Why Use Bottles for Breastfed Babies

Finding your family’s new balance each time a new baby comes home can be challenging. Responsibilities shift, parents take on different tasks and roles with relation to the baby, the house, and general family life. Dishes pile up, laundry sits unwashed, and when was the last time the older kids had a bath anyway? Don’t worry though. It’s all normal.

For a breastfeeding Mom, the chaos around may be more evident as she sits and nurses her new baby for what seems like hours on end. She sees all the tasks that are being forgotten or neglected, she makes mental to-do lists for when she finally gets baby down to sleep. She may rhyme off the list to her husband who is desperately trying to find that one missing shoes so he can finally get the kids dressed and out the door, before he himself heads off to work for the day.

So how can anyone find balance amidst the chaos?

Delegate. Hand off responsibilities to anyone and everyone who comes to visit – family & friends want to help, so let them. Does it matter if they fold the laundry differently than you would? No. Does it matter if they put the dishes away in the wrong cupboard? No. Does it matter if they sing a different lullaby to your toddler at bedtime? No. Let them help.

Of course, everyone who visits desperately wants to snuggle and love that new baby. Soaking in that “new baby smell” and giving Mom a chance to either tackle some to-dos or take a nap or jump in the shower. But what if this little breastfed baby gets hungry? Simple, offer a bottle.

What Bottles are the Best for Breastfed Babies?

Wait a minute – you are going to give your breastfed baby a bottle and let someone else feed them? Of course you are!

Giving Dad, Grandma, Papa, or Auntie to opportunity of bonding time with the new baby and allowing them to feed baby a bottle of pumped milk is a wonderful experience. This allows baby to build deep connections with family and friends, especially important for those who may later act as care givers for the baby when Mom returns to work or even when she goes out to run errands or attend appointments.

Being able to combine bottle feeding with breastfeeding may see like a scary idea, but if you find the right bottle, the pairing seems only natural.

In our house, we love the Philips Avent Natural Bottles. These were not the first bottles we tried. In fact I have a cupboard full of bottles that just did not work for any of my babies. When we finally landed on these Natural Bottles everything just clicked. The design of the bottles makes it easy for a breastfed baby to latch on, with a wide breast shaped nipple and the unique petals for a soft, flexible nipple.. This makes the combination of breast and bottle feeding much easier.

We love the reassurance that Philips Avent has so many products that have the PTPA Seal of Approval. Knowing that these products have been placed in the hands of parents, to use, test, review, and have ultimately received approval, allows us to trust in the brand and feel confident using their products with our babies and children.

Bonding With Baby

Giving family members and friends a chance to bottle feed your baby is a wonderful way for them to share some quality bonding time. There are many other ways to bond with a new baby as well.

• Cuddle and snuggle on the couch or in the rocker
• Wear baby in a carrier or wrap – this one is especially good for dad, since baby will become familiar with his scent
• Take baby for a walk in the stroller – don’t forget to talk about all the things you see to help baby start learning about the world around them
• Look at black & white board books, play with rattles and other simple toys
• Sing songs, play peek-a-boo with baby
• Lay on the floor with baby for some tummy time – help strengthen those neck muscles and see the world from a new point of view

However they choose to bond with baby, it is the beginning of a relationship that will grow and grow in years to come. Having these special moments to look back on will always be lovely memories for family and friends.

Philips Avent Bottles Giveaway – March/April 2017

Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Philips Avent and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.