time to him if he gets to nourish her and hold her close .

Also, what is a good brand of pacifier? The lady from the HD brought me 2 Gerber brand ones. They're just the simple plain kind....my mom said she prefered the bigger ones so they didn't mark up my face (I had big cheeks.) I've heard some babies don't like them, but I want a few around just in case.

 

I used the drop in bottles at first with trey. I like it because you could squeeze the air out and cleaning them was a breeze. I loved them. However once Trey moved up to 8 oz bottles they weren't quite big enough to mix the formula up in but if you are pumping then you shouldn't have that problem.
As for pacifiers... you really have no clue what kind she will like. The only one Trey 'liked' (he never really took to them) was the ones that looked exactly like a bottle nipple. So I suggest not buying any til you find out if the ones you already have will work. Then just play around until you find one she does.

 

some babies (not all) have major problems breastfeeding due to bottles and/or pacifiers. Even if you are pumping to make up for the missed nursing session, your supply may go down (baby is much more efficient breast-emptier than a pump is). The bottle nipple can create a nipple preference or confusion, messing up baby's latch. A poor latch means you may not be getting adequate stimulation to maintain a good supply, and it HURTS! If your breasts are not emptying, you can get plugged ducts, which can lead to mastitis. Low milk supply leads to supplementing with formula, which leads to lower supply, which leads to more formula, which lowers supply more... you can see where that is going. Just one bottle at bedtime led to my baby taking two, then three, and it wasn't very long before I completely lost my milk supply. (bear in mind we had other nursing problems, too) I did manage to pump around the clock and get my milk back and eventually my daughter was able to nurse, but it was the hardest I've ever tried to make anything work in my entire life.


no, this doesn't always happen. But the chance is there that it might. When it does happen, it is very hard work to increase your milk supply and to train baby to latch properly. There are other ways Daddy can bond with baby that don't carry the risk of ruining breastfeeding forever.

here's some great info from kellymom http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/qa-bottle-intro-disagreement.html

If you do decide to give bottles, wait until breastfeeding is going well first. The first couple months most babies need to nurse all day and all night, think of it as one very long growth spurt. Baby nurses so often to increase your supply. If you supplement instead of nursing, you aren't building your supply as fast. Those night-time feedings are most important of them all as far as increasing your milk supply goes!

 

Go to askdrsears.com to find out ways that he can bond with baby that won't possibly damage the breastfeeding relationship...He doesn't have to feed her to be bonding with her...

 

I have to agree. When I counsel moms or give classes one of the things I really want her and her partner to get out of the session is that men do NOT bond through feeding infants. (yes, if a child is not able to breastfeed, then there is nothing wrong with daddy giving an occasional feeding, but there is really no benefit to it, either.) Men bond mainly through PLAY, cuddling, care activites (bathing, diaper changing ect) rocking the baby to sleep, sleeping with teh baby on his chest or in his arms, ect and most of all EYE CONTACT, Men actually get more out of early and frequent eye contact with their childrne than womyn do. If men bonded via feeding, Nature would have given them lactating breasts.

I'd be careful with the bottles. My oldest got such severe Nipple Confusion that she would refuse to nurse for days on end, she would hit me, push me away, just looking at the breast would make her SCREAM, it was horrible. When we got her BACK on the breast, entirely, I threw every bottle in the house away, and never used an other one, with her or the next 3 children. Yes, some babies CAN go "back and forth" between feeding types (some babies have no choice, either due to suppy problems or a mama who HAS TO go back to work ect) but, IMO, if it isn't a neccesity, stay away from the bottles, especially for the first three months. You won't know if you have a Nipple Confusable baby until the damage is already done. Mamaboogie and I perservered through this problem with our first kids, but it is so difficult, you feel SO rejected by your baby, and it is often hard to keep up your supply, that Nipple Confusion is the SINGLE most common reason breastfeeding fails.

I'd put (or throw) those bottles away, unless they are an absolute neccesity. Your man will bond properly without doing something to cause damage to your breastfeeding relationship. I'd also kick any health care worker OUT who brought bottles to MY house, before my baby was even born. WHO is she workng for? That would be my question. She is NOT in any way "probreastfeeding" no matter how much lip service she gives it, if she is giving bottles before the baby has even had the chance to latch on or learn to breastfeed.

