READ IF U BREAST & BOTTLE FEED:

You may have the same problem as me, so to be preventative, read on:

My nips have been unbearably sore with a few blisters for almost a week now, so I've just been pumping.I contacted my LaLeche lady, and she figured out my problem:

My one month old has nipple confusion! I just thought that nipple confusion meant the baby wouldn't take one or the other, but he is latching poorly now because he was getting used to bottles...(I was using them alot because we did so much visiting for the holidays.) I was using the worst type of bottle too, the VentAirs, because the base is too wide, nipple is not long enough and the bottle is angled! Who knew? The nipple package says best for breastfeeding mothers because it's more like the breast!!!

According to this doctor, it is not the case, and now I have to 'train him' to get him to latch on better. Read here:
http://www.lllohio.org/help/bottlefeedingbreastfedbaby.pdf

The reason I am getting sore/blisters is because he's using his toungue like he would with a bottle, I tried feeding him like they suggested & with a better bottle, and he took to it like a champ, hopefully in a few more days we'll get better...I sure hope so because I plan on sticking with both ways of feeding him when I go back to work.

Hope this helps if u need it, she also gave me instructions on how to train the baby's tongue. Let me know if u are interested.

what bottle are you using now?

Nipple confusion is no good. I always do both and the bottles that have worked for the best with my daughter are the Playtex drop-ins. I love those bottles. I wish I would have been smart enough to use them with my son. He had the worst colic. My daughter only had problems with it once or twice. The only difference was the bottles. I will never use another kind. I breastfeed during the day and bottle feed at night. I would try those bottles and see how that goes. Also you can always wash the liners and use them again.

They are evenflo. I had a bunch of used bottles from mysister and friend, and I found a few of those that looked just like the picture in the article.I think any old straight bottle will do though, the smaller base nipple seems more important.

I used The First Years Breatflow with my son when he was first born, but after 2 or three months we switched to playtex nursers with drop in cause i got tired of sterilizing the other bottles. However I thought the breastflow were fabulous for the first couple months cause of their innovative design. The baby really had to latch on and draw the milk down! This time around I bought Playtex nursers, but I am tempted to stick with the same bottles at first like I did last time so that she can get the hang of it like my son did. Playtex are a little easier to latch and and drink from, but by the time my son was 2 months old we had the nipple latching down pat!!! Good Luck and feel better!!!

I am having the oppiosite problem with my son. I didn't want him to get nipple confusioi so I waited andwaited. by that time I was traveling a lot and it ws easier to breastfeed. Now I can't get him to drink froma bottle. He just mashes the bottle nipple with his tongue. He takes a pacifier ok. I have Avent bottles and Avent pacifiers. I tried the playtex drop-ins but neither works. So for now I have to plan all my dates and errands to make sure I am back in time to feed him.

ksylla: I was worried too about nipple confusion at first, but heard to introduce the bottle at 3 or 4 weeks, so that's what I did, my sister waited too long too, andcould only breastfed, and she was able todo it for a whole year! Good luck!

Noelani & Kady: I've never seen the first year bottles, but I'm pretty sure those drop ins have a wider base, Thanks, but I don't really like those bottles and I'm surprised with the wider base the baby still breastfeeds ok. Maybe once he's retrained he'll take any bottle. I just got those ergonomic nipples from medela that you put on the same bottle that you pump into, so I'd like to try those.

I was told not to introduce anything ie soothers and such until breastfeeding was well established..but how does that work if you shift between breast and bottle like to bottle feed breast milk?

Dunno, I guess I was just blessed. My son went back and forth between breast and bottle no problem from the start???!!! Gl all

as a breastfeeidng mother i would seggest you give up the bottle for a while , when feeidng you shoul dfeel no pain ( but it will still hurt if you have cracked nipples) but if it does take him off and re attach him and keep doing it till he gets it right.

It is recomemnded to not introduce anythign till baby is at least 6 weeks old.

Good luck i have been breastfeeding for over 2 years so if you wan to ask me anything i am here to help.

Quoting ChelseyD:“ I was told not to introduce anything ie soothers and such until breastfeeding was well established..but how does that work if you shift between breast and bottle like to bottle feed breast milk?”

I was also told not to introduce pacis or bottles until bf was well established, which they said is around 3-4 weeks, which is what I did. I thought things were going fine until I started getting so sore...did I also mention I have shooting pains in my breasts as well, which I guess is called vasospasm, but that's a whole different story....anyway, I'm hoping that by bottle feeding him the way the article suggested, and with the recommended bottles/nipples, he'll always be sucking the same way (like breastfeeding).

The important thing is he get his mother's milk. If he does end up only taking a bottle, it's fine because I have to go back to work and someone has to feed him a bottle while I'm away anyway. I really do hope he will learn andbe fine going back and forth like I'd like to do.

I have been told by both my lactation consultatant and my pedi that nipple confusion does NOT exist. They explained to me it is more of a nipple preference. If the (bottle) nipple you are using is not similar to your flow they will prefer the bottle ( less work ). I used bottles ( avent) within 2 weeks, and paci's right away. I have not had any problems with nipple issues.

I know each is to their own - and each mother will experience different issues, but personally i recommend finding the correct bottle for your baby ( since that one isn't compatible). And once you find the correct bottle, to bottle feed as often as possible in hopes your unfortunately sore nipples clear up ( I recommend gel soothies for that)

Good luck!

Quoting septemberbaby:“ I have been told by both my lactation consultatant and my pedi that nipple confusion does NOT exist. ... [snip!] ... feed as often as possible in hopes your unfortunately sore nipples clear up ( I recommend gel soothies for that) Good luck!”

I know, I think the word "confusion" is very misleading...They gave me some gel soothies at the hospital and they were great, I should get some more....so you are u still breastfeeding and giving your baby a bottle too, if so, when did u introduce bottles and how many bottle feedings per day?

Quoting Baby Love:“ I know, I think the word "confusion" is very misleading...They gave me some gel soothies at the hospital ... [snip!] ... breastfeeding and giving your baby a bottle too, if so, when did u introduce bottles and how many bottle feedings per day?”

We introduced the bottle at two weeks, right after his two week appt ( when pedi gave me the ok). When he was 8 weeks I went back to work part time, so whenever I am at work , daddy gives him the bottle. Ethan hasn't had a problem with either the boob or the bottle.

I've also never had a problem going from breast to bottle and use the drop ins. We've gone back and forth since day one. But, I would definitely try different bottles if you would think that would help.