by B. Far

Anyone have information on how nipple confusion relates to breast feeding? Should prems who show interest in sucking be given a bottle if Mom plans on breast feeding?

Re: Nipple Confusion

With preemies, when they start to feed, it isnt always possible for Mums to be with them each hour of every day. But they still want to suck! So give them a suck feed!
Most of our breast feeding babies do have suck feeds from a bottle, great if its MEBM, but even if not...(and I would be hung by the neck for saying this by the baby friendly people!)......Nipple teat confusion is a lie! In the NICU anyway, we have so many babies who, once they learn to suck, are happy to feed from anything that goes in their wee mouths!

Re: Nipple Confusion

AND...most of our babes have "Non-Nutrative Sucking Devices" ie Pacifiers! SO frowned upon by the breast or starve brigade.

Re: Nipple Confusion

I don't believe in nipple confusion in premies. I just don't. It's a nice theory and all, but I've seen countless bottle fed babies be able to breastfeed successfully. I've also seen babies who were never even given a pacifier unable to do so.

Personally, I think it's barbaric to deny a premie the benefits of nns because of fears of nipple confusion.

Re: Nipple Confusion

Given than evidence based research shows that pacifiers reduce SIDS by 90%. So that by stopping infants from having pacifiers you are increasing their chance of death, nipple confusion if even real, should not have a lot of weight.

Re: Nipple Confusion

Originally Posted by ukstudent

Given than evidence based research shows that pacifiers reduce SIDS by 90%. So that by stopping infants from having pacifiers you are increasing their chance of death, nipple confusion if even real, should not have a lot of weight.

The nipple nazis would just point out that breastfeeding reduces MANY infant illnesses, so by interfering with that you are harming their health as well.

Re: Nipple Confusion

I'm all for breastfeeding, don't get me wrong....but I have never seen a baby unable to breastfeed because s/he got a bottle. It is not the end of the world, though our nipple nazis would have you think so. We actually had one LC (who no longer works there, tg) tell a mother who gave her baby some formula that she was feeding him 'poison.'

I work well-baby but we do see many late pretermers. I just don't see that bottlefeeding contributes to breastfeeding difficulties.

Re: Nipple Confusion

Originally Posted by Arwen_U

We actually had one LC (who no longer works there, tg) tell a mother who gave her baby some formula that she was feeding him 'poison.'

Several years ago one of the nicu nurses that I worked with went to a lactation conference. The whole time they would not use the word formula, it was called "the poison", your LC might have gone to the same conference.

Re: Nipple Confusion

Breastfeeding is so much harder for the little guys. Too exhausting. If they don't bf at all , chances are they aren't bottle feeding all that well either. Nipple shields (another LLC no no) have worked great for many preemies that have a poor latch.

Re: Nipple Confusion

Originally Posted by ukstudent

Several years ago one of the nicu nurses that I worked with went to a lactation conference. The whole time they would not use the word formula, it was called "the poison", your LC might have gone to the same conference.

That is absolutely ridiculous! Bleach and arsenic are poison. Not formula!