Also, there is NO such thing as an "anti-colic bottle." Colic is actually neurological senstivity, NOT a tummy ache. (There is some confusion between Reflux and "colic" but that isn't caused by air, it is an over acidic stomach and can be quite serious, and no bottle can prevent or cure it.) Some bottles can reduce the amount of air a baby gets, but NONE can prevent real colic. Burping the baby well is no different than an "anticolic bottle." Also, if you do have to use some bottles, I have found the Dr. Browns causes MORE Nipple Confusion than any other bottle, besides the old fashioned slit "premie nipple" and the Nuk bottle. The Avent or the BreastBottle are the least likely to cause Nipple Confusion, but senstiive babies will still get it from ANY nipple.

I'll get some good info on pacis from LLL for you. The best way to make breastfeeding work is to EXCLUSIVELY breastfeed for as long as possible. every and any other nipple which is placed into the baby's mouth causes stress and confusion, and unless it is medically neccesary, I'd stay away from any and all artificial nipples.



Love and peace.

 

More good stuff to read, Moon Flower. I am just so glad that all this information is available now. When I had my first few kids, there was little to no info about things like this, and many of us had to really learn the hardest way. If LLL hadn't been there for me, 20 years ago, I would never had probably continued to nurse Sunshine, and probably would have been too upset about the experience to even contemplate a career in Lactation. We know SO much more now, but NO ONE expects a soon to be mom, with her first baby to know all or even most of it. That's why we are all here, to help each other, with our own knowlege, experience and caring.


With Love, Maggie


Nipple Confusion Article

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBMarApr99p43.html



An option of bottles by Katie Allison Granju (author of Attachment Parenting and mama guru to many.) This is from an article on Nursing in Public and why “just put it in a bottle” is not really the best alternative to simply nursing the baby wherever and whenever she needs to:



"Just Give Him a Bottle"

Offering breast milk in a bottle is often suggested when the debate on breastfeeding in public hits television or radio talk shows. But that option offers problems for the mother and baby that may be overlooked by the general public. First, it takes extra time and care to pump, store, and transport milk - time that may be precious, particularly in the early weeks and months. Babies receive fewer of the benefits of breastfeeding when they receive human milk that is not fresh from the source. They also run the risk of developing nipple confusion - having trouble switching back and forth between breast and bottle. Mothers run a higher risk of developing a plugged duct or breast infection because of the delay between feedings at the breast, particularly in the early months. A mother who skips feedings will probably be very uncomfortable from full breasts. If she is unable to pump her breasts, her supply will probably decrease slightly. So she'll still be experiencing the consequences the next day, when her baby nurses more frequently to replenish her supply. She also loses the convenience of being able to soothe her baby quickly and easily while she is out. She may even run out of milk in bottles before she finishes her errands.

All of the challenges of offering human milk in a bottle while in a public place can be overcome. But the bottom line is that many women find it easier, healthier, more economical, more ecologically sound, and more relaxing to fit breastfeeding in with all their daily activities than it is to fit occasional bottle-feeding in with their breastfeeding.



Pacifiers? The answer is “sometimes.”

http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBNovDec95p172.html



More info in the BIP (breasfeeding in public) “controversy”) This was written by LLL’s Lawyer, Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq.,.who died a few years ago, ironically enough, from breast cancer.



BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC

Mothers have a right to breastfeed where they go with their baby, even if that is out in public. It does not matter whether the mother goes to a public or a private place, or even whether they are in a state with legislation. No one has the right to tell a mother how to feed her baby, especially a way that increases the risk of illness to both mother and baby! Legislation has been enacted in nearly one-half of the states in the U.S. because they want to clarify this right, and in some cases, provide a remedy for mothers told to stop breastfeeding. It is hoped that legislation will help to change society's attitudes that breastfeeding is something indecent and should not be done in public. Underlying this, is the goal to increase the rates and duration of breastfeeding recognizing that this is an important health choice that must be encouraged.

Babies need to be breastfed on demand, and mothers should not feel pressured to use bottles. According to the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics, babies do not need to have bottles or pacifiers, and even if a mother wants to use these, they are contraindicated until breastfeeding is well established. Early introduction of bottles or pacifiers can put the breastfeeding relationship at risk, as the baby can develop nipple or bottle confusion, often resulting in the baby not being able to correctly nurse. If this happens, the baby may wean, or have such serious difficulties that the mother may need to seek professional help. Would we want even one mother or baby to have an increased risk of illness just because someone doesn't want to see it? Also, using bottles takes away from the convenience of breastfeeding, as the breast it is always ready and available, at the perfect temperature, with no preparation needed. No breastfeeding mother should be told that she should have to use bottles, anymore than a bottle feeding mother should be told that she should be breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is an act of nurture, not something to be hidden. Mothers should be allowed to choose for themselves how they want to feed their baby, and our society should not discourage their choice, especially when it is one that benefits all of us.

