# Breastmilk Too Thick For A Bottle?



## tschifo (Jun 25, 2005)

My husband has noticed that our son seems to have a problem getting milk out of the Avent nipples we are using. We bought more nipples the next stage up from infant, and that is too fast. The milk just dribbles all over him, wasting my precious breastmilk. We're wondering if my milk could be clogging the nipple. It seems that the breastmilk is stringy, and clogs the nipple. KWIM? He normally warms the milk up, so it should be thinner than if it were staight from the refrigerator. Has anyone else had this problem? I just hate to switch bottles. We've invested so much $ in them already.
Also, it seems that our son eats more when we give him breastmilk in a bottle. What's up with that? Thanks for your help!


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## LeosMama (Sep 6, 2005)

i doubt it's the milk. breastmilk is thinner than formula. it's probably the avent nipples. they are so stiff, many babies have a tough time getting milk out of them. the suckling action is totally different on a bottle than the breast and he may not be able to do it, at least not on an avent. sorry to say that.


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## LeosMama (Sep 6, 2005)

why do you think he eats more from the bottle?
have you done a before and after weighing with an LC to know that is the case?


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## tschifo (Jun 25, 2005)

What I meant was that he seems to eat more frequently with a bottle than he does with me. But, that could just be my husbands perspective.


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## tschifo (Jun 25, 2005)

bump


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## LeosMama (Sep 6, 2005)

I'm gonna guess that it is the avent nipples and that it is because he doesn't know how to suckle on them. he may be eating more frequently with the bottles (this is so subjective, your dh is doing the feedings so of course he notices them, but when you're home, he may not notice as much!) if he's not able to get as much milk down and is working too hard to want to finish the first one.

there are definitely techniques to help a baby learn to suckle more effectively, but you need to ask a lactation consultant who would refer you to an occupational therapist or speech language pathologist. if you are going to be feeding this way for sure (expressed milk rather than direct b/fing) then you either need to find different nipples that work for him (you may not find any that work as well as the breast for him, or you may) or you need to address the root of the problem, in my opinion it is that he doesn't know how to suck to get out the milk.

I would try a softer nipple before therapy. Try the naturalatch from playtex. it is very soft and not terribly expensive to try.

I think that the avent system is not all it's cracked up to be and is pushed way too hard by lactation consultants. see if you can get some of your money back out by reselling on ebay.

just my opinion and what i would do if it were my situation.

good luck.


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## MaryJaneLouise (Jul 26, 2005)

Could the string stuff be from occasionally clogged ducts?

Sometimes eating lecithin can help with that.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...-mastitis.html


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