by BabyCenter Guest Blogger posted in Parenting

By Dr. Amy Dettori
As a new mom who was soon going back to work within a few weeks of having a baby, I struggled with so many questions around feeding. I wanted to ensure my baby had breast milk. When do I introduce the bottle" When do I start pumping" What kind of bottle or nipple should I use" Will my baby get confused and reject the bottle completely if I do it wrong" Is it even possible to "do it wrong""
Now that I am a pediatrician, I realize that so many new moms have these same questions and I often spend time discussing these topics with them.

Introducing the bottle
First, when you introduce the bottle is dependent on how the baby breastfeeds initially: If you plan to continue breastfeeding outside of the newborn period, you should wait until breastfeeding is established. If you don't intend to continue with breastfeeding, you can introduce the bottle as soon as you'd like. Breastfeeding can sometimes be established in as little as a week, but some babies take longer to get it down. Sometimes the limiting factor in starting a bottle is when you are ready to pump if you do not wish to use formula. In general, it's recommended to not begin pumping until your milk supply is established, which coincidentally is usually when breastfeeding is established. However, you may try pumping earlier if you are trying to increase your supply.

 
Regularity is key
As for the type of nipple on...