Sorry there, but she's nursing so much because she's a breastfeeding champ, and it's normal for her to breastfeeding frequently. Giving the baby a bottle of formula will hinder the breastfeeding relationship between the mother and baby, will affect the mother's milk supply from being well-established, will raise self-doubt in the mother's mind, and not to mention - will cause confusion to the poor baby!
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Sounds like something that was said to me (but by a friend). I knew better than to listen, thankfully!
I am a huge supporter of breastfeeding, but having breastfed successfully for 21 months, I have to change one word in your post: "will" should be "can." Giving a bottle CAN hinder breastfeeding, but it isn't absolute. My son was given formula in the hospital, and used a pacifier throughout the time he was nursing, and it didn't adversely affect nursing. It would have been great not to have been in a position to need the formula, but he did, and it's not the end of the world. If I had it to do again, I would probably stress myself much less about nursing, and would be less worried about the idea of giving him a bottle of formula occasionally (once my milk supply was well-established).
And, even thought I plan to go into OB and not peds, I'm totally getting some of those models for baby stomach sizes! Can't wait!
Although giving a bottle or a pacifier during the first couple days or even weeks, I truly believe that this is what led my oldest from refusing the breast. Over a year of PE (pumping exclusively) could have been prevented.
Alternatively, my second two were given bottles of breast milk within the first days of the life and had no nipple confusion. It's hard to say until the damage has already been done.
When your stomach is the size of a chick pea...all you need is colostrum initially. Giving a full bottle is like telling an adult to drink 4 gallons of milk all at once. Then as the babe's requirements increase...the frequent feeds ARE WHAT TELLS THE MOM'S BODY HOW MUCH MILK TO MAKE. So it stands to reason...if you give a bottle....the babe no longer frequent feeds and Mom's body doesn't make the amount the baby needs....because of the interference of the formula.
Good point!!!
I, too, have to add that with 6 babies I successfully breast fed all but the first one (weaned at 6 months). Some of my babies were given sugar water and formula in the hospital as well as pacifiers from the beginning. I also never had an ample milk supply and had terrible bouts with thrush (total nightmare). A couple of my babies also didn't nurse right away at teh breast, either. Despite all those odds, all my babies from #2 on were breast fed from 8 months to 14 months on average - 4 being fed a minimum of 12 months. Go figure!
breastfeeding give good nutrition to your baby
Amazed at how controversial breastfeeding has become. Honestly, effort, length, and quality of breastfeeding is determined by a mother and her child. Many factors effect this process. We can try and help women establish good breastfeeding habits before discharge from the hospital, but really it's all going to change once she gets home. I breast feed my kids as along as I could and by MY standards was very successful. People's opinions regarding what is considered the "gold"standard need to just support women despite what there own views are on this. To many cooks in the kitchen can leave everyone confused. Breastfeeding good! Breastfeeding with bottle feeding = good.
Bubba had a pacifier, but never confused bottles or my nipples. He was always hungry (and a large baby BTW)
He also was weaned by 2 years old. After about a year, he was a security nurser (he liked nursing when he was home with mom.)
He got weaned because he became a biter..rather chomper!
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