Soon you will return to work. You will therefore be less present at home and less available for your baby's feedings. However, there is no question of ending breastfeeding. Your solution? The breastfeeding pump. Besides, you are already ready. You have purchased all the equipment: breast pump, nursing bottles and adapter ring to express your milk directly into the bottle. Problem: baby is not ready and flat out refuses the breast pump. Before you panic and review your plans, discover our 10 tips to help you change everything.
SUMMARY :
- 4 technical tips to make it easier to adopt the breast pump
- 2 methods to keep baby occupied and breastfeed better
- Moms, 3 other levers to unlock the breastfeeding pump
- 1 bonus: cooking your breast milk
4 technical tips to more easily adopt a breastfeeding pump
When the bottle of breast milk replaces breastfeeding, it is possible that baby will not agree and refuse to drink other than from your breast. Despite everything, with patience, kindness and a little cleverness, you will gradually increase your chances of getting him to accept the breast pump .
Gently warm the expressed milk
Breast milk taken from the breast is the same temperature as your body, around 36 degrees. So, to help your baby get used to pumping, warm the milk you have expressed or offer to the person looking after your baby to do so. The easiest way to do this? The bottle warmer .
Offer a bottle of fresh breast milk
If you are new to breastfeeding pumps you may not know this, but expressed and refrigerated or frozen breast milk can take on a different smell and taste , leading to refusal of the breast pump. How do I know if the problem comes from there? Offer your baby a bottle of freshly expressed milk and see if it makes a difference.
Testing different breastfeeding containers
Of course, switching from breast to bottle is a big change for your child. His refusal of the breast pump can therefore be directly linked to a problem with the container. Sippy cup, bottle, syringe without needle, spoon, cup or LAD (lactation aid device), to understand, try to get baby to drink differently.
Do you know it? From birth, babies are able to lap up milk offered in small quantities in a cup. The “DAL” for its part, comes in the form of a thin tube connected on one side to a bottle of breast milk and on the other, to the nipple so that baby can suckle it at the same time as the breast. This device is particularly suitable for inducing lactation, in the event of a lack of milk, or for premature babies who have difficulty breastfeeding.
Trust the physiological and sensory bottle
Compared to the mother's breast, most bottles are stiff, smooth and cold. Unpleasant sensations that your infant is not used to.
To counter this problem and for all breastfed, semi-breastfed, pump-fed or bottle-fed babies, Élhée took inspiration from the maternal breast to develop its physiological bottle . Made from 100% healthy medical silicone , supple and soft like mother's breast, it also has a physiological teat equipped with an anti-colic valve .
Compatible with Medela and Avent breast pumps , as well as with the same brand's bottle warmer thanks to its two adapter rings , the BibROND closely reproduces the sensations of breastfeeding for gentle adaptation.
2 methods to keep baby occupied and breastfeed better
If warming your frozen breast milk or offering your freshly expressed milk doesn't change anything, try to focus your baby's attention away from his milk meal.
Breastfeeding pump in motion
You have probably noticed that babies love to be carried, rocked, cuddled ... Moreover, when you are waiting, you may have the reflex to rock slightly to make your little one wait. Soothing, the movement can also help you with delicate breastfeeding pumps. For example, try giving the bottle while walking or swinging while you make this change.
Moving also allows you to offer other points of view to your child and sometimes, to focus their attention away from their meal.
Breastfeeding pump in melody
Reading aloud , listening to music , telling him a story or simply talking to your baby could also help you. Babies are in fact very sensitive to soft and melodious sounds, to musicality, which captures their attention and again, often soothes them in times of annoyance.
Once the transition to the breast pump is made together, baby will also have to adapt to the person who looks after him. So pass on all the tips you try (especially those that work) to the dad, the nanny or the grandparents, so that they feel less helpless when it comes to your child and his bottle.
Moms, 3 other levers to unlock the breastfeeding pump
When breastfeeding gets really complicated, outside help can be beneficial. It's normal. Taking a step back is often essential to fully understand the situation as a parent.
Delegate meals temporarily
If baby refuses the breast pump, it may be even more difficult to put it in place if you have always breastfed him . To facilitate the transition from breast > mixed breastfeeding > exclusive breastfeeding, delegate the taking of bottles as early as possible, to clearly differentiate the stages . Once the breast pump is installed, you can safely resume milk meals with your baby.
Share your emotions with your child
Even if he is still little, your baby understands you . Facial expressions, musicality of the voice and even emotions: in his own way, he understands everything. If you feel overwhelmed by the situation, if you don't really know what trick to try, choose a calm moment, when your child is receptive, and talk to him or her about your difficulties. A tip certainly not magical, but always beneficial.
Also open up to those around you . Tell him your difficulties with this refusal of the breast pump, talk to him about your fears and your doubts perhaps, in relation to your choice. Your parents, your partner or your friends can give you their support, their ideas and a few moments of respite.
Let go
Often the most difficult advice to follow is to let go. Pressed by time and external imperatives, you want to be sure that your child eats enough in your absence and we understand you. This is why we developed the physiological bottle as a relay for breastfeeding , thinking about the happiness of all babies and their parents.
If your baby refuses the breast pump, one or other of our tips should eventually resolve the situation. You probably need a little time to find your rhythm and baby, his new way of functioning. Weaning a baby from breastfeeding does not happen in a few days and requires patience, understanding and gentleness. Either way, during this transition, try to let go of the amount of milk you eat or meal times . Just take care of your baby's well-being .
1 bonus: cooking your breast milk
Finally, if the breast-bottle transition coincides with the start of dietary diversification or if your child is already diversified, try yogurt, cakes or even pancakes prepared with breast milk . A nice way to continue breastfeeding a little.
Moreover, for children who eat or are starting to eat like adults, did you know that the BibROND Élhée can also be used as a potty ? And that the training cup is as healthy as the bottle for learning to drink water?
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