Breastfeeding :: Transitioning Baby to Bottle (and Back!)

Kennedy turned 11 weeks old this Monday and I’m so happy to say that breastfeeding has been going wonderfully!  I still remember the first week when she was born that we were both trying to figure out how to get a good latch.  She didn’t like to open very wide but I found that if I just adjusted her lower lip after she had latched on so that it flanged outwards more, she would naturally open wider up top as well.  By the third week, she was naturally opening wider and fortunately I didn’t suffer from the sore and cracked nipples that I did with Dylan the first time around.              

When Kennedy reached 4 weeks, we decided to introduce the bottle.  While there is no better feeling than being able to snuggle my baby close to me as I feed her, I still love having some flexibility in my schedule — mostly I just wanted to start going back to the gym without worrying about her needing to be fed!

I had been pumping and storing milk from the first day my milk actually came in (I learned to start storing away early on to avoid being nervous later on about running low on supply).  I warmed up 3 oz of milk in an old bottle that we had used with Dylan and had Adrian sit down to feed Kennedy for her next feeding.  Dylan had taken to a bottle immediately and so I didn’t think it would be anything to worry about with Kennedy.  Unfortunately, almost 10 minutes later, Kennedy still was not taking any milk from the bottle but just kept on using her tongue to push the nipple out of her mouth.  She was starting to get frustrated from not getting any milk and similarly Adrian was frustrated from not being able to help her.  And me?  I was starting to think that I’d be chained to this baby permanently for the next 6 months!

After talking to our pediatrician, she recommended that we experiment with some different bottles and different nipples.  I went searching for something that closely mimicked the breast as much as possible and that’s when I discovered LATCH by Munchkin.

The LATCH bottle is specifically designed for babies who are used to breastfeeding and can even help create a better latch for those babies that are struggling with breastfeeding!  The accordion-style nipple on LATCH stretches like a natural breast, helping baby latch easily and correctly.  If baby moves her head, the nipple will also move and stretch just like a natural breast would.  And just like natural breastfeeding, the baby is able to control the flow of the milk by applying pressure to the base of the nipple.  The LATCH bottle is also designed with a one-way, anti-colic valve located at the bottom of the bottle with no extra pieces or parts to have to wash.  This allows for the milk to flow while ensuring air bubbles do not travel through, reducing gas and fussiness.

We put the bottle to the test about a month ago and although Kennedy was wary at first when we put the nipple in her mouth, once she got a taste of milk she latched on and it was smooth sailing within minutes!  It was a little moment of rejoicing for me — not only could I escape to go work out or get my nails done, but I could even have Adrian take the first night feed too so I could get some more shut-eye!

The LATCH nipple is really one-of-a-kind and I love that it’s so well designed to move, stretch, and function just like the breast.  Kennedy didn’t have any troubles go back to the breast from the bottle either.  I feel like I can finally take a breath of relief as my biggest breastfeeding worries are now behind me!

LATCH is available at Target and Babies’R’Us or you can go online to Munchkin.com and  choose your bottle size and nipple stage to perfectly suit your baby’s feeding needs. Plus, enjoy a great discount when you buy more bottles on Munchkin.com  — save up to 15% off your LATCH bottle purchase!

* Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Munchkin LATCH as part of the #LoveLatch campaign.



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