Breastfeeding is an intimate moment between mother and baby. While breastfeeding, the little one will feel physically and emotionally close to the mother. However, what if he experiences nipple confusion and refuses to feed directly from your breast?
Nipple confusion occurs when a baby has difficulty sucking breast milk (ASI) directly from the breast. This is usually experienced by newborns or babies who are used to drinking breast milk from a bottle. Babies can also experience nipple confusion if they are allowed to suckle too often.
Causes and Symptoms of Nipple Confusion
Nipple confusion can be caused by the mother being too quick to introduce a milk bottle or pacifier to her little one. Ideally, you can only introduce a milk bottle or pacifier when your little one is 4 weeks old, or when he is already proficient at breastfeeding directly on your breast.
In addition, nipple confusion can also be caused by flat nipples in the mother or tongue tie in babies.
The condition of nipple confusion is characterized by the baby looking confused to find and suckle on the mother's nipple. In addition, the condition of nipple confusion is also characterized by the baby's habit of sucking milk through the tip of the nipple, fussing, or refusing to be breastfed.
If left unchecked, nipple confusion can cause the mother's nipples to blister due to improper attachment between the baby's mouth and the nipple, as well as reduced milk production. Meanwhile, in infants, nipple confusion is at risk of causing reduced nutritional intake from breast milk.
Help Babies Overcome Nipple Confusion
There are several ways that can be done to overcome nipple confusion in babies, namely:
1. Do it skin-to-skin while breastfeeding
Breastfeeding skin-to-skin means allowing the baby's skin to come into direct contact with the mother's skin while she is breastfeeding, without being limited by clothing. This can help your baby relax more and encourage him to enjoy the feeding process. If done regularly, breastfeeding regularly skin-to-skin will be very helpful in overcoming nipple confusion experienced by babies.
2. Feed the baby in the right position
Before breastfeeding, make sure your little one is in the right position. Also make sure the position of the mother is comfortable for breastfeeding and the attachment of the baby's mouth to the mother's breast is correct. If your little one is used to using a pacifier, it's best to stop first, okay?
3. Feed your baby before he gets really hungry
If all this time you have only breastfed your little one when he looks very hungry and crying, stop this habit. The reason is, if the baby has nipple confusion, the hungry condition will make him more confused and more fussy, so that ultimately the breastfeeding process will not be effective.
As much as possible, feed your little one before he gets too hungry. Keep a regular schedule for breastfeeding. Newborn babies need to be breastfed every 1.5-3 hours, while older babies need to be breastfed every 2-3 hours.
4. Keep calm
Babies can feel their mother's anxiety you know, Bun. So, try to keep the mother calm when dealing with the little one who is confused about the nipple. Try to get your little one to breastfeed slowly. Don't force it. Make breastfeeding moments a fun activity.
If your little one is still confused about the nipple and still chooses to bottle feed, you can consult a pediatrician or breastfeeding consultant for further advice. Don't be stressed, OK? The most important thing is to ensure that your little one's nutritional needs are met properly.