If you’re reading this in the midst of a difficult period of breast to bottle transitioning, I’m sending you virtual hugs!
There is so much stress that comes with feeding challenges in general and as moms we are hyper aware of the impact that feeding has on our child’s growth, development, mood, and sleep – not to mention how it affects us.
At 6 weeks old I introduced the bottle to my daughter for the first time. I was shocked when she took it with minimal effort!
My husband and I decided to mix in the bottle a couple times per week until my return to work (at 12 weeks) to keep our girl comfortable with this new skill. It was hard to stick to this plan when life happened and my husband started working 60+ hour weeks. So I focused on “keeping the lights on” and not doing extra things.
At around 8 weeks we revisited the bottle again. We had skipped quite a few days of practice but didn’t think it would make a big difference; clearly she didn’t mind it before, so why would that change?
Well it did. A LOT!
At 8 weeks my daughter refused the bottle. We tried every position with every single family member and she hated it- no matter what! She would scream and act like she didn’t know how to suck on the bottle. I was horrified! I had 1 month until returning to work and was in an overwhelming panic about how my baby would survive without me!
I read every article I could find and tried every tip and trick that was out there. I also ordered EVERY. SINGLE. BOTTLE. that existed. I swear there were at least 20. As we tried different bottles we were disappointed in the never-changing outcome.
FINALLY we tried the Mimijumi Bottle. I was hopeful that it would work since it was so different than all of the other bottles on the market.
Hallelujah!
Hip hip hooray!
IT WORKED!
Here’s what I liked:
The nipple and base are flesh colored so your baby feels more comfortable transitioning from a breast (they even have a darker nipple for women of color)
The nipple and base are very flexible and can be grabbed by your baby during feeding and feel similar to a breast
The nipple is NO FLOW – so milk doesn’t flow out unless your baby sucks. Your baby can control the flow, so you don’t have to worry about 1). your baby getting frustrated by the flow speed compared to your breast 2). your baby will not start to prefer the bottle over the breast due to a preference in flow since they control it either way
Just being honest, the price was really hard to swallow. I had to joke that my daughter was already high-maintenance and required the most expensive bottle. I did find it worth the money though and wouldn’t recommend anything else to a mom that’s struggling to transition from breast to bottle. The good news is that there’s a great second hand market for things like that and I have no doubt that you could see the bottle used for nearly what you paid.
I also found these tips helpful in getting baby used to the bottle:
Let baby stretch out (not cradled). The air from the bottle can induce more gas and be uncomfortable to your little one. Allowing their tummy to be stretched out feels much better
Burp frequently!
Move around. Use a rocking chair, walk around, bounce, sway. Just move!
DO NOT force the bottle if baby is upset. You don’t want to cause a bottle aversion. Soothe your kiddo first and then try again
Start the bottle nipple on their lip and wait for them to open their mouth (an invitation in!)
Press the bottle nipple down gently on their tongue. If you insert the nipple straight in it may cause gagging
SWADDLE! If you are having a hard time getting your baby to calm down, swaddle them
Keep in mind that your baby might not be upset because of the bottle, they could be gassy or tired- there are many reasons to consider when your little one is fussy
I hope this helps! Don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments with questions!
