Bottle preference?

At my baby’s first check-up the doctor recommended supplementing with formula because my milk wasn’t in yet and she was losing weight. She developed a bottle preference after that, and even though I’ve seen a lactation consultant, she often refuses the breast. The only time she latches on is when they are engorged, so I’m assuming it’s a flow issue. I find that I don’t produce as much when she hasn’t latched for a while, so pumping is getting difficult too. Has anyone experienced this? Any tips on getting baby back to the boob?

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Are you pace feeding? What size nipple are you using? It's recommended to use the smallest size when you are breastfeeding so it's a slower flow.

@Katrina we’re using the smallest size nipple and the Avent natural flow bottle. She grunts a lot so I can tell she hates it too, but she still likes it more than the breast

yes, something similar happened to me. it was really hard and ultimately ended our BF journey. not trying to discourage you just sharing my experience. lots of skin to skin is supposed to help, try getting her to latch when she’s sleepy, hand express for a minute before feeding that way the milk is flowing and she won’t have to work so hard. i hope you can find a solution!!

Massage your boob when they are latched on, this will push some extra milk out.

I don’t know for sure but here is what I would try. You may already be doing some of these things: - stay topless while carrying baby, and keep baby near the boob - go down in flow size for the bottle, to preemie - get in a warm bath with baby, and hold baby near the breast - lay back, and put baby on your chest. Let baby find the nipple on her own, with a little bit of help if needed

Try squeezing some milk out on her lips so that she smells it and would want more. Also try looking for the early hunger cues. Feed her when she is still calm before she starts crying. Good luck mama. I hope it works out for you. My son also had troubles latching, and I had to supplement with formula. It was so hard but I managed to get him to latch at the end. So don't give up

Try MAM bottles with the size 0 nipple it's shape is closer to an actual boob when in the mouth and the flow is the slowest flow we've found nipple wise baby won't like it at first but it'll make baby more likely to take to boob more easily and try nipple shields sounds wired but it will give ur nipples a plastic feel over it so baby with go to it more and latch better with it also have you been told the nose to nipple rule for getting a good latch and as for pumping try to pump inbatween feeds and pump the other boob to what baby is on if u can the more stimulation the boob gets the more milk it'll produce and try to get a pump/feed in at least once every 3 hours at very minimum to keep flow up and how are night feeds try to push breastfeeding more at night x

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