Introducing Bottles and Supplemental Feedings

It is best to wait until your baby is 3-4 weeks old before introducing bottles and pumped milk for supplemental feedings. It takes time for your milk supply to become well established, and for your baby to learn how to nurse well. Some babies have difficulty going back and forth between breast and bottle, especially in the early weeks. Others may not have any trouble, but you may risk compromising your milk supply if supplemental bottle feedings are initiated too early. By the time your baby is 3-4 weeks old, your milk supply should be well established, so that you are making milk automatically to meet your baby's needs.

Once breastfeeding is well established, the following routine will help you begin storing a supply of breast milk to use at a later date, or when returning to work, and will also familiarize your baby with an occasional bottle.

Updated June 6, 2016