BREASTFEEDING? BOTTLE FEEDING? OR BOTH?

Breast milk gives a baby all the nutrients needed. It also strengthens the immune system and protects against allergies. It is a true superfood - doctors, midwives and the vast majority of parents agree on that.

However, the enthusiasm for breast milk also has its downside. The great social acceptance often turns into social pressure. Or pressure that mothers put on themselves.

Until the baby's feeding goes really well, parents are usually faced with a mountain of questions that are difficult to answer: what is right, what is wrong? Is it also possible to give your baby enough physical contact when you bottle feed? What to do if it doesn't work right away? How do other mothers do it? We, at NUK, listen attentively and, as a partner, want to dispel uncertainties. With good advice and good products.

WHAT CAN MAKE BREASTFEEDING EASIER?

NUK Breast Milk Bags

Leakproof disposable bags for the fridge and freezer

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Nature NUK Nature Sense Breast Milk Container

For storing, warming and feeding with no transferring required

NUK Nature Sense Breastfeeding Set

The manual alternative with smooth-action lever

NUK Breast Pads

Perfect fit, extremely absorbent, yet skin-friendly and gentle

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NUK Nipple Shields

Improved shape for even more skin contact when breastfeeding.

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NUK Breast Shell Set

Protect sensitive nipples and collect breast milk

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CAN YOU SHARE ENOUGH CLOSENESS WITH A BOTTLE TOO?

Breastfeeding is so much more than the necessary intake of food. Your baby's little head snuggles up to you. Your soothing heartbeat can be heard clearly. Your warm body provides a comforting feeling and the most intense bond.  

But bottle feeding can also be very closely modelled on breastfeeding. Because the deep emotional bond between mother and baby is, to a great extent, also created by the surrounding environment. The time spent together, being close and having physical contact. The intimate moment of feeding. Perceiving with all the senses: seeing, smelling, hearing and feeling each other while your baby tastes and enjoys the meal. All this can also be achieved with a bottle. What’s important here is for the close physical contact to be cosy and comfortable for both of you from the start, while any disturbances are excluded as much as possible.

A nice side effect: while breastfeeding and the closeness that comes with it is reserved for birth mothers, when giving bottles, partners can also build up this kind of bond and enjoy these intense moments with the baby.

With the NUK Nature Sense teat, NUK has succeeded in giving babies a uniquely natural sensation when drinking. In fact, the feeling is so similar to the beloved role model that 92% of babies accept the NUK Nature Sense Baby Bottle without any problems and simply return to breastfeeding afterwards.*

WHAT DO I DO IF BREASTFEEDING DOESN'T WORK RIGHT AWAY?

If breastfeeding doesn't work right away, don´t worry. There are many causes that can lead to short delays. For example, if your baby is not yet strong enough to suck effectively. Or if your milk hasn´t come in yet.

"Every baby is an individual and every mother's body has its own pace. Sometimes a breastfeeding relationship is established almost automatically and sometimes it takes a little patience. Many mothers then worry that their baby is not being fed adequately. As a breastfeeding counsellor, my job is to reassure and encourage," says Ute Bordiehn, a paediatric nurse and certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) at the Charité hospital in Berlin.

But it is true that the baby needs milk ...

"That's true, of course. However, every child is born with a decent energy reserve. We always say: it comes with a 'backpack'. That's why it's not a problem at all - on the contrary, it's completely normal for a baby to lose weight at the beginning. 10 % of the birth weight is absolutely okay. Until that is used up, there is no need to worry."

So, your first advice is to stay calm. What else would you recommend for building a successful breastfeeding relationship?

"For a start, the baby should be given the breast frequently. This way the little one learns to suckle properly and the mother's milk production is stimulated. And if it still doesn't work out, don't hesitate to seek the advice of a midwife or a certified breastfeeding counsellor."

As a breastfeeding counsellor, what do you say to bottles?

"There is simply nothing better than breast milk. That's why I would advise giving priority to the breast at the beginning. Once the breastfeeding relationship has been established - i.e. the milk flows well and the baby drinks well – in my experience bottles, and soothers too, are then no problem at all.”

But sometimes a baby gets a bottle even before the breastfeeding relationship is established. What should you look out for then?

"To ensure that a bottle interferes as little as possible with breastfeeding, the teat should be one thing above all: very soft. If a newborn gets used to a teat that is too firm and is then put to the breast, their head may keep going back and forth because they’re looking for the teat they’re used to."

The mother's breast and the mother's milk are always the optimum. Convinced of this, we have also developed our NUK Nature Sense bottle - especially for breastfed babies. With a particularly soft teat.

"The closer to the natural example, the better."

Thank you very much for the interview, Ms Bordiehn.