Finger feeding (Photo used with permission)
Following are some resources for alternative feeding methods, including bottle feeding, cup/dropper/spoon feeding, finger feeding, supplementing at the breast, and ideas for older babies.
Bottle | Cup, Dropper, Spoon | Finger Feeding | At Breast | Back to Breast | Older Babies
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Bottle feeding
Alternatives to bottles for younger babies (including preemies)
Cup, dropper, syringe, and links with various methods
- Alternatives to bottle from AskDrSears.com
- Refusing a Bottle: Dropper & Cup Feeding by Paula Yount
- Finger and Cup Feeding by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
- Cup Feeding from the Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan
- Cup Feeding Instructions and FAQs from foleycup.com
Comparison of the Safety of Cup and Bottle Feedings in Premature Infants Whose Mothers Intend to Breastfeed information on study by Kathleen A. Marinelli, MD, IBCLC; Georgine S. Burke, Ph.D; Virginia L. Dodd, MS, RNC. The full article can be found here.- Feeding by cup, paladai or spoon (see p. 206 of PDF file – note that this file is very large and will likely take a long time to load if you have a slow connection) from the WHO document Managing Newborn Problems: a guide for doctors, nurses and midwives.
- Physiologic Stability of Newborns During Cup- and Bottle-feeding by Cynthia R. Howard, et al., from Pediatrics, Vol. 104 No. 5 Supplement, November 1999, pp. 1204-1207.
- SoftFeeder (with link to Instructions) from Medela
Finger feeding
- Finger and Cup Feeding by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
- Finger-Feeding with a Feeding Tube from the Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan
- Finger-Feeding with an Oral Syringe from the Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan
Options for supplementing baby at the breast
- Long-term at-breast supplementing for the breastfed baby by Diana West, BA, IBCLC and Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC
- At-Breast Supplementers by Diana West, IBCLC and Lisa Marasco, IBCLC
- Lactation Aid (nursing supplementer) by Jack Newman, MD
- Inserting a lactation aid (video) by Jack Newman, MD
- Breast Feeding with a Feeding Tube from the Breastfeeding Committee for Saskatchewan
Weaning back to the breast from other feeding methods
- Transitioning baby from formula feeding to breastfeeding @
includes links to information on reducing supplements and transitioning to the breast from bottles, nursing supplementers, Haberman feeders, etc.
Additional options for older babies (4+ months)
After 4-6 months, there is really no need to introduce a bottle — babies this age can generally handle a cup just fine (expect to help out in the beginning, though). If you need to, try different types of cups to see what works best for you and baby: regular cup (try different sizes), sippy cup, no-spill sippy cup, cup with straw (or a cup with a built-in straw), and sports bottle are all options that different babies use.
Occasionally a baby will refuse to drink from any type of cup or bottle. In this case, try feeding baby breastmilk with a spoon, dropper or syringe. If baby has started solids, mix the solids with lots of breastmilk. You might also try a momsicle, ice cream, yogurt or a smoothie made with breastmilk.
- Introducing a sippy cup by Paula Yount
- How My Child With Down Syndrome Learned To Drink From A Straw Cup from NoahsDad.com. These are great tips for anyone teaching baby to use a straw.
- Momsicles – Frozen Breastmilk On A Stick by Paula Yount
- Breastmilk recipes