Nipple Confusion
When your baby does not know how to suckle the breast properly due to use of a pacifier or bottle it is called nipple confusion.
To avoid nipple confusion simply try to stay away from giving your baby pacifiers or bottles for the first six weeks of life. Nipple confusion impairs breast feeding success by compromising your milk production. Your infant’s disorganized suck won’t effectively remove milk from your breast which leads to a decreased milk supply, and many mothers deal with the frustration by turning completely to bottle feeding.
If you are transitioning your baby from bottle to breast or breast to bottle be patient and persistent. Feeding from a bottle is different from breastfeeding as the suck is different, the volume and milk flow is different, the taste, texture, and temperature are different, and bottles rewards a lazier sucking style. Your baby will make the change but it might not happen in the first few attempts. The best time to introduce a new feeding method is when your baby is awake and alert and not too hungry. If they are fussy and frustrated from not being fed a new method for eating will not help them transition. The quiet stage right after they awaken is usually the best choice.
If you are going from bottle to breast, express some milk to trigger the let down reflex. Babies familiar with the bottle will want the milk immediately. Once your baby catches on to breastfeeding you can cease expressing milk beforehand.
If you are going from breast to bottle you may find that experimentation with different nipple types and materials is necessary to find one your child likes. It can also be easier to let your partner feed from the bottle as some babies refuse to bottle feed when they believe mom has two perfectly good milk filled breasts.