 

Oh. Thanks everyone!
I'll probably keep the bottles around, but only use them when I have to go back to work (Because I most definitely will for a while). And, I'll try to postpone that for atleast 3 months.
Maggie, the lady is with the HANDS program (I don't know if anyone else has this....but a lady comes once a month to do activities with me to get me prepared for motherhood then once a week after baby is born to play with her). I've actually told her to stop coming around but if she has other ladies to visit around here, she'll stop by my house. I avoided her yesterday. I turned off my music (It was raining all day so I decided to dance instead of walk) and me and Mr. B (My chihuahua) hid in my room. She really hurt Preston's feelings by making comments that shouldn't be made on her first visit with me and I asked her not to come back. I guess she doesn't listen.
I'll try that website, Brian, for more ways he can get close to her!

 

Yeah, some of those "services" people can be real pains. Usually they are pretty clueless about how parenting really works. I freind of mine, who was doing really well, with her first baby, had someone come by from a program in our state, she was thinking it was neccesary or something. She is an Attachement Parenting, breastfeeding, co-sleeping mama, and this womyn just started going off on how she was going to "infantalize" her son (hello, he was TWO WEEKS OLD!) and she came by when he was older, and wanted her to get him "evaluated" because he was still nurisng past his first birthday, and this womyn thought it was some type of "regressive behavior." I'd hide from these people, too, just like I do from the Seventh Day people.

 

Oh yes, when I brought up the idea of co-sleeping to this lady (When she asked if I'd gotten a good crib and/or bassinet) she almost lost it. She told me I'd forget my baby was in bed with me (I sleep with a chihuahua and he's just fine....he actually pushes me out of bed ) and roll on her and kill her or something. My mom had to leave the room to avoid saying something that might get her in trouble.
My dad was on the bottle (my poor grandma just couldn't breastfeed after her first child....could that be hereditary?) until he was in grade 1. I don't see anything wrong with breastfeeding (or bottles for those who can't use the boob) just as long as the child and you are comfortable with it. The lady has given me pamphlets and books on weening my baby from the boob or bottle at around 6 months. (They came with the bottle sample).
This program isn't a manditory thing, but they just keep trying to push back into the picture. I've switched HDs and everything....some people just can't take a hint, I guess.
The Seventh Day people....Jahova's witnesses? My grandmother chased one off with a butter knife about 15 years ago and never had a visit after that. She was ruthless.

 

YEa we always just lie when we actually go to the ped's office. "no, the baby sleeps in there own room, so does the 2yo" (they both sleep with us), "we're only delaying vaccs, we'll give them to them when they're older" (NO WAY JOSE!!!) We have an HMO and we just moved to this area so we just put up with our ped, but when never need to go to see him anyway (we don't really do well baby visits)

 

My mom used the drop-in bottles with my sister when her milk dried up during pregnancy. She liked them because she was sure those baggies were more sterile than anything she could have done to sterilize a bottle, and because my little sister swallowed less bubbles when those were used. I remember being allowed to feed her a few times, and my mom showing me the difference between them and a standard bottle... and that part at least is true.

I was never able to pump my own breastmilk. I don't know if the pumps I tried were defective or if I was just too discoordinated to figure it out. But when I was breastfeeding my daughter, a new bottle shape came out - it's supposed to mimic the shape & feel of the human breast. I think it was called Avent? I tried their pump too, but it wouldn't work for me. (please keep in mind though that I tried a Medela something or other and THAT didn't work either... so I seem to be "defective" when it comes to pumps)

From what I heard, because of the shape & feel of the bottles there is supposed to be less nipple confusion. They're also made of silicone instead of rubber, which was great for me since I happen to be allergic to latex. I don't know if this is all true or if I just fell for their marketing. But it did seem to make sense.

As for pacifiers - neither of my kids ever liked them. I tried several brands with each of them before giving up and deciding that they just must like me better than some rubber "plug." My friends' kids had them though, and each of her 5 would ONLY use one specific shape. So yeah, I wouldn't stock up until you know what kind and if your baby is going to like them. Maybe you could buy just one of several different shapes???
love,
mom