What kind of bottles?

[klynnw]

I have been using Parent's choice bottles with my 8 week old, giving him breast milk pumped into them. He won't latch correctly. What I am wondering is if there is a bottle that you would recommend that might help him learn to latch on correctly?

[caryn]

You should go online and search for the Haberman feeder; you can also call your local Medela rental station and ask for a special needs feeder. They have long nipples that reward the weakest suck - and utilize the same oral motor functioning as on the breast.

[klynnw]

I just looked it up....it looks awful narrow. Does it encourage them to open the mouth up wide? That is a major problem of ours.

[caryn]

They need to have the entire nipple in their mouth. At the mouth of the bottle it is quite wide. They need the proper cheek compression, jaw excursions, and tongue peristalsis to operate it -

[klynnw]

Do you have an opinion on the breastflow bottle? Another LC recommended that one.

[caryn]

I would get the special needs feeder. The baby needs a "feeder" not a "bottle" if your goal is to establish breast feeding :)

[klynnw]

Well, that is the goal! Although right now we're doing a lousy job of it. Thank you for the info!

[caryn]

You're not doing a lousy job...time takes time!

[klynnw]

Another question.....what I have been doing right now is offering him the breast two or three times a day. When he either refuses the breast or we cannot get the latch correct (I have a purple line at the base of my nipples, just on the side where his top gum would be from us trying) I give him the bottle. Is this a flawed strategy? Is there a better way to do this? Would the feeder be the better way?

[caryn]

Try the bottle first, 1 oz or so so he's not hungry...then try...
has he been seen by an IBCLC? Or have you tried a LLL meeting?