Introducing a bottle, thoughtfully.
A few quiet rules for the breastfed baby.
If you are returning to work, or simply want a few hours of rest, introducing a bottle can feel like a high-stakes moment. A few quiet rules: aim for somewhere between three and six weeks if you can, have someone other than the breastfeeding parent offer it, and try when your baby is calm and curious rather than starving.
Paced bottle feeding (baby upright, bottle horizontal, a pause every few sucks) mimics the natural pace of the breast and reduces the chance of bottle preference.
A quiet tip
If your baby refuses the bottle, change one variable at a time - a different teat shape, a different temperature, a different room. The thing that works is rarely the one you expect.