I was a first-time mom, and before giving birth the most advice I got about breastfeeding was to just do it because "breast is best".
Fast forward to me in the recovery room after my c-section when the nurse placed my baby on me and told me to breastfeed. So, I did and to my surprise, she latched immediately and drank. Hooray!
As I continued to heal and recover, I breastfed my baby and it got easier each day. What I didn't prepare for was the next bump in the road – the transition to the bottle. Was that even something to think about? It's natural for them. All babies drink bottles, right?!
My little girl was about to prove me wrong.
My anxiety was through the roof as I needed to return to work soon. The window was closing, and she would not take the bottle. I was freaking out. I had no idea I needed to give myself and my baby time for this transition.
You name it - Avent, Gerber, Dr. Browns, Tommee Tippee, Nuk - I spent so much money on buying every different brand of bottle out there and nothing worked.
My husband and other families would try to bottle feed her so she wouldn't smell my milk and still nothing. I wanted to cry. Actually, I did cry. I had to go back to work and my baby wouldn't take her milk. Can I even go back to work now? How will my baby eat?
If you're in the same boat, I want to offer you the ONE and only thing that worked for me and my child.
After trying all the tips google had to offer and still having no luck, this idea popped into my head. Calming and water sounds soothe babies to sleep right? Why not try this while she is frustrated and refusing the bottle? So, I did and to my amazement, it worked!
I walked back and forth in the kitchen with the water running, the crying ceased, and she began to drink her bottle. It was a success and relief all at the same time. I can return to work! My baby will be ok!
In the beginning, we had to do this for each feeding until I found this life-saver video on youtube to replicate the sounds of the kitchen sink. I could sit and feed her again, and my back couldn't have been happier. The cascading water video was even sent to both grandmas to assist.
Eventually, when she was comfortably transitioned to the bottle, we didn't have to play the video anymore. Yes, I was still a mess when I returned to work because I missed my baby so much, but I had one less stress gone. Thank you, water sounds!! I'll never forget you.
I hope my trick helps your bottle transition.
The transition from exclusively breastfeeding to the bottle can be difficult for some parents. Trust me, I get it! I hope my story and my running water tip can help you just as much as it helped me.
Do you have a tip or trick that helped your baby transition to the bottle?
We'd love to hear about it in the comments.
Our next reco: How to Switch Baby Formula: Creating a Smooth Transition
Leave a Comment