BF babies and medium flow nipples

[crispnclean]

DS is 8 months old and daycare has requested that we send medium flow nipples on his bottles.  We send 4 oz bottles to daycare and he pretty regularly leaves 1-2 oz, sometimes more, or refuses the bottle.  He occasionally does finish a whole bottle, but that is the exception, not the norm.  They say he often just chews on the nipple or plays with it instead of eating.  He often does the same thing when H feeds him from a bottle when I'm not around to BF.

I thought I remember reading/hearing that a BF baby should not use anything but a slow flow nipple on a bottle regardless of age, so I'm not sure if I should resist switching to a medium flow nipple, or if the medium flow would be beneficial for him.  It's tough because I don't know why he isn't finishing his bottles - is it because he just isn't hungry, or is it because the flow is too slow?

Any experiences, thoughts or words of wisdom are appreciated.

[dottyblue]

Did you ask them why are they asking for medium flow nipples? Because he's getting upset while eating? Is he collapsing the nipple when he drinks?

We never sized up from the slow flow nipples for DS in the entire 12 months we nursed and he had bottles at daycare. Sometimes daycare providers get so accustomed to formula feeders and the need to size up and they don't realize that BF-feeders don't need to do the same. They may be asking out of habit, so I would push back and find out WHY they want the medium flow.

[Deleted]

I think we moved dd to medium nipples around 5 or 6 months IIRC.

I had a fast letdown and flow, so she wouldn't take the bottle since it wasn't as fast.

[crispnclean]

May 14, 2014 7:53:37 GMT -5 dottyblue said:

Did you ask them why are they asking for medium flow nipples? Because he's getting upset while eating? Is he collapsing the nipple when he drinks?

We never sized up from the slow flow nipples for DS in the entire 12 months we nursed and he had bottles at daycare. Sometimes daycare providers get so accustomed to formula feeders and the need to size up and they don't realize that BF-feeders don't need to do the same. They may be asking out of habit, so I would push back and find out WHY they want the medium flow.

They think that the medium flow will help him to eat better, since he refuses the bottle/plays with the nipple a lot and often leaves quite a bit of milk (even when they offer the bottle a second time later).  I've never heard them say he is collapsing the nipple when he eats.

I think they are definitely used to formula feeders, which is why I wondered if it was a bad idea for a BF baby.

[crispnclean]

May 14, 2014 7:56:28 GMT -5 tulips said:

X used the slow flow until 6 months and then we switched to the medium flow nipples. He had started getting really fussy at mealtimes at DC and collapsing the slow flow nipples. The medium flow helped a ton on the bottle refusal and didn't impact nursing at all.

Thanks!  Good to know it didn't affect your nursing.  That is one of my concerns about switching.

[greycat]

May 14, 2014 7:56:28 GMT -5 tulips said:

X used the slow flow until 6 months and then we switched to the medium flow nipples. He had started getting really fussy at mealtimes at DC and collapsing the slow flow nipples. The medium flow helped a ton on the bottle refusal and didn't impact nursing at all.

Pretty much the same for us. We are still BFing at 14 months - there was no impact.

[greycat]

May 14, 2014 8:10:15 GMT -5 greycat said:

May 14, 2014 7:56:28 GMT -5 tulips said:

X used the slow flow until 6 months and then we switched to the medium flow nipples. He had started getting really fussy at mealtimes at DC and collapsing the slow flow nipples. The medium flow helped a ton on the bottle refusal and didn't impact nursing at all.

Pretty much the same for us. We are still BFing at 14 months - there was no impact.

ETA - DS tended to chew on the bottle nipples when he was teething.

[Velar Fricative]

No switch yet at 7.5 months, but if she starts getting frustrated with the bottles we will switch.

[spk926]

I switched DD to medium flow at about 9 months. She never took more than 4 ounces at a time. It didn't effect our nursing as we're still going strong BF at 16 months!

[mae141]

DD is the same way when she eats from a bottle. I think she would just prefer a boob. Daycare lady seems to think it's weird but I just tell her it's fine DD will eat if she's hungry. It doesn't really seem to be a problem to me unless the baby is getting upset.

[Deleted]

We switched around 4 months. Dd was collapsing the nipple. It didn't change how she did breastfeeding but she is the type of baby that doesn't care how she is getting food as long as she is being fed.

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