Questions for those who DO NOT use bottles.....

[e_roehm23]

So, dd is 6.5 mos and we have had an uphill battle nearly every step of the way. Over the last month, she has really been preferring the bottle over the boob There have been 4-5 day stretches where I could get her back on the breast, but then it is back to the bottle. I have just come to the point where I'm ready to give up the bottle and only nurse, but have a few questions.

1.) What do I do if she gets sick and doesn't want to nurse?
2.) What do I do if she goes on a nursing strike?
3.) What do I do if my supply cannot keep up with her demand?
~we have had ptt/ulp clipped but still having problems, shallow latch/tongue thrust, and weak suck. plus most of the time she will only nurse on the right side.
~I'm currently taking Fenugreek 3xs 620mg & getting started on Blessed Thistle & Alfalfa; considering Domperidone; also pumping every 2-3 hours to increase supply

[tibeca]

Your supply will adjust to your baby. Nursing encourages milk supply in ways that pumping simply can't. Most babies nurse more when they are sick. Nursing strikes are rare (for breast only babies), and at this point, when they do happen, you can pump and offer in a sippy cup. And, if you must supplement, you can always use an SNS. Doing so will help build your supply and keep your LO practicing nursing at the breast.

As a SAHM I have never had a nursing strike (I have 2 lo's, the oldest nursed until 3+, the second is nursing through my pregnancy at 16 months). My girls have had 3 total bottles in their entire lives. All 3 times, I was at the doctor's office and DH offered it. They drank a little, but were glad to be back with mom. I hate pumping (the effort compared to nursing is too great) and am glad to just offer all day long.

[e_roehm23]

Originally Posted by tibeca Your supply will adjust to your baby. Nursing encourages milk supply in ways that pumping simply can't. Most babies nurse more when they are sick. Nursing strikes are rare (for breast only babies), and at this point, when they do happen, you can pump and offer in a sippy cup. And, if you must supplement, you can always use an SNS. Doing so will help build your supply and keep your LO practicing nursing at the breast. As a SAHM I have never had a nursing strike (I have 2 lo's, the oldest nursed until 3+, the second is nursing through my pregnancy at 16 months). My girls have had 3 total bottles in their entire lives. All 3 times, I was at the doctor's office and DH offered it. They drank a little, but were glad to be back with mom. I hate pumping (the effort compared to nursing is too great) and am glad to just offer all day long.

I would LOVE to be able to increase my supply by just nursing, but dd won't take the breast unless it is semi-full. Also, I've noticed that she does not empty the breast (I can still pump 1/2-1 oz after she nurses, but she still acts hungry)

I'm wanting to give up bottles because they have caused so many problems, but I'm not sure I will be able to maintain supply if she is not emptying the breast. Right now dd is sick and has not wanted to nurse for the last 3 days

[PerfectFifth]

Originally Posted by e_roehm23 I would LOVE to be able to increase my supply by just nursing, but dd won't take the breast unless it is semi-full. Also, I've noticed that she does not empty the breast (I can still pump 1/2-1 oz after she nurses, but she still acts hungry) I'm wanting to give up bottles because they have caused so many problems, but I'm not sure I will be able to maintain supply if she is not emptying the breast. Right now dd is sick and has not wanted to nurse for the last 3 days

Just wanted to point out that breasts are continuously refilling as they're being emptied, so there is no point ever when there is not at least a little milk in there. You could literally have baby on the boob all day long, and the breasts would just continue to make milk. I'd just nurse, nurse, nurse on demand, and let your body adjust. As long as your DD is getting plenty of wet and dirty diapers, she is getting all the milk she needs!

[e_roehm23]

Originally Posted by PerfectFifth Just wanted to point out that breasts are continuously refilling as they're being emptied, so there is no point ever when there is not at least a little milk in there. You could literally have baby on the boob all day long, and the breasts would just continue to make milk. I'd just nurse, nurse, nurse on demand, and let your body adjust. As long as your DD is getting plenty of wet and dirty diapers, she is getting all the milk she needs!

Yes, I'd love to but she won't stay at it. I think she gets impatient when the milk slows down. ....wishing I had an oversupply issue

[Teexie]

Originally Posted by e_roehm23 So, dd is 6.5 mos and we have had an uphill battle nearly every step of the way. Over the last month, she has really been preferring the bottle over the boob There have been 4-5 day stretches where I could get her back on the breast, but then it is back to the bottle. I have just come to the point where I'm ready to give up the bottle and only nurse, but have a few questions. 1.) What do I do if she gets sick and doesn't want to nurse? 2.) What do I do if she goes on a nursing strike? 3.) What do I do if my supply cannot keep up with her demand? ~we have had ptt/ulp clipped but still having problems, shallow latch/tongue thrust, and weak suck. plus most of the time she will only nurse on the right side. ~I'm currently taking Fenugreek 3xs 620mg & getting started on Blessed Thistle & Alfalfa; considering Domperidone; also pumping every 2-3 hours to increase supply

For what it's worth, DD is 11 months and has never taken a bottle.
1. She nurses more when she is sick. There has been a day or two when she was too stuffed up to nurse. I just offered as much as possible and pumped if I got too full to avoid plugged ducts. I have tried giving her a sippy cup but she didn't want that either, so we just stuck with offering as much as possible, especially after suctioning her nose.

2. Never had a nursing strike. If she did, I'd offer a cup.

3. I would think your supply would keep up better when she's nursing rather than pumping and drinking from a bottle. If for some reason it didn't, I'd just pump in addition to nursing, but not offer a bottle. Maybe just build up a back-up stash

[junejay4life]

I have nursed 4 babies and only used a bottle occasionally with breast milk for my 1st dd because grandpa helped me at night

Sick babies still figure out how to nurse. I have never had any nursing strikes.
I have never had supply problems, I nurse on demand and I think that is key. Babies will eat when they are hungry.

[e_roehm23]

So, do you think I should just take away the bottle cold turkey?

[tibeca]

Nursing is harder than drinking from a bottle. If I were a baby, I'd opt for less work!

That said, I wouldn't do it cold turkey. In your specific case, I would get an sns. I would pump after every feed and put that in the sns for the next feed. If she started getting fussy at the breast, I would start the sns and allow her to get what was in the sns as well as what she could manage at the breast. I suggest contacting an IBCLC or LLL leader for your specific situation since there are more factors than just deciding to skip bottles.

[You Tell 'Em]

1. My LO is 16 months old and she's never drank from a bottle. (We tried 2-3 times and she wouldn't go for it so I never tried again). She's gotten the occasional cold and did fine with nursing. It's easier for a baby to nurse than drink from a bottle when sick.

2. My LO has yet to have one, and if I *thought* she did it was for a 3-4 hour period, if that

3. Your body will catch up. That's the beauty of supply and demand and the way your body works.

I wonder, not sure if it would be helpful, but since you said your DD prefers it to be "semi-full" would maybe be to start with the pump until you let down then latch her on? I know some women can't feel their let down but if you are one who can (like me) then it might work.

Also what pp said about IBCLC/LLL are good places to start